Prenuptial Agreement Cost Estimator
Example: Attorney hourly rate: 300 $ · Your attorney drafting hours: 8 hours · Partner''s counsel review hours: 4 hours · Financial disclosure prep: 500 $
| Estimated total cost | $4,100 |
| Your attorney (drafting) | $2,400 |
| Partner''s attorney (review) | $1,200 |
Worked example
At $300 an hour, eight hours of drafting by your attorney is $2,400. Your partner's independent attorney reviewing and advising for four hours adds $1,200, and preparing full financial disclosures runs about $500. The prenup totals roughly $4,100. A simple agreement between two people with straightforward finances can cost less, while complex assets, businesses, or heavy negotiation can push it into five figures — so the hours you enter drive nearly the entire result.
Frequently asked questions
Why does each partner need a separate attorney?
Independent counsel for each partner is one of the strongest defenses against a prenup being challenged later as unfair or signed under pressure. A court is far more likely to enforce an agreement when both sides had their own lawyer, which is why the second-counsel cost is built into this estimate.
What makes a prenup more expensive?
Complexity. Business ownership, real estate, stock options, expected inheritances, and hard-fought negotiation over specific terms all add attorney hours. A short agreement covering simple separate property is at the low end; a heavily negotiated one covering complex assets is at the high end.
Why is financial disclosure a separate cost?
A valid prenup generally requires full and fair disclosure of each partner's assets and debts. Gathering and documenting that information — sometimes with an accountant — is real work, and hiding assets can invalidate the whole agreement, so it is worth doing properly.
Is a prenup worth the cost?
For couples with meaningful assets, a business, children from a prior relationship, or significant debt, the cost of a prenup is usually small next to the cost and uncertainty of sorting those issues out in a future divorce. For couples with few assets, a simpler agreement may suffice.