For my next marriage: Will a Pre-Nup help me avoid losing my shirt, or do I need an offshore account?

Question

Here's the details:
- Caught my wife of 7 years cheating on me with a guy she met in her college accounting classes.
- No kids
- We rent an apartment.

Problem is, when I marry again, I will probably buy a house. If she's a gold-digger again, can having a pre-nup agreement prevent her getting 1/2 the house, or should I just rent a house for the first 10 years of marriage, till I'm sure everything's safe?
Also, should I open an offshore account for my investments?

My ex is SO DARN angry that she's getting ONLY $50,000 and a brand new car! She says that "its less than minimum wage!" (What? she thought of our marriage as a job?).

Now you may ask: why am I so generous? The fact is, she's turned into a crabby angry lady and gets fired from every job she gets. She's REALLY going to need this $50g to live on between jobs. Also, because I sponsored her to immigrate to Canada, I'm responsible for 10 years, so $50g+car for 3 more years of support seems fair to me.
Pre-Nup?

Will a pre-nup help?
I asked her about this and she said that they took it up in accounting class and that a pre-nup becomes less and less valid as the years go by.
My investments today are worth a bit less than when we married in 2000. Because of this, I didn't legally have to give her a penny. Problem is, they're going up fast and when I re-marry, she'll get half of what I made from the point where we got married.
- Should I open up an off-shore trading account, just so that I don't have to give my next gold-digging wife $100,000 or $200,000 or ? when we split?

Answer 1

Why not just find someone that will love you for you and not for any other reason? Money brings out the evilness in many, many people.

Answer 2

If you are worth money and have alot of investments, then I would definitely protect myself with a prenup if you ever marry again. You really should consult an attorney about this. There are many legal ways to protect your assets from unscrupulous people. You would word your prenup that your second wife would only be entitled to the money you made after the marriage upon your demise, unless you specify that she would be entitled to more in your will. Then you would update your will after say 10 years of marriage. You could rent a home for a while to see if the second marriage is going well; but a prenup is a must for you. My brother is a writer and illustrator and is quite successful, and when he was getting married for the 2nd time, he suggested a prenup to his fiance. Well, that was the end of the relationship, she gave back the ring in a huff, totally insulted and walked out on him, but it was a blessing in disguise because he met his soulmate two years later and they are now celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary. Things have a way of working out for the best. If you meet someone and they balk at a prenup, then you know they were only after your money. Look at Paul McCartney. He was so stupid. With all his millions, he had no prenup with that woman Heather McCartney, and now he has to fork over $50,000,000 to a gold digger. I wish you best of luck, but make sure you consult an attorney before you fall in love for the second time.

Answer 3

Since you will go into a new marriage with some assets, sure, a pre-nup is the only way to go. My husband and I had one, and fair is fair. What you want to avoid is loosing your shirt again Most states recognize that in divorce, she can only get half of what the two of you made together.... but not all states. California is a community property state, (we lived in Ca.). It never hurts to have a pile of stuff no one knows about, never. I usually recommend that to women, but you as well, need to stash cash that no one knows about, and the more the better. Go into any marriage doing all you can to make it good, and loving, and sharing, and get counseling if you hit a snag. But, protect your A$$ ets as well, hon.

Answer 4

Wow. You really need to meet some nicer women. I am in the middle of a divorce and I didn't ask for anything but my 2 kids and him to pay minimum child support! And he cheated on me after 8 years. I have an apartment and no car, I work across the street from where I live so its ok I guess. But in your case YOU should demand that prenup and take a longer time to marry someone if you suspect something! If she says no than she just wants your money!

Answer 5

If you move assets offshore before the marriage date the assets should be out of the marriage and not touchable by a divorce attorney. It would be best to use an offhsore foundation since no one actually owns a foundation such as the Panama private Interest Foundation. For more information on foundations in Panama go here:
http://www.panamalaw.org/panama_foundations.html
http://www.panamalaw.org/foundation_protectors.html
http://www.panamalaw.org/bullet_proof_asset_protection.html
For more information on Panama Offshore Banking go here:
http://www.panamalaw.org/offshore_bank_account.html

Answer 6

No, it will not help for any new things you buy, only what you have NOW. IF I were you, I would hang up the marriage plans to anyone...you have been burned badly and will not get over it for a long time. Anyone new walking into your life will not get what they need from you, especially as long as you consider all women who you might meet a gold digger...not nice.

Answer 7

Ask the next girl if she wants a pre-nup if she agrees then she doesn't care about your money, but if she gets offensive then either she is a gold digger or offended you would accuse her of being one. It is really hard to tell maybe get a lady friend to evaluate her for you they can figure out their own kind better.

Answer 8

If you have a long enough and detailed enough prenuptial agreement you can come away without loosing a dime to your wife. If you can get you wife to be to sign it you would be much better off that way. I know I would not get married without a one inch thick prenupt.

Answer 9

Yes pre-nup. It is sad that it has to be that way, but it is the smart way to be. Hopefully your future wife will understand - many women won't. But you have to protect yourself from the bad ones out there. It is scary!

Answer 10

I think you should worry about your life taking you to the grave instead of your wife taking you to the cave.
What I mean by this is that it is difficult for me to understand how one can value money over their life. If you really trust someone enough to have a sexual relationship that risk your very life,then you should trust them with your finances. Just my opinion. That way you can be very careful with the next one by thinking clearly with the head on your shoulders.