My partner and I are 23 and planning our prenup. We are far from rich, but want an equitable relationship from the start.

Two partners from distinct cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds mutually choose a prenuptial agreement to protect assets and student debt. Early conversations focused on intent, fairness, and mutual benefit, shaping the prenup to serve both partners equitably. Open dialogue transformed initial family skepticism rooted in media stereotypes into informed support. The prenup functions as practical financial planning rather than a sign of mistrust. Shared advocacy and transparency strengthened trust and brought the partners closer. The agreement is treated as a non-negotiable safeguard aligned with long-term partnership goals.

Growing up, everything I knew about prenups was negative . I was used to movie depictions of women getting shorted by rich, overpowering men, rap songs glamorizing unequal payouts, and my own father advising me, "If someone wants to sign a prenup, run." My father had the same logic most people do: Prenups are disrespectful, transactional, and unromantic, assuming the doom of a marriage before it even starts. Little did he know that my partner and I were committed to signing one .

It was hard telling my father. I wondered if he'd see me differently - not as his strong, independent daughter but as a self-sacrificing people-pleaser who struggled to set boundaries. I also wondered if he'd resent my partner, even though we decided together and equally advocated for the cause. To my surprise, my father went from dumbfounded to wholeheartedly supportive. His most recent remark surprised me - "I think everyone should do that."

Unlike the stereotype, my partner and I aren't celebrities, trust fund kids, or CEOs . We're simply two 23-year-olds trying to get our start, one earning a modest income and the other powering through dental school with six figures of student debt. And yet, signing a prenup isn't just a nice idea - it's a non-negotiable for us, and it can't be tied to a common upbringing.

Read at Business Insider