The Appeal of Prenups

"I spoke to a "prenup coach," a financial adviser in Kansas, who told me that this generation just doesn't trust marriage. Twenty-five per cent of millennials are the children of divorce or separation. And, then, there's a certain amount of glamour attached to having a prenup; it's something associated with celebrity uncoupling. With social media, and especially Instagram, people are more interested in projecting a certain image of themselves as having access to luxury items, and prenups have become something of a luxury item."

"You mention, too, that younger generations tend to favor easy exits. Ours is a generation that values our freedom. We move around more; we'd rather rent; we'd rather stay mobile. Divorce can really prevent mobility. You get stuck in a kind of prolonged purgatory. But a prenup can shorten that process. Also, millennials and Gen Z-ers are digital natives. We do everything online. So these new prenup apps fit into that preference for seamless transactions that involve as few humans as possible."

Prenups have surged in popularity among millennials and Gen Z, who view them as practical protections against divorce and as status signals. About 25% of millennials are children of divorce or separation, increasing wariness about marriage. Many younger people value mobility and prefer easy exits; prenups can shorten and simplify post‑relationship separations. Digital natives favor streamlined online solutions, and apps like HelloPrenup and Wenup make prenuptial agreements cheaper and faster. Couples also hire prenup coaches to navigate negotiations. Economic insecurity and social media’s glamorization of celebrity uncoupling further encourage prenup adoption.

Read at The New Yorker