# Pre nup



## JShannon (Jan 28, 2014)

Does anybody living in the Philippines have experience with having a Pre nup with your Filipino spouse? I know that it is a touchy subject wherever you live. I have been doing some reading about it so I know they can be done here.

We are not yet married and I hope that we will never separate or get an annulment but as I am getting older I feel that I have to protect my assets for my retirement if it does happen.

Thanks for any input.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

JShannon said:


> Does anybody living in the Philippines have experience with having a Pre nup with your Filipino spouse? I know that it is a touchy subject wherever you live. I have been doing some reading about it so I know they can be done here.
> 
> We are not yet married and I hope that we will never separate or get an annulment but as I am getting older I feel that I have to protect my assets for my retirement if it does happen.
> 
> Thanks for any input.


I have a friend living back in the US that has a pre-nup (with his Filipina wife) and has never had need of it or to even refer to the document.

Problem is that if you live here in the Philippines; the law, in any respect or circumstance means little or nothing. This is especially true if a court case of any kind involves a foreign citizen. In almost all cases the law/courts will find in favor of the Philippine citizen no matter what.

That said and being true, I would submit that your money would be better placed by leaving yourself a financial way out of here if it ever became necessary.


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## JShannon (Jan 28, 2014)

Hi Jet Lag, Thanks for the reply, it was my intention to leave the majority of my assets in Canada. So the point might be moot, I imagine it would be rather difficult and very expensive to try and get hold of assets that are not in the Philippines.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

When getting an annulment in the Philippines, ALL assets are community property. 

I would do like you are planning and leave as much as you are comfortable with in Canada. I am sure that your money is better insured there too. In the PI, the maximum insured money in your accounts is 500,000p.

Less money over here = less risk of someone taking you out for said money.


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

From my point of view, a woman ... why get married? You can come and go as you please if you are not legally tied down. It's easy for her to pack up and leave as well and there won't be any financial obligations. Why change the status quo when it is working for both of you?
I am in agreement with what the guys have said.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

esv1226 said:


> From my point of view, a woman ... why get married? You can come and go as you please if you are not legally tied down. It's easy for her to pack up and leave as well and there won't be any financial obligations. Why change the status quo when it is working for both of you?
> I am in agreement with what the guys have said.


If I had not married my wonderful Filipina almost 12 years ago I would be totally lost.
There is a vast difference for the better being married to someone than the "what if", temporary relationship of just shacking up--at least in my opinion. 
I think that holds particularly true when living in a foreign country such as the Philippines. Being married is a special comfort and joy; and knowing that one person is always there for me no matter what.
A good marriage, like anything else worthwhile takes time and effort on a daily basis, but is better (I think) than any other alternative. {And I have 4 young daughters sitting beside me here as I post this that agree with me.}


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## Taswegian (Dec 2, 2011)

Hi Guys,

A pre nup will protect your assests back home but does nothing for items in the Phils.
I am with Jetlag on this one, if i wasn't married to mine i probally would be lost. Anyway if things did go wrong I would leave everything with my wife as I believe I could get back on my feet and wouldn't want her back in the province with nothing. To many people only think of themselve if things go wrong.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

JShannon said:


> Does anybody living in the Philippines have experience with having a Pre nup with your Filipino spouse? I know that it is a touchy subject wherever you live. I have been doing some reading about it so I know they can be done here.
> 
> We are not yet married and I hope that we will never separate or get an annulment but as I am getting older I feel that I have to protect my assets for my retirement if it does happen.
> 
> Thanks for any input.


Have you discussed the matter of a prenuptial agreement with your significant other? As you may or may not know, Filipina ladies can often be quite irascible at times, and often times they seem to take things completely out of context. You might want to be careful how you approach her on this particular topic.

Years ago, one of my wife's friends was about to get married to a fellow from the US, when suddenly he introduced the idea of a prenuptial agreement to her. The woman he was supposed to marry had a complete conniption fit, and claimed that she had never been so insulted in all her life. Personally, I thought that her anger was a little over blown, and I wonder if the real reason she got upset was because she didn't really have the best of intentions to begin with, but I really don't know.

I agree with everyone else, a prenuptial agreement won't be worth the paper it is written on, here in the Philippines, and such a document probably would not be legally binding. However, my advice is to be careful how you broach this topic with your significant other.


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## bbazor (Nov 18, 2013)

Maxx62 said:


> Have you discussed the matter of a prenuptial agreement with your significant other? As you may or may not know, Filipina ladies can often be quite irascible at times, and often times they seem to take things completely out of context. You might want to be careful how you approach her on this particular topic.
> 
> Years ago, one of my wife's friends was about to get married to a fellow from the US, when suddenly he introduced the idea of a prenuptial agreement to her. The woman he was supposed to marry had a complete conniption fit, and claimed that she had never been so insulted in all her life. Personally, I thought that her anger was a little over blown, and I wonder if the real reason she got upset was because she didn't really have the best of intentions to begin with, but I really don't know.
> 
> I agree with everyone else, a prenuptial agreement won't be worth the paper it is written on, here in the Philippines, and such a document probably would not be legally binding. However, my advice is to be careful how you broach this topic with your significant other.


Did the girl sign the agreement? Did they get married and live "happily ever after"?


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

Nope, she broke everything off, and she was telling everyone that he had accused her of stealing, when he asked her to sign the prenuptial agreement.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Maxx62 said:


> Nope, she broke everything off, and she was telling everyone that he had accused her of stealing, when he asked her to sign the prenuptial agreement.


Sounds like he had well founded caution.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

jon1 said:


> Sounds like he had well founded caution.


Yeah, I'm not really sure if that one was really due to a cultural misunderstanding, or if she was simply trying to cover up her bad intentions up with phony self righteous indignation? All I know is that prenuptial agreements tend to be a hot button over here, and I'm pretty sure that I've seen it brought up in the silly movies that my wife likes to watch.


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## JShannon (Jan 28, 2014)

Hello all, Thanks for all of the input and feedback. My gf is very calm and level headed but as some mention, why stir the pot with asking for a pre-nup. I am aware that any assets in country become common property which is not a problem at all. It always was my intention to leave most of my $$ outside of the country and bring it in as required.

Esv 1226 you have a good point but for me and I am sure the gf, neither of us want to just shack up. I have never been married and I am looking forward to the experience.


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

Congratulations! May you have blissful years today and tomorrows ... (I am happily married)


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