Contract is Not a Four Letter Word

A domestic contract, such as a marriage contract, is simply a way for parties to get what they want rather than what the law might dictate. Free choice and self direction are good things, in my opinion. But the person who proposes such a contract is criticized for wishing the end of the relationship before it has begun.

Contracts are not romantic, that is true. Neither are most of the other preparations we engage in for a wedding. Hiring an officiant isn’t sexy. Neither is paying the deposit on the hall or listening to bands audition. We do it anyway, getting on with the practical tasks at hand so that the wedding can go off without a hitch.

Look at a marriage contract as just another step in preparation for the wedding and the marriage. Meet with a family lawyer for an hour. Get an education in what Ontario law will mandate once you and your partner enter into the legal relationship that is marriage. Find out whether or not you actually need or want a contract. You might not.

What you don’t know can hurt you in this case. Or, at the very least, what you don’t know about the law could result in a very unhappy spouse in the event of marriage breakdown. Don’t you want to be an informed consumer? Wouldn’t you rather decide ahead of time who gets what and how? I know I would.