People who are contemplating marriage often debate whether or not to arrange for a prenuptial agreement.  It’s a moot point for the couple that’s just starting out together since they probably don’t have any assets to protect.  But for the adult that has worked hard and made significant financial gains, or the person looking to inherit a substantial amount of money, a prenuptial agreement could be in order as a means of protecting the money and holdings that they’re bringing into the marriage.  Nobody wants to believe that their loving relationship is going to end in divorce, but it happens every day.  And with feelings hurt on both sides, it’s not surprising that the spurned spouse often seeks monetary restitution.  So if you’ve got something worth protecting, here are a few reasons you should seek a prenuptial agreement.

1. Gold diggers.  Some women and men are looking for a meal ticket more than a soul mate.  But unless your ideal spouse happens to be a trophy wife (or husband), you probably want something more than a person who treats you like an ATM.  By forcing a prenup on your would-be spouse, you’ll probably weed out the undesirables pretty quickly.  Anyone who stays will do so with the full knowledge that a divorce will end with little or no restitution, giving pause to the gold digger that’s looking for a payday.
2. Spiteful spouses.  Someone is bound to be hurt by a divorce, especially someone who has pledged their life to you only to be spurned.  Of course, you might decide that the person you once loved is deserving of a portion of the money you have, but then again, you might not.  Better to have the option to magnanimously award funds when you don’t have to rather than being forced to give up what you’ve worked so hard for when your soon-to-be-ex decides to milk you for everything you’re worth.
3. What’s yours is yours.  If you’re wealthy in your own right, due to hard work, ingenuity, and so forth, then there’s absolutely no reason you should have to give up anything you’ve gained simply because of a divorce.  Of course, while you’re married, you’ll certainly want to share with the person you love, which is why prenups can be such a touchy subject.  But the truth is, if you’re not going to spend the rest of your life with this person (and you just don’t know it yet), you shouldn’t have to pay for him/her to be happy with someone else.
4. Family matters.  Not all wealth is earned; some is inherited.  And if you think that your family is going to happily go along with you getting married without a prenup that protects their assets, you might find that you’re sorely mistaken.  Likely your parents and siblings will want the money to stay with the family rather than being split up.  So while they’ll almost certainly go along with you making accommodations for kids that result from the relationship, they probably won’t be so keen to see half of your fortune going to an ex-spouse.
5. Starting over is hard enough.  Whether the decision to divorce is yours, your spouse’s, or a mutual agreement, you’re probably going to have to deal with some amount of heartbreak in the process.  And you don’t want to make matters worse with an ugly battle over money.  With a prenup you hold all the cards.  So if you want to award some money to your ex, you can probably smooth out the proceedings.  But if you’d rather your spouse leave penniless, you have that option, as well.

Emma Martin writes for the Law Office of Corboy and Demetrio, a personal injury law firm based in Chicago, Illinois.

Is your job dragging you down?  Do you feel that you’ve been passed over for promotion even though you are eminently qualified?  Perhaps you’ve found that others are taking credit for your hard work.  Or maybe you are simply at the mercy of an overbearing boss.  Whatever your reasons for hating your job, you at least realize that it won’t be much better anywhere else.  But the problem is not your boss, your coworkers, your company, or the corporate world at large.  The reason you’re unhappy in your job is YOU.  And it’s mainly because you have not been taught how to get what you want.  But with just a few tips and tricks under your belt you can get the accolades you deserve, secure the promotion you’ve been working for, and realize a level of job satisfaction that currently seems unattainable.  Here’s how you can thrive in the workplace.

1. Join the team.  Your first step is to become a part of the team.  You are not employed by this company for your own benefit (although you do receive a paycheck).  You’re part of a larger group that is working towards a common goal.  If you fail to integrate yourself into the group you’re not likely to advance amongst the ranks (or keep your position for very long).  And you certainly won’t have the benefit of feeling like you are included in the shared success of the company as a whole (in other words, you’re missing out on the emotional benefits of mutual recognition).
2. Manage your time.  If you’re often overwhelmed by your workload, to the point where it is hampering your ability to meet deadlines, then perhaps part of your problem is time management.  If you want to be successful in the work environment you need to spend less time updating your Facebook profile and more time setting (and following) a schedule.  Keeping an up-to-date appointment reminder (our business), deadline calendar, and milestone marker will help you to reach your goals in a timely manner.  And there’s nothing wrong with scheduling in breaks throughout the day to hit the head, eat lunch, or simply clear your head with a mind-numbing game of Bejeweled.
3. Track success.  When it comes time for promotions to be handed out, nobody is going to remember the project you did eight months ago that saved the company millions of dollars.  You’re going to have to toot your own horn here, so come prepared with a list of your past successes and a plan for future ones that will help you convince your superiors to give you the title and salary increase you deserve.
4. Ask for what you want.In the corporate world you can pretty much expect that you’ll be ignored only so long as you don’t make any noise.  If you want something (a promotion, a raise, a chance at working on a particular team or project) you need to ask for it.  You might not get it just by asking, but you almost certainly won’t be considered if you stay silent.
5. Adopt a positive attitude.  One of the best tricks to thriving at work is to make a conscious decision to do so.  Let the small stuff roll off your back and you’ll find that you get along better with colleagues and feel better overall, which will reflect positively in your interpersonal interaction, both at work and at home.  Becoming a more relaxed and confident person will help you in all areas of life, but most especially in an otherwise stressful occupation.

You may not have medical insurance.  If you’re young, healthy, and willing to roll the dice (or if you just don’t have the money), you might go for a while without needing it.  For the same reasons, you might avoid purchasing life insurance.  And if you don’t mind breaking the law in most states (New Hampshire excluded) you could even skip auto insurance (although all it takes is a broken tail light to get your license revoked if you it turns out you don’t carry state-mandated car insurance).  However, when it comes to buying a home, you might have to spring for homeowners insurance before you even sign the paperwork, so that the bank can guarantee payment even if something terrible should happen to your home (which they hold the title on).  But there are a few more important reasons to get this insurance than just to get your mortgage loan.

When you set out to gather home insurance quotes, you may be thinking about one thing only: the cost.  But you should be focused on what you’re getting for the price of insurance.   The coverage you choose could end up saving your home.  And if you don’t have a lot of money to spend your insurance policy becomes even more important.  While anyone that owes money to the bank will probably have to get a comprehensive policy that includes both property and liability, you may also have to tack on coverage particular to your area, such as earthquake, flood, or fire, for example.

It’s a good idea to consider these policies even if you hold the title on your home simply because you probably don’t have the money to pay for any type of catastrophe that could occur on your property.  For example, suppose your child has a friend over and he falls down the stairs.  His parents might have him covered for medical insurance, but then again they might not.  If not, you are liable for the expense of medical care because the accident transpired in your home.  What if an electrical fire starts in your kitchen or a tornado rips off the roof?  When you begin to add up the possible cost of such disasters, suddenly the amount you’re paying for insurance doesn’t seem quite so untenable.

And beyond the financial benefits of having insurance for your home you’ll find that there are also some psychological bonuses.  The term “peace of mind” may not mean much to you, but if you have a feeling of dread every time you start to ponder the weighty responsibility of owning and maintaining a home (that you still owe hundreds of thousands of dollar on), you begin to understand what a load off your mind it would be to not have to worry about losing everything in the event of an unforeseeable accident or act of god.

So if you’ve been thinking that there are more fun ways you could be spending the money that you’ve got earmarked for your homeowners insurance, and that it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll ever use the insurance, think again.  The short term benefits of such a move pale in comparison to the potential payoff of having insurance when you need it.