Without a Pre-Nuptial Agreement, Elizabeth Hurley Could Lose Millions in Divorce

By Sheryl Rentz on December 17, 2010

The Huffington Post reports that Elizabeth Hurley and her husband Arun Nayar are divorcing after three years of marriage. However, Hurley disregarded one major precaution most celebrities take before marrying: having a pre-nuptial agreement.

Hurley could potentially lose a significant amount of her fortune because of this oversight. The British actress is said to have over £13 million (over $17 million USD), including a £4.3 million (approximately $5.7 million USD) mansion in South-West England as well as a £2.5 million (about $3.3 million USD) townhouse in London, which her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant co-owns.

A source close to the soon-to-be divorced couple says that a pre-nuptial agreement would have been a deal breaker for Nayar.

It can be uncomfortable to discuss having a pre-nuptial agreement with your significant other before marriage. However, it can help both you and your future spouse plan ahead for unexpected events in the future, which is a wise thing to do, no matter a person’s social or economic standing, or whether they are a celebrity or not. Besides offering asset protection, a pre-nuptial agreement can also protect one spouse from the other’s separate debts. Additionally, the agreement can protect a spouse’s pension benefits and retirement funds from the other.

In the case of Elizabeth Hurley, when a spouse is wealthier than the other and no pre-nuptial agreement was made prior to the marriage, the spouse that is poorer can make a claim on a portion of the richer spouse’s money, or even demand to receive other assets such as a house.

At The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our Pennsylvania family law attorneys can work with you and your future spouse to draft a pre-nuptial agreement that is fair and satisfies both parties. Call us at 610-645-0100 today to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about pre-nuptial agreements in Pennsylvania.