The Rising Trend of Financial Agreements Among Couples: Why More People Are Planning Before the Altar

The average age to get married has climbed significantly in recent decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, men now marry around age 30 and women around 28.6—a stark contrast to the 1950s when couples typically walked down the aisle in their early twenties. This shift has profound implications for how engaged couples approach financial planning together.

Recent data reveals a surprising shift in premarital conversations. A 2025 Headway survey shows that 51% of unmarried individuals would consider incorporating financial growth commitments into their marriage agreements. These provisions essentially pledge that both partners will actively work toward personal development and financial advancement throughout their relationship.

Why Financial Security Matters Before Marriage

The appeal of such arrangements isn’t purely transactional. Financial instability ranks among the leading sources of marital conflict. The same survey uncovered that 44% of couples have already experienced physical intimacy challenges stemming from money-related stress. For those getting married later in life—often after establishing careers, degrees, and accumulated assets—the stakes feel considerably higher.

Damian Turco, a family law attorney at Turco Legal, explains the shift: “Today’s couples at 30-plus have witnessed market volatility firsthand and carry persistent financial anxiety. Combined with higher education levels and established wealth, they naturally want reassurance that these assets remain protected should the marriage dissolve.”

The Communication Gap Young Couples Face

Despite the rising average age to get married, many younger couples struggle with basic financial conversations. Research from Ally Bank reveals troubling gaps: only 44% of unmarried Millennials and Gen Z feel comfortable discussing future career trajectories with their partners. The discomfort intensifies around sensitive topics—54% hesitate to discuss homeownership plans, and a concerning 62% avoid disclosing their debt levels entirely.

Ironically, proposing a formal financial agreement might actually solve this problem. Such conversations force couples to have the difficult, essential dialogues about money that they’ve been avoiding. Jenny Bradley, a divorce attorney with Triangle Smart Divorce, notes: “When couples engage in transparent money discussions, they develop stronger communication patterns and build deeper trust.”

What These Clauses Actually Accomplish

Financial growth clauses typically specify that each partner’s income, savings, and investment returns remain individually controlled—or alternatively, establish clear parameters for shared asset growth. Davina Adjani from HelloPrenup emphasizes the dual benefit: “These agreements provide clarity on what stays separate and what can be built jointly, creating both security and opportunity.”

However, prospective couples should approach prenuptial agreements with realistic expectations. Patrick Baghdaserians, a family law attorney with Baghdaserians Law Group, warns that these documents aren’t foolproof: “Nearly all premarital agreements face legal challenges, often resulting in parallel trials—one determining the agreement’s validity and another addressing the underlying dispute.”

The Real Foundation: Honest Conversation

While legal documents offer structure, they’re not prerequisites for marital success. The genuine requirement is vulnerability and honesty about financial hopes, concerns, and priorities. Couples who delay these conversations until a divorce attorney becomes involved inevitably face higher costs and greater acrimony.

The pathway forward doesn’t necessarily require signing anything. It requires having uncomfortable but essential discussions: What debt exists? What are individual financial priorities? How will assets grow together? How will separate finances be managed? Only after addressing these foundational questions should couples consider whether legal protection is necessary.

The movement toward financial agreements reflects not a lack of romance, but rather a pragmatic approach to modern relationships—one where couples marry later, bring more financial complexity, and seek clarity before committing to a lifelong partnership.