by Stephanie Klesko

Created on: May 31, 2008

It's not news that at least half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. The statistic is proof it can be difficult to truly predict the outcome of 1 out of 2 marriages.

Because of this, prenuptial agreements should become not only as routine, but as required as, marriage licenses. It's a piece of paper, just like that marriage certificate after the ceremony; however, it, too is a legal document that gives each person protection from one other in the event that things don't work out.

The reasons for the breakups are as diverse as the people involved. People don't expend a great effort in really getting to know the other person. Add to that, Generation Xers and younger generations grew up in the age of instant gratification, so they don't really understand or practice the concept of "working it out." Furthermore, there are a number of instances where manipulation is the key in either the consummation or the demise of a marriage.

Consider these examples:

A man wines and dines a woman during their dating and engagement period, and once they are married, refuses to be seen with her, calls her stupid and, as the breadwinner, hordes his money while making her pay the majority of the bills with her $10 an hour wage, as well as perform all the housework. They are still married, but likely to be headed for divorce court.

A man, who is a heavy drinker, straightens up at his girlfriend's insistence. She eventually becomes his fiance, and he promises to take care of her and provide a good life. So the woman, who is a single mother of two, sells her home at a loss and trades-in her note-free car for an SUV. Two weeks after they are married, he resumes drinking at the bar every night and hits her infrequently. On two occasions, he drains thousands from their savings account, most of which she brought into the marriage, to fund a gambling addiction. He is a sales professional and the breadwinner, making $50,000 or more each year. All the while, she keeps the house well cared for and raises his severely dysfunctional young children. After several years of marriage, she files for divorce. During the divorce proceedings, he proclaims to the judge that she never managed the household and did not provide appropriate care to his two children. The judge believes him. Although he is required to pay a cash settlement 20% of his annual income the ex-wife, a non-professional wage earner, is left to re-finance a second SUV he insisted upon buying two years prior and pay thousands

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