Talk about money and the future as a team
A prenup or postnup doesn’t have to feel adversarial. In mediation, you and your partner talk through finances and expectations together, with a neutral facilitator, and decide the terms you both want. Then each of you takes the written terms to your own attorney for review and drafting.
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Topics couples work through
Every couple is different, and you decide which topics belong in your agreement. Common ones include:
Separate & shared property
What each of you brings into the marriage and how you’ll treat property you acquire together.
Homes & real estate
A house one of you already owns, a future home purchase, and how contributions are counted.
Debts
Student loans, credit cards, and business debt, and who is responsible for what.
Business interests
A business one of you owns or plans to start, and how growth in its value is handled.
Retirement & savings
Accounts built before the marriage and contributions made during it.
Second marriages & blended families
Protecting children from a prior relationship and coordinating with estate plans.
A conversation, not a negotiation against each other
When each partner hires an attorney and the drafts go back and forth, a prenup can start to feel like the first fight of the marriage. Mediation flips the order: the two of you talk openly first, with a neutral who keeps the conversation balanced, and then your attorneys review and formalize what you’ve agreed. Many couples say the process helped them understand each other’s values about money.
Virginia has a specific statute governing premarital agreements, and agreements made during marriage are addressed in the same part of the Code. There are formal requirements for these agreements, and full and honest financial disclosure is an important part of the process. Your attorneys will advise each of you on those requirements; I don’t give legal advice.
Timing matters. If you’re planning a wedding, start early — ideally several months ahead — so no one feels rushed and each attorney has time to review. Postnuptial agreements can be worked on at any point in a marriage, often after a major life change like an inheritance, a new business, or a period of strain.
How prenup mediation works
Free consultation
A 15-minute call to answer questions about the process and timing.
Disclosure & intake
A private conversation with each of you and a checklist for exchanging financial information.
Joint sessions
Structured conversations about each topic, at a pace that feels comfortable for both of you.
Written terms
A Memorandum of Understanding of your terms for each of your own attorneys to review and draft into a final agreement.
Prenup & postnup pricing
These matters use my family mediation pricing. Many couples need only a few sessions:
- Hourly — $300/hour, shared, with a 2-hour minimum per joint session. A good fit for most prenup conversations.
- Memorandum of Understanding — $600. Written summary of your agreed terms for your attorneys’ review.
- Family Clarity Session — $1,200. Intake with each of you plus one 2-hour joint session and a written summary.
- Full Family Mediation — $3,600 for couples with more complex finances or business interests.
Why work with Sara
I’m married, and I believe the healthiest conversations about money happen early and honestly. My job is to make that conversation feel safe for both of you, so neither person feels steamrolled.
My background in legal operations and organizational strategy means I’m comfortable with detailed financial information and organized documentation. I stay neutral and don’t advise either of you; your own attorneys do that.
- J.D., University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law; George Mason University alum
- Close to two decades in federal consulting, legal operations, and organizational strategy
- Mediation training: 40-hour basic mediation, 24-hour family mediation, and a 4-hour Virginia Judicial System orientation
- Neutral by design: I don’t practice law, give legal advice, or represent either side
Prenup & postnup mediation questions
Do we each still need an attorney?
Yes, I strongly recommend that each of you have your own attorney review the terms and prepare or review the final agreement. I’m a neutral mediator and don’t give legal advice or draft the final agreement.
How far before the wedding should we start?
As early as you can — several months is ideal. That leaves time for disclosure, a few sessions, and each attorney’s review without pressure close to the wedding.
Can we mediate a postnup after we’re married?
Yes. Couples mediate postnuptial agreements at all stages of marriage, often after an inheritance, a new business, or a move.
What if we discover we disagree about something big?
That’s valuable to learn before the wedding. Mediation gives you a structured, respectful way to talk it through, and some couples decide to leave certain topics out of the agreement.
Is everything we discuss confidential?
Generally, yes. Virginia law treats mediation communications as confidential, with limited exceptions I explain before we begin.
More answers on the full FAQ page.
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