You’re getting married. Congrats. Amidst the cake tastings and the frantic hunt for a venue that isn't booked until 2029, someone—maybe your dad, maybe your cynical best friend—brought up the "P" word. Now you're staring at a search engine trying to figure out how much is a prenup without feeling like you're planning for a divorce before you’ve even said "I do."
It's awkward. It's unromantic. But honestly? It's basically just financial self-care.
The short answer is that a prenuptial agreement usually costs between $2,000 and $6,000 for a "standard" situation. But "standard" is a loaded word. If you're a tech founder with a vesting schedule that looks like a bowl of spaghetti, or if you're marrying into a family with a massive real estate portfolio in Manhattan, you can easily see those fees climb to $10,000 or $25,000. It depends on how much you have to lose and how much you’re willing to fight over right now.
Why the price tag swings so wildly
Lawyers don't usually have a "Buy It Now" button on their websites for prenups. They bill by the hour. In major hubs like New York or San Francisco, a family law attorney might charge $500 to $900 an hour. In a smaller town in the Midwest, you might find someone great for $250.
Complexity kills your budget. If you just want to make sure your grandmother’s vintage jewelry stays with you, that's a quick draft. But if you’re trying to define "active" versus "passive" appreciation on a business you started three years ago, your lawyer is going to spend a lot of time at their desk.
You also need two lawyers.
This is a non-negotiable for a "bulletproof" agreement. If one lawyer represents both of you, or if one of you doesn't have a lawyer at all, a judge might toss the whole document out later. They’ll call it "unconscionable" or claim there was "undue influence." So, when you ask how much is a prenup, you have to double the estimate. You pay for yours; your partner pays for theirs.
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The breakdown of typical costs
Let's look at the actual tiers of pricing.
The "Simple" Prenup ($1,500 - $3,500): This is for the couple where both people are starting out. Maybe you both have some student loans, a little bit of savings, and you just want to make sure your future earnings stay separate. You agree on no alimony. One lawyer drafts, the other reviews for an hour or two, and you’re done.
The "Mid-Range" Prenup ($3,500 - $10,000): This is the most common. One person owns a home already. The other has a solid 401k. There are specific ideas about how to handle the mortgage payments once you're married. Does the person who didn't own the house get equity because they helped pay the property taxes? These negotiations take time.
The "High-Stakes" Prenup ($10,000 - $50,000+): We’re talking about trust funds, international assets, or ownership in a private company. According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), cases involving business valuations or complex tax structures are the primary drivers of these high costs. You might even need a forensic accountant to value assets before the lawyer can even write the first paragraph.
Negotiating like a human, not a litigant
The biggest hidden cost isn't the lawyer's hourly rate. It's the back-and-forth.
Every time your lawyer calls their lawyer to argue about a clause regarding "infidelity penalties" (which, by the way, are often unenforceable depending on your state), the meter is running. If you want to keep the cost down, talk to your partner first. Sit down with a bottle of wine and a notepad. Figure out the big stuff—the house, the businesses, the "what ifs"—before you ever step foot in a law firm.
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If you show up to an attorney with a term sheet you both already basically agree on, you’ve just saved yourself $3,000.
What are you actually paying for?
You aren't just paying for a piece of paper. You're paying for "Full Disclosure."
In the legal world, "Full Disclosure" is the holy grail. If you hide a secret bank account with $50,000 in it and your spouse finds out during a divorce ten years from now, your prenup is effectively trash. The lawyer’s job is to ensure every single asset is listed in an "Exhibit A" at the back of the document. This process of discovery and verification is where the bulk of the work happens.
Then there’s the "choice of law" provision. If you get married in California but move to Texas, which state's laws apply? A good lawyer anticipates your life moving across borders. They’re essentially building a customized insurance policy for your bank account.
The DIY trap: Is a $50 template worth it?
You’ll see websites offering a prenup for $99. It’s tempting.
But here’s the thing: state laws are incredibly specific. A template that works in Florida might be useless in California because of "community property" rules. Some states require specific "magic words" to waive certain rights. If the DIY form doesn't use those words, you've spent $99 on a document that a judge will laugh at.
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There are newer digital platforms like HelloPrenup that offer a middle ground. They cost around $600 per couple and guide you through the process. It's better than a random PDF, but many experts still suggest having a local attorney give the final version a "sanity check" before you sign.
Real-world examples of costs
Consider "Sarah and Mike." Sarah has a condo she bought for $400,000. Mike has $80,000 in law school debt. They wanted to ensure Sarah's condo stayed her "separate property" even if they used joint funds for the renovation. Their total bill was $4,500.
Then look at "David and Jen." David is a co-founder of a Series B startup. His equity is theoretically worth millions but currently illiquid. Jen is a surgeon. Their prenup involved three different drafts, a deep dive into the startup’s bylaws, and a complicated "sunset clause" where the prenup expires after 15 years of marriage. Total cost? $18,000.
The ROI of a prenup
It sounds cold to talk about a return on investment for a marriage document. But consider this: the average contested divorce in the U.S. costs between $15,000 and $30,000 per person. If things get ugly, that number can easily hit six figures.
Paying $5,000 now to avoid a $50,000 fight later is just math.
Practical next steps to manage the cost
If you've decided to move forward, don't just call the first name on Google.
- Gather your docs. Before you call a lawyer, have a spreadsheet of every account, debt, and property you own. This saves hours of billable time.
- Pick the right lawyer. You don't need a "shark" for a prenup. You need a "transactional" family lawyer who is collaborative. If your lawyer starts the process by being aggressive with your partner’s lawyer, fire them. They are just burning your money.
- Set a deadline. Don't wait until the week before the wedding. The "duress" of a looming wedding date can make a prenup invalid. Aim to have everything signed at least 30 days before the ceremony.
- Check for "Flat Fee" options. Some attorneys are moving away from hourly billing for simple prenups. Ask upfront if they offer a flat rate for a standard package.
Ultimately, knowing how much is a prenup is about understanding the value of clarity. It’s a hard conversation to have while you’re picking out flower arrangements, but it’s often the first "grown-up" financial decision a couple makes together. Done right, it doesn't just protect your money; it protects your relationship from the resentment of the unknown.
Moving forward
Your next move should be a "kitchen table" talk. Don't frame it as "I want to protect my stuff." Frame it as "I want us to decide our future, rather than letting a state judge decide it for us if something goes wrong." Once you have a general vibe of what you both want, reach out to three local family law attorneys. Ask them specifically about their experience with "separate property" versus "marital property" in your specific state. Compare their hourly rates, but also pay attention to their "bedside manner." You want someone who makes the process feel like a solution, not a conflict.