The Decission to reply

I guess I was  tired of me being single. Tired of having all my friends get married; of me being the third wheel every time I hung out with them.  I just could not take another failed relationship.  I had actually grown up and was considering replying to a matrimonial ad sent by father back in India. I guess I was tired of trying to find love on my own. Tired of surfing dating sites and dating incompatible women.  So 2 failed engagements and 3 stalkers later, I finally was man enough to ask for help, or was I?

My cousin was actualy the one planted the seed that made me realise I needed help. She had just lost her father and she initiallty broke down.  She was just 23, but was bold enough to ask the family to help in finding a boy for her. I opposed the idea at first. but since she was the only daughter, and I am the only son, we were similar. I began to think; I actually looked at what made her take the decision to reach out to family, and it made sense.

So I  was deciding  to reply to the ad, but was that the right thing to do?

Was me  asking my parents and family to help in finding me a bride, a good decisions?

These were the questions I had to answer

I want a pre nuptial agreement (a letter from a young man to his family)

Dear Dad

Hope you are doing well and I hope things are well on the business side. I will be visiting India shortly and I know the family has lined up a few marriage proposals for me.  I think it should also be made clear to the prospective proposals that I want the bride to sign a prenuptial agreement before our marriage.

The reason I ask is because I plan to say in the United States where the divorce rate is high.  I don’t think that money should be the criteria in a marriage, but I also think that it would not be fair to the family, for her to have a stake on what the family has build up. By this I mean the property in India.

The prenup is just to protect the family assets which I will inherit some day.  Since we are just four cousins and will be inheriting the family’s assets I think my other cousins should also have a prenup before marriage.

What the pre-nup will state will be listed below

·       All family inheritances from either party will not be liable for division during a separation or divorce.

·       The spouse is not liable to receive proceeds from any venture prior to the marriage. This will include sale or purchase of assets or property held by one of the members of the contract.

·       Spouses shall not be held accountable for loans or debts of his or her spouse prior to the marriage.

·       Any trousseau received will be in the name of the party who it is given to or gifted to.

·       In the case of a trousseau the party who is bringing it into the relationship shall have absolute control over it. The other party will not have any say as to the investment of the assets from the trousseau unless requested by the party who is bringing it in to the relationship.

·       Neither part will be eligible for spousal support.

·       The parent having custody will receive support to bring up the children.

·       In the event of the demise of one of the people to the contract all the assets of the said person will be inherited by his/ her children

·       In the absence of children being born to the said parties of the contract. The property of the said part will be inherited by the other if they are still together.  If there is a separation or divorce all the assets will donated to a charity of his or her choice