A "poor man’s prenup" is the idea that you can protect your assets simply by keeping everything in your own name and your finances separate — without a formal agreement. It is a popular notion, but it is not a reliable substitute for a real prenup.
Why it falls short
On divorce, a court looks at the whole financial picture and can share assets regardless of whose name they are in — especially to meet needs. Keeping things separate helps avoid "mingling", but on its own it does not stop a court redistributing assets (see how prenups compare on cost and are prenups legally binding?).
The real thing is now affordable
The "poor man’s" version exists because people assume a proper prenup is expensive. It no longer needs to be — an online agreement can be made for a fixed, modest fee, giving you a clear, evidenced agreement rather than a hopeful assumption (see what to include). Keeping finances sensibly separate is good practice — but back it up with a real agreement.
Does a “poor man’s prenup” actually work?
A "poor man’s prenup" — protecting your assets simply by keeping everything in your own name, with no formal agreement — is a popular idea but not a reliable substitute for the real thing. On divorce a court looks at the whole financial picture and can share assets regardless of whose name they are in, especially to meet needs. Keeping finances separate helps avoid "mingling", but on its own it does not stop redistribution. A proper online prenup now costs a modest fixed fee, so the real thing is within reach.
Related questions
Does keeping money separate protect it in divorce?
It helps, but does not stop a court sharing it (see are prenups legally binding?).
Is a real prenup expensive?
No longer — an online agreement is a fixed, modest fee (see prenup costs).
Create your prenuptial agreement online
UK Prenup lets couples in England & Wales create a clear, fair prenuptial agreement online from £199, with your document generated instantly as a PDF. See how it works or get started.
UK Prenup is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. A prenuptial agreement in England & Wales is not automatically binding, and both partners should take independent legal advice before signing.