These Celebrities Didn't Sign Prenups — And Here's How That's Going For Them
Marriages are meant to be "til death do us part," but it doesn't always end up that way — especially in Hollywood!
And when famous couples decide to go their separate ways, there's a lot for them to lose financially, particularly if they decided against signing a prenuptial agreement.
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A prenuptial agreement is a contract signed by both partners prior to getting married that states how a couple’s joint finances and belongings will be distributed should they ever separate.
Find out what happened for these celebs who didn't sign on the dotted line:
1.Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker
Kourtney and Travis tied the knot in a spur of the moment ceremony in Las Vegas — and we're waiting to hear whether or not it's legally binding, but they reportedly did so without signing a prenup. TMZ reported that couple had previously been working on getting a document together but went ahead with the wedding before it all could be ironed out. While things are still up in the air right now, there's always the possibility for them to sign a postnup.
2.Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey
When Jessica tied the knot with Nick in 2002 at age 22, getting a divorce wasn't on her mind. In fact, she turned down the chance to have a prenup, even though Nick suggested signing one. The couple got divorced just a few years later, and looking back, Jessica says she wishes she had gone through with the prenup.
“I wish I would have signed a prenup...The funny thing is that Nick wanted me to sign a prenup, and I was so offended. I was like, 'But we’re going to be together for the rest of our lives!'" Jessica said on a recent episode of The Dr. Oz Show.
3.Ashton Kutcher & Demi Moore
Ashton and Demi tied the knot in September of 2005 but didn't sign a prenup, which didn't work out too well for Ashton. Following their split in 2012, divorce proceedings went on for years while the former couple attempted to agree on a financial settlement.
According to TMZ, Ashton ended up being "a little more generous than he had to be" in order to finally settle things, with Demi reportedly receiving a significant amount of money and property.
4.Justin & Hailey Bieber
Justin and Hailey got married so quickly that they actually didn't have time to sign a prenup! According to TMZ, the couple did reach out to lawyers about a prenup the very same day they tied the knot, but there was no way to get the document drafted and signed that quickly. While there's still the possibility of Justin and Hailey signing a postnup, there hasn't been any evidence that the couple have followed through with an agreement.
Thankfully, the duo are still together, but should they split, Justin's estimated $250 million net worth could be on the line.
5.Katy Perry & Russell Brand
Even though Katy and Russell didn't sign a prenuptial agreement, things ended up working out okay for the couple, who were only married for 14 months. According to their divorce paperwork, the pair agreed to split their assets, and Russell waived any claim to Katy's fortune. Katy even signed the divorce papers with a smiley face.
6.Mel & Robyn Gibson
Mel had to shell over half of his reported $850 million net worth when he split with his wife Robyn in 2009. The former couple, who had been together for 28 years, reportedly did not sign a prenup — meaning Robyn was legally entitled to half of everything Mel earned during their marriage. The duo spent over two years ironing out a divorce agreement, and when they finally came to a conclusion, it ended up being one of the most expensive divorce payouts in Hollywood history.
7.Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller
When Seth married his wife Lauren in 2011, the couple decided against signing a prenup. Despite the fact that Seth's business manager advised him to draft up an agreement, he ultimately chose not to. He explained that if ends up losing money because of the marriage, he's okay with it.
"My business manager told me to get one, too...Marriage can be expensive, and if I lose millions, then it'll be the best millions I've spent," the actor told Howard Stern.
8.Jennifer Lopez & Cris Judd
Jennifer may not have been married to her choreographer ex Cris Judd for very long, but she paid a heavy price for their relationship. The couple, who tied the knot in 2001, were only married for eight months before they called it quits. They reportedly did not sign a prenup, and Jennifer ended up paying Cris around $14 million to settle the divorce and for him to keep his silence about their relationship.
9.Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell
Dax and Kristen decided against signing a prenup when they tied the knot in 2013, but so far it's worked out for them! Dax says that when they got married, he was making more money than Kristen and actually intended on signing a prenup but didn't follow through.
"When we first started dating, I had more money than her, and I owned the house that I lived in, and she said to me at one point, 'Would you like a prenup?' I said, 'No, I don't want a prenup.' But I really wanted a prenup...But just, something good came over me for once, and I made the right decision. But the joke is now on her because she's become much more successful than me, and has much more money than me," Dax said on Conan.
10.Wendy Williams & Kevin Hunter
Wendy was married to her husband Kevin for over a decade before they called it quits. On top of the fact that the former couple didn't sign a prenup, Kevin also served as Wendy's manager, making things even more complicated. Ultimately, they chose to forgo alimony, but Wendy still says she regrets the decision not to sign a prenup.
“I didn’t think it would end, first of all, and second of all, that is not sexy to introduce paperwork when you are in love with somebody,” she said on SiriusXM’s Sway in the Morning.
11.Paul McCartney & Heather Mills
Paul tied the knot with his ex-wife Heather in 2002, but the duo refrained from signing a prenuptial agreement. That decision didn't work out well for Paul when the couple split in 2008. After a long legal battle, Heather walked away with nearly $48.7 million as well as a reported $70,000 a month for their daughter Beatrice.
12.Johnny Depp & Amber Heard
Johnny and Amber were only married for a little over a year when they filed for divorce in May of 2016. Since the couple did not sign a prenup agreement, a bitter divorce battle ensued, leading to almost a year of proceedings to figure out the assets between them. Eventually, it was decided that Johnny would pay his former wife approximately $7 million.
Beyond the financial aspect of their split, the couple have been battling in court for years stemming from domestic violence accusations Amber made against Johnny.
13.Kelsey & Camille Grammer
Things got messy when Kelsey and his ex-wife Camille filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage. The couple, who didn't sign a prenup, took things to court to figure out how to split their assets. According to TMZ, the duo ended up splitting their $60 million in assets right down the middle when everything was finally settled two years later.
14.Waka Flocka Flame & Tammy Rivera
Waka Flocka Flame married his wife Tammy in 2014 and was very against signing a prenup. He explained that he felt marriage should be about love and not money — and he even stopped talking to some friends who suggested he sign an agreement. Thankfully, the couple are still married.
"For me, love doesn't stand on the pedestal as money, and money could never stand on the same pedestal as love. If you love a person, it shouldn't be money. It shouldn't be sick, it shouldn't be fat, it shouldn't be no color, no shape, nothing. Now for me, if I marry you and I'm this rich guy, you rich, too. But, I'm supposed to be the man that makes your spirit rich," Waka told Dish Nation.
