Why are more couples signing prenups before marriage?

Why are more couples signing prenups before marriage?

From What in the World by BBC World Service

April 21, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

The episode explores the rising trend of prenups among couples, particularly Gen Z, and discusses the implications for modern marriage.

For better for worse, for richer for poorer…but first, can we sign a prenup? You might have heard about them in relation to celebrity divorce scandals, or even in songs, but recent data suggests prenups aren’t just for the rich and famous anymore. A prenup is a legal arrangement made by a couple before they marry or enter into a civil partnership, which sets out plans for how their wealth will be divided if they divorce. Polls in the US, Canada and the UK show that over half of Gen Z would consider signing one and there’s even a growing number of apps to help you draw up the contract. So — why are prenups on the rise? And what does it say about modern marriage? BBC journalist Chelsea Coates breaks down the data behind this - and talks us through the reasons why more of Gen Z are considering signing one. Basma El Atti, a BBC reporter based in Nairobi, explains how marriage differs across the African continent and how conversations around finance before getting married are changing. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Julia…

People in this episode

Host: Iqra Farooq

Guests: Chelsea Coates, Basma El Atti

Topics covered

  • prenups
  • marriage
  • Gen Z
  • financial planning
  • divorce
  • cultural differences

Keywords

  • prenup
  • marriage
  • Gen Z
  • divorce
  • financial planning
  • Nairobi
  • BBC
  • celebrity divorce
  • apps

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service

Places: US, Canada, UK, Nairobi

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