So after rummaging through our records and some joint conversation I've pieced together the prenuptial agreement process from 30 years ago.
I wrote out in plain English what our intentions were, and what we wanted the prenup to do. My lawyer turned that into a legalese document. I reviewed that and corrected what he got wrong. He made the necessary revisions and gave it back. I then reviewed the 'final' version and wrote down what I thought the legalese meant, to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong. I didn't misread it, so he finalized it, her lawyer reviewed it, and we signed off.
So actually I never had a digital copy of the final legal document; just the hard copies.
Side note: We operated this way for 18 years before we got married. And after we married nothing changed. Who knew?
Here is the final plain English summary of what the prenup meant:
Page 1.
We're getting married, and we want to decide in advance the claims we will and will not have against each other as a result of the marriage, including all rights as stated.
We think this is a good idea.
Therefore, we agree as follows:
Paragraphs:
1. We each know the assets and liabilities of the other, and have attached the detailed schedules. We're satisfied we know enough.
2. This only affects us once we marry.
3. We each retain the ownership of everything we now individually own, and the future worth of same, and will do so in the future. This property will not become community property. Also, any property we individually acquire during the marriage by gift, prize, bequest, inheritance etc. will not be community property.
4. Anything not covered by 3, along with our current joint property, will be community property. The real estate will be divided regardless of how it's titled.
5. If we divorce, neither of us is obligated to support the other.
6. We are suspending the rights normally granted to us as each other's spouse. We can still leave whatever we want to each other in a will, and be the personal representative of the other. And this agreement will not supersede the rights of ownership in jointly held property.
7. Life insurance must be addressed.
8. Our lawyers have explained the law, and this agreement, to us. We agree it's fair, and we want to do it. Neither of us is coercing the other. This agreement will cover the property distribution in the event of death or divorce. (Therefore, we need wills.)
9. Money and property held by each of us before the marriage, will still be ours individually.
10. Joint property and money will be community property, and will be split 50/50.
11. Standard agreement disclaimer.
12. This agreement binds our heirs.
13. We agree to sign all necessary papers.
14. We may modify the provisions of this agreement, but only in writing.
15. We'll each pay our own lawyers.
16. Getting away with something doesn't mean anyone agreed to anything!