Prenuptial Agreements Are on the Rise, And More Women Are Requesting Them

If you think prenups are just for celebrities or the super wealthy, think again.

According to a new survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 63 percent of divorce attorneys say they've seen an increase in prenuptial agreements during the past three years. What's more, 46 percent noted an increase in the number of women initiating requests for prenups.

Alton Abramowitz, the president of the AAML and a HuffPost Divorce blogger, said the trend may reflect the current state of the economy.

“As the financial and real estate markets continue to improve, there is a greater awareness of risk to possibly sharing these gains in a divorce,” Abramowitz said in a press release. “The trend of divorcing spouses fighting over which one has to take possession of a devalued home and other depreciated assets appears to be coming to an end.”

The lawyers polled said the top three items most commonly covered in prenups over the last three years are the protection of separate property, alimony/spousal maintenance and division of property.

It's not the first time a survey has indicated that Americans are increasingly accepting of prenuptial agreements. A 2010 Harris Interactive poll revealed that 44 percent of singles and 49 percent of divorced people said they thought having a prenup was a good idea. Meanwhile, 15 percent of divorced people said they regretted not having one.