Are you inching ever so closely to asking your partner to work with you on creating a prenuptial agreement? Are you holding back over concerns that it could lead to a fight that you aren’t willing to take on?

Regardless of what may happen, if a prenuptial agreement is important to you it’s imperative that you get it out in the open.

It’s possible to ask for a prenuptial agreement without causing trouble, especially if you follow these tips:

• Make it a collaborative process. The biggest mistake you can make is creating a prenuptial agreement on your own and asking your partner to sign on the dotted line. As a collaborative process, both individuals have input from start to finish.
• Explain why you want a prenuptial agreement. Understand that asking for a prenuptial agreement may frighten your partner into thinking you are already on track for a divorce. Talk about the benefits of this legal arrangement to clear the air about why it’s a good idea.
• Stay cool and calm. Even if the conversation takes a negative turn, you should remain calm. Losing your cool will only make things worse.
• Don’t cram everything into one conversation. A prenuptial agreement is a big deal, so you shouldn’t attempt to hash out all the details in a short period of time. You may need to walk away from the conversation for a bit, and then revisit in the future. This gives both individuals the opportunity to think things over, while also cooling off.

You never know what will happen when you ask your partner about a prenuptial agreement. He or she may agree that it’s a great idea. He or she may also push back, suggesting that you think your marriage won’t last.

You can protect a variety of assets with a prenuptial agreement, ranging from trusts to inherited property to business ownership. Once you know what you can protect, it’s time to turn your attention to the creation process and the best way to move the conversation forward in a productive manner.