The Best One Yet - 💍 What Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce taught us about Prenups

Starting point is 00:00:00 Taylor Swift's $2.1 billion of wealth was reportedly a key concern of her dad leading into America's royal wedding. Because Travis Kelsey is worth $90 million. Football podcast, date farm ads. But his wife is worth 23 times that. Because she's Taylor Swift. So when Taylor and Travis said, I do at Madison Square Garden on July 3rd, 2026, the effective date of a legal contract began. Because before this wedding, they likely pulled off one of the most sophisticated prenups ever drafted, according to legal experts. A contract reportedly so detailed, even Cupid's impressed.

Starting point is 00:00:31 Because remember, Taylor spent an estimated $360 million to buy back her music. She learned at maximum cost and in public what happens when ownership isn't written down in your favor. So she did a buy now pay later legal bill. Yeah, she did. She bought lawyers now so you don't have to pay lawyers later. That's right, besties. Even fairy tale couples do pre-ups. And get this, 53% of couples under 45 have a pre-nup too.

Starting point is 00:00:54 They just never talk about it. Does it ruin the romance? No. Nope. We'll explain from our personal experience. Because when you do the marriage math, it's almost more awkward to not get a pre-up, even if your net worth doesn't have a B or an M at the end of it.

Starting point is 00:01:05 And we'll explain why, using Taylor's own lyrics. Because... This is the best cha-ching yet, where we've revealed the money secrets of the world's most famous stars. And today, we'll tell you what Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey taught us about the perfect pre-nup. Because as the New York Times beautifully headlined,

Starting point is 00:01:21 it's a love story, baby. Just sign here. And here. And here. And initial here, they're here and the pre-nup isn't modern history it's ancient history Hebrew marriage contracts pioneered the pre-up 2,000 years ago and Egyptians went even further back you see their marriage contracts established what property each spouse was required to bring to the marriage even though that contract was written on a cave

Starting point is 00:01:45 so like jack if I don't see six cows in that wedding day the deal I mean the marriage is off so the concept of the pre-up hasn't changed from Cleopatra to the Kelsey's a legal contract signed by a couple before marriage outlining how assets, debt, and support will be handled if the marriage ends in divorce or death. But Taylor's is the pinnacle of pre-nups. So let's check out the fine print behind the fairy tale wedding. Taylor and Travis's pre-up, by the way, it isn't public. And the newlyweds haven't even confirmed it exists.

Starting point is 00:02:11 But exclusive reporting from Rob Shutters' substack and legal experts interviewed by the New York Times spill the deeds. So we know what you're wondering, yeties. What is inside the Swellsy pre-up? Well, it's not just emerging of lives. This is emerging of billion-dollar brands. And you belong with me isn't just a Taylor Swift's song. That's her whole legal strategy.

Starting point is 00:02:29 Because Taylor happens to have $150 million worth of real estate across four states, including the coolest beach house from Rhode Island. It's very nice. But her most valuable assets are related to her music, aka her intellectual property. Her music is worth an estimated $800 million because she's been number one or number two globally for music streams for the last six years. Her monthly royalty checks are huge.

Starting point is 00:02:50 Huge! And here is what a pre-up attorney told the New York Times she would draft her client like Taylor. Everything will be titled to Taylor's name now. And in the future, it'll remain her separate property. So, Jack, we're saying, like, there will never be a Travis's version of 1989. If they broke up, Nick, he would not get 50% of shake it off. We should point out, by the way, pre-nups, they run in both directions.

Starting point is 00:03:11 Travis has assets to protect, too. But since his wife outritches him 23 to 1, we believe the reporting that it was her side pushing the pre-nup, not his. Interestingly, future custody of a child is not included in a pre-nup. That can't be pre-napped. It can only be determined at the time of the split. So, Jack, let's say the pre-nup. has all of Taylor's assets in one bucket and Travis's assets in another. They'll both own those fortunes separately in the event of a split. Okay, but what about the future assets, man? What

Starting point is 00:03:36 about like Taylor's post-era's tour and Travis's future career as a TV broadcaster analyzing his old teammates from the booth? This is the most important part, Nick. And if there's no pre-up, then future earnings are split differently depending on the state, which brings us to the final key of the pre-up. Destination is destiny. The state is critical. You see, in California, the default for assets accrued after the wedding is an even 50-50 split. But in New York, it's an equitable split at the discretion of the judge based on each partner's financial situation. So this wealthy pre-up will decide which state's law is- In Taylor's words, the invisible string of fate. Because they own assets in six states, the decision is as hard as like, where are we going

Starting point is 00:04:17 to honeymoon guys? TMZ speculates that the pre-up will be drafted in Rhode Island, thanks to their kind treatment by judges of billionaires. Interestingly, there's also one D-T, from celebrity pre-nups these days, making their way into mortal ones. Confidentiality clauses. Oh, zip it. After the breakup, you're not allowed to diss the other in public, whip up a viral TikTok video about them or write a book about them. In the internet age, privacy is the new pre-day. Okay, but Jack, it is possible Taylor convinced Travis for a carve-out here, because if she ever did break up with Travis, they feel like a darn good app. Look what she did with Jake Gyllenha. Oh, my God, the scarves.

Starting point is 00:04:51 Marry me, Juliet. You'll never have to go to arbitration. But before you think this doesn't matter to you, because you don't know. own six properties in six states. You're wrong. Pre-ups are popping off right now at every income level, even with couples who have the same net worth. It ain't just Taylor. We're in the middle of a pre-nup pop. It just happens to be an open secret. Get this. A 2026 survey found that 53% of engaged or married Americans under 45 had signed a pre-up. We repeat, more than half of young newlyweds and married couples have a pre-nup. Wow. And that's up from 41 to 47% in 2020. It looks like pre-ups are the number one trend in Zillennial weddings. You get down on one knee and you John Hancock the

Starting point is 00:05:29 contract. But our generation is getting creative with the pre-knob. We are. Business Insider interviewed lawyers who are seeing 25% of them include a pet clause. That's right, a pre-nup puppy provision. Who gets the shitsu if things get shitty jack? One gets the corgi, one gets the condo. Oh, and yes, experts say Taylor Swift, self-proclaimed cat lady likely had a cat clause in her pre-up, although it's more enforceable in California than New York, we should point out. But we know what you're wondering. Why the sudden surge in pre-ups? We've identified three reasons for this mega trend. Aha, first, millennials are marrying later.

Starting point is 00:05:58 So if you're older, you own more financial assets and you're more likely to pop the pre-up question. Second, it's a boomerang reaction to the boomers. Nearly half of people getting married today witness their parents split up in the past, including Travis. It'd be silly not to prepare for something that statistically happens half the time. And third, transparency is now a financial flex. Social media has killed some financial taboo subjects, so we're not gatekeeping our financial

Starting point is 00:06:21 situation anymore, which makes us more open to a pre-up. Add it all up, and the pre-up is as core question to the wedding planning process as what earth tone color for the bouquets and whether to go top shelf or bottom shelf for the open box. And now, Vieti's, now we will tell you how to actually do it without having to drop 50K on Taylor Swift's legal team. And trigger warning if you just started dating a sugar mom. If you know, you know, Colin Jost, earmuffs. So Jack, can you whip up the takeaways for us for all of us, swellcy fans out there? CYA, cover your assets.

Starting point is 00:06:53 CYA. The biggest pre-up problem is the ick factor. How can it be true love if you're signing a contract about how it ends? I mean, Jack, totally fair question. And the biggest challenge to the pre-up, like, does it ruin the romance? Full disclosure, this is not legal advice. We're podcasters, not lawyers. And personally, we don't have pre-nups, but we do have friends who have successful marriages

Starting point is 00:07:12 and pre-nups just like the swell season. Because the pre-nup isn't turning destiny into divorce. It's recognizing that marriage is the most important deal you'll make in your life, so why wouldn't you treat it as such? And every deal we've signed in business includes predetermined. terms of termination. It wasn't fun discussing what happens if the deal fails in advance, but our lawyers handle most of it so it's not emotional. And we're glad we dealt with it ahead of time. And you know what? We've never actually had to exercise those termination terms, right, Jack?

Starting point is 00:07:36 But we're glad they're there. Plus, a pre-up isn't necessarily about breaking up. It can be about planning for death. It can be about organizing your assets. It can protect your partner from an old debt or carve out the company you started years before you met them. Or who gets the Carrera. Or who gets the Carrera? They say clear as kind. What's more clear than a pre-nup? Well, besties, a pre-nup can help write a love story. So if you do pursue it, here are three keys on how to avoid the ick. First is the timing. This is not a week of the wedding conversation. It's a way before the wedding combo. You see, the average pre-up takes months to complete and you don't want a signature request messing with the big day. So start the process at least three to six months before and start by explaining why it's important to you. Second, you each need an attorney and make them local. A pre-nup where you use the same lawyer can actually get thrown out for lack of independent counsel. So go into it with a two lawyer. plan. And although there is that uniform pre-marital agreement act in 1983, only 30 states have adopted it and each has different tweaks. So check with your local lawyer. Third, put it all out there. Once you get married, what's yours is theirs. There's no hiding from that. So you shouldn't

Starting point is 00:08:37 hide anything in the pre-nup pow-out. We're talking every brokerage account, startup investment, engagement ring. And yeah, even that puppy should be shared. But also your credit card debt and your student debt. Because courts can void a pre-up if something was hidden from the other side. And debt is the main one that gets hidden. This is your opportunity to understand everything about the love of your life, warts and all. Now we know lawyers are expensive, but maybe not as expensive as you think, right, Jack? I just got a will and testament written up, including a trust, for a total of $4,000. Yeah, we'll do a chiching on the will and testament soon. And there are pre-nup startups now using tech to offer you and your fiance standard templates costing less than a grand.

Starting point is 00:09:12 So yet he's added all up and say yes to the dress and the pre-nup? Are you a pro or con on the pre-nup? Oh, and if you are part of the pre-knit pop, how did it go? Drop a comment like it's hot. And subscribe to this channel for more money secrets of the world's most famous stars. And Travis, if you do want to start a musical career, this process could be fodder for your first track. Just saying. And no, Travis, your relationship with Patrick Mahomes is not an asset. In the courts view.

The Best One Yet - 💍 What Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce taught us about Prenups

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