Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s Divorce Raises Questions About Prenup
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s split has taken the world by storm, but one crucial aspect of their divorce remains unclear: whether they have a prenuptial agreement in place.
Lopez, 55, filed for divorce in Los Angeles without a lawyer, sparking curiosity about the terms of their separation. Celebrity divorce attorney Chris Melcher, who is not involved in the case, revealed that the absence of a prenup mention in the filing doesn’t necessarily mean one wasn’t signed.
“There’s no requirement to mention if you have a prenup or not,” Melcher explained. “I wouldn’t take an inference that she has none just because it’s not mentioned.” He noted that in California, there is no designated space on divorce documents to indicate the existence of a prenup.
Melcher emphasized that even if a prenup exists, it’s not mandatory to disclose it in the divorce filing. He believes it’s highly unlikely that Affleck and Lopez didn’t have a prenup, considering their previous marriages and substantial assets.
“It would be highly unusual for them to tie the knot without legal protection,” Melcher said. “Both Ben and Jennifer have been married before and have significant assets to protect.”
If Lopez and Affleck don’t have a prenup, their earnings and property acquired during the marriage would be considered community property, with potential unequal division. However, Melcher believes that due to their short marriage and available records, the division of assets wouldn’t significantly harm Lopez.
Lopez and Affleck exchanged vows in Las Vegas in July 2022, followed by a second wedding in Georgia with family and friends in August 2022. As they near their two-year anniversary, rumors of their split surfaced, and Affleck had moved out of their joint Beverly Hills mansion.
Lopez fueled breakup rumors when she celebrated her birthday in the Hamptons without Affleck, and neither party publicly acknowledged their anniversary in July. Although Lopez was spotted leaving Affleck’s house on his birthday, she spent the evening at a Bruno Mars concert without him.
Lopez listed their date of separation as April 26 and waited until their Georgia wedding anniversary to file with the courts, which a source described as a “big f–k you to Ben.”
A separate insider revealed that Affleck’s decision to move into a new house “was the closure of the relationship.” The source added that although Affleck will “always care for Jen,” he knew “the marriage is done.”