Facebook owner prenuptial agreement?

While many question the timing of the day-after-Facebook-went-public Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan marriage, experts say it was a brilliant move. Just like here in Galveston, Texas, community property laws are also recognized in California. Therefore, any money he made as a result of the initial public stock offering of Facebook the day before the wedding is his and his alone. Perhaps even the interest or growth of the stock after their wedding will belong solely to him because the original purchase of the stock was prior to their marriage.

While no one has disclosed whether or not the young couple signed a prenuptial or pre-marital agreement (it is not a public record), most would probably assume that they did. If they didn't, it will certainly be a high-asset divorce, if they ever decide to call it off.

People usually call you unromantic if you discuss finances and prenuptial agreements before you get married. But that is exactly when you need to have those conversations. Regardless, not many people would accuse either Zuckerberg or Chan of being particularly warm and fuzzy.

Reportedly, Chan had Zuckerberg sign a relationship agreement before she moved in with him in California several years ago. She had completed her undergrad at Harvard where she met Zuckerberg, and attended medical school in San Francisco. One of the issues in that agreement was supposedly about the amount of time they should spend together.

As two successful, smart, financially conservative but well-off newlyweds, we are sure they have a pre-nup. We hope they never have to use it.

Source: nytimes.com, "Zuckerberg's Property Status, Post-Marriage," Tara Siegel Bernard, May 21, 2012