Anita Savage | Prenups and Postnups

In this episode of The Melinda Show, Melinda Eitzen sits down with attorney Anita Savage, who brings nearly 30 years of family law experience and a collaborative approach to marital agreements. Together they explain why prenups and postnups are more nuanced than most people realize—and why the traditional adversarial method so often creates conflict where none existed. Anita shares how she guides couples through a thoughtful list of questions to build the financial future they actually want, when a postnup makes sense, and how these agreements intersect with estate planning and protecting vulnerable spouses. The result is a candid, practical conversation drawn from decades on both sides of the table. About the Guest Anita Savage is a family law attorney with nearly 30 years of experience who focuses on assisting spouses and soon-to-be-spouses through the collaborative process. Having spent much of her career in litigation, she now exclusively provides amicable, family-centered legal solutions. She serves the DFW area and can assist clients throughout Texas via Zoom. To contact Anita Savage, please visit www.divorcedifferently.com. Key Takeaways About Prenups and Postnups ● A Prenup Changes What the Law Would Do: Marriage ends by divorce or death, and a prenup alters what Texas law would otherwise dictate, yet most people don't know what that default outcome even is. ● Start With "Why": Many people request a prenup without knowing what they want or why. A thoughtful set of questions helps couples clarify their actual goals before anyone drafts a word. ● The Collaborative Process Builds Better Agreements: Sitting at the table together, both parties and both attorneys, produces a more holistic contract and avoids the fights that adversarial drafting so often creates. ● It's a Crystal Ball Exercise: Planning for unknowns—injury, children, career changes—is inherently difficult, which is exactly why the process can't be as "simple" as clients often hope. ● Postnups Solve Real Problems: A marital property agreement can protect a spouse from a high-risk partner's financial swings, or provide an effective financial divorce when cultural or religious reasons make actual divorce undesirable. ● "Gray Divorce" Is Rising: As divorce has become socially acceptable across a generation's lifetime, more elderly couples are ending marriages—raising unique concerns around capacity and protection from third-party predators. ● Protect Vulnerable Spouses: Structures like a living trust with an independent trustee can fully support a surviving spouse while shielding assets from exploitation and preserving a legacy for children. Notable Quotes "I think litigation hurts families and children." "When people call me, they say, 'We want a prenup.' And they think that means something." "The law is not created for everybody." "If it was simple, you wouldn't need all this exercise we're going through." "You feel so strongly about not getting divorced—so it could provide good protections for people in that regard." "Life is too short. Be nice to each other."