Postnup primer

• Only 1 to 2 percent of married couples request postnuptial agreements, compared with 5 to 8 percent of engaged couples requesting prenups. But lawyers and estate planners report increased interest over the past five years.

• Postnups are used to protect a sudden windfall, or to care for children from a previous marriage. Some married women use them after stepping out of the workforce to protect their financial future.

• They're tough to pull off. Both spouses must buy in, and each must have legal representation. The bottom line: Is this midmarriage reconfiguration fair and honest? They cannot be used to alter child support.