A man on Reddit’s AITAH forum shared why he urged his business partner to protect his finances before marrying his fiancée. He said his concern came from wanting to safeguard their shared company — but now he’s questioning whether his advice came across as too harsh.
The two men built their business from scratch, he explained: “No investors, just long nights, shared risks, and a lot of personal sacrifices.”
His business partner is set to marry next year, and while the couple seems happy, the man admitted he’s uneasy about how often the fiancée references their company — especially its finances.
“She’ll say things like, ‘Once we’re married, I’ll finally get to enjoy the business money too,’ or, ‘You guys should start paying yourselves more, you can afford it,’ ” he recalled. “It rubbed me the wrong way.”
Concerned, he sat down with his partner and suggested he “think about protecting himself legally before the wedding.”
He clarified that he didn’t mean to insult the fiancée — he’s just seen “too many people lose everything when emotions mix with business” and wanted to prevent that outcome for both of them.
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But his business partner didn’t take it well. “He got upset and said I was being negative and ‘ruining his happiness,’” the man wrote. Now, things between them feel strained.
Commenters largely agreed that the man’s concern was practical rather than cynical. Divorce rates remain high, and as one user noted, a prenuptial agreement drawn up while both parties are on good terms “protects both parties in the future.”
“If they end up fighting, then it also brings out issues they probably should address before marriage,” another commenter added. “A broken engagement is better than a failed marriage.”
Some users pointed out that while the man can’t dictate what happens in his partner’s relationship, he has every right to set clear financial boundaries within their business. Rather than focusing on the fiancée’s intentions, one commenter suggested drafting an agreement that outlines what would happen to the company if one of them divorces, becomes incapacitated, or dies — a move that protects both partners equally.
