Prenup Financial Checklist: What to Discuss Before Marriage

In Poland, marriage automatically creates a community property regime (wspolnosc majatkowa): everything earned or acquired during the marriage belongs equally to both spouses. A prenuptial agreement (intercyza) can modify or eliminate this default. But whether or not you sign an intercyza, every couple needs to have a thorough financial conversation before the wedding.

This checklist covers what to discuss, what to document, and how to structure your finances as a couple.

Part 1: Full financial disclosure

Before discussing how to manage money together, both partners need to know what each person brings to the table.

Assets to disclose

• Bank account balances — All accounts, including ones you rarely use
• Investment accounts — Brokerage, IKE, IKZE, PPK balances
• Real estate — Property owned, current market value, mortgage balance
• Vehicles — Cars, motorcycles, with current market value
• Retirement entitlements — ZUS pension projections, any private pension plans
• Business interests — If either partner owns a business (JDG, sp. z o.o.), its valuation
• Crypto holdings — Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets
• Valuables — Jewellery, art, collectibles with significant value
• Cash — Any significant cash holdings

Debts to disclose

• Mortgage — Outstanding balance, monthly payment, interest rate, remaining term
• Student loans — If any (less common in Poland due to free university)
• Consumer loans — Car loans, personal loans
• Credit card debt — Outstanding balances on all credit cards
• BNPL obligations — Any active buy-now-pay-later commitments
• Tax obligations — Any unpaid taxes, tax disputes, or payment plans
• Guarantees — If you have co-signed or guaranteed someone else's loan

Income to disclose

• Monthly net salary — After tax and ZUS
• Variable compensation — Bonuses, commissions, overtime
• Side income — Freelance work, rental income, dividends
• Expected changes — Planned career changes, expected promotions or pay cuts

Part 2: The prenup question (intercyza)

Polish default: community property (wspolnosc majatkowa)

Without an intercyza, Polish marriage law creates:

• Joint property (majatek wspolny): Everything earned or acquired by either spouse during the marriage belongs to both equally
• Separate property (majatek osobisty): Assets owned before marriage, inherited during marriage, or received as gifts remain individual property

When an intercyza makes sense

An intercyza is not about distrust. Consider it if:

1. Significant asset disparity. If one partner enters the marriage with substantial assets (property, business, investments) and wants to protect them.
2. Business ownership. If one partner runs a business, an intercyza protects the other spouse from business debts and protects the business from being divided in a divorce.
3. B2B freelancer. JDG (sole proprietorship) has unlimited personal liability. An intercyza can protect the non-business-owning spouse's share of joint assets from business creditors.
4. Second marriage. Protecting assets intended for children from a previous relationship.
5. Large inheritance expected. While inheritances are separate property by default, income generated from inherited assets during marriage becomes joint property.

Types of intercyza

Cost and process

An intercyza must be executed before a notary (akt notarialny). Cost: approximately 400-600 PLN for notary fees, plus legal advice (1,000-3,000 PLN if using a lawyer to draft). It can be signed before or during marriage.

Important: An intercyza is effective against third parties (creditors) only if they knew about it at the time of the transaction. For business purposes, register it in the CEIDG (business registry) to ensure effectiveness.

Part 3: Joint financial setup

Bank accounts: joint, separate, or both?

The most practical approach for most couples:

1. Joint account for shared expenses: rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, joint savings goals
2. Individual accounts for personal spending: each partner gets a personal "allowance" with no questions asked
3. Individual investment accounts for IKE/IKZE (these cannot be joint accounts in Poland)

Contribution model options:

• 50/50 split: Each contributes equally to the joint account
• Proportional: Each contributes a percentage of income (e.g., 60/40 if one earns more)
• All-in: Both salaries go into the joint account, each takes a personal allowance
• Expense-based: One partner covers mortgage, the other covers everything else

Budgeting as a couple

Establish monthly budget categories together:

• Fixed costs (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, subscriptions)
• Groceries and household
• Dining out and entertainment
• Personal spending (individual)
• Savings and investments
• Debt repayment (if applicable)

Emergency fund

As a couple, your emergency fund should cover 3-6 months of joint expenses, not individual expenses. If your combined monthly costs are 9,000 PLN, target 27,000-54,000 PLN.

Insurance review

• Life insurance: Essential if one partner's income supports the household. Coverage should be 10-15x annual income.
• Health insurance: Review whether both partners are covered by employer health plans (Medicover, Luxmed) or need private insurance.
• Property insurance: Mandatory if you have a mortgage; recommended regardless.

Part 4: Goal alignment

Short-term goals (1-3 years)

• Wedding costs (if not yet married)
• Honeymoon fund
• Emergency fund completion
• Debt elimination
• Major purchases (car, furniture)

Medium-term goals (3-10 years)

• Down payment for an apartment/house
• Starting a family (maternity/paternity leave financial planning)
• Career changes or education
• Travel goals

Long-term goals (10+ years)

• Retirement target and timeline
• Children's education fund
• Property payoff
• Financial independence target

Disagreement protocol

Couples inevitably disagree about money. Establish rules:

• Spending above X PLN requires discussion (common threshold: 500-1,000 PLN)
• Monthly or quarterly financial review meetings
• No financial decisions made in anger
• Each partner has veto power on major financial commitments

Part 5: Legal and estate planning

Beneficiary designations

Update beneficiaries on:

• Life insurance policies
• IKE and IKZE accounts
• PPK accounts
• Any other accounts with beneficiary options

Will (testament)

Polish inheritance law provides mandatory shares (zachowek) to surviving spouses and children regardless of the will. A will is still useful for directing specific assets and minimising disputes. Cost: 50-100 PLN for a notarial will.

Power of attorney (pelnomocnictwo)

Consider granting each other power of attorney for bank accounts and investment accounts. If one partner is incapacitated, the other can manage finances without court proceedings.

Getting started

Use Freenance to create a shared financial dashboard. Import both partners' bank accounts, investment accounts, and any debts. Seeing your combined net worth, total expenses, and savings rate gives you a factual basis for the financial conversations in this checklist, removing guesswork and emotions from the equation.

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• Zero-Based Budgeting Guide — Setting up your joint budget