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Reader,

Happy Sunday from the mountains! 🏔️ I’m currently away in Denver and Vail with Katie, soaking up the incredible scenery and the crisp autumn air. This was a trip we booked well before the "Yes!" and now it serves as the final deep breath before our wedding, which is now just six short days away. (Wish us luck!)

This whole experience, being on the cusp of a huge life commitment, has brought one crucial topic to the forefront of our minds: the prenuptial agreement.

I know what you’re thinking: Prenup? That sounds unromantic, cynical, and like a document only necessary for billionaires.

And you’re right about the stigma.

But I'm here to tell you that for high-earning, dual-income couples like many of us in healthcare, a prenup is one of the most mature, honest, and loving financial decisions you can make.

The Stigma vs. The Strategy

The biggest misconception is that a prenuptial agreement means you’re planning for divorce. The reality is that a prenup is marriage insurance. You buy home insurance hoping you never need it, but you're thankful it exists if disaster strikes.

A prenup is the same, it removes ambiguity when clarity is needed most.

For healthcare professionals, especially clinic owners and those carrying significant student debt, a prenup is a vital piece of proactive planning that protects both partners.

Why a Prenup is Essential for Healthcare Professionals:

1. Protecting Your Business/Practice: As an entrepreneur, your clinic is often your largest asset and your primary income stream. Without a prenup, the appreciation in the value of that business during the marriage could be considered a marital asset subject to division. A prenup allows you to safeguard your ownership interests and prevents a potential divorce from destabilizing your business, your staff, and your patients.
2. Clarifying Student Loan Debt: Many of us enter marriage with massive student loans. A prenup can specify that any debt acquired before the marriage remains the sole responsibility of the debt-holding spouse. This protects your partner from being held accountable for debts they didn't incur.
3. Future Earning Potential: Our earning power often increases significantly after we get married (e.g., finishing residency, moving into private practice). A prenup can clarify how that future income and any appreciation on separate property will be treated.
4. Protecting Separate Property: If you brought significant assets, real estate, or future inheritances into the marriage, a prenup clearly defines these as separate property, ensuring your legacy and family wealth are preserved.
5. Setting Fair Expectations: By forcing you to discuss every financial scenario (assets, debts, spending habits, spousal support) while you are in love and thinking kindly of each other, you build a stronger foundation of financial transparency and mutual respect.

The Key: Clarity and Fairness for Both Parties

The crucial part is making sure the agreement is clear and fair. A successful prenup is not about "winning" or "losing"; it's about mutual protection.

1. Start the Conversation Early: Don't present the document a week before the wedding. Bring it up early, frame it as financial planning for the future, and acknowledge the emotional nature of the topic.
2. Full Financial Disclosure: This is non-negotiable and legally required in most jurisdictions. Both parties must fully disclose all assets, debts, and sources of income. Honesty up front is the only way to ensure enforceability.
3. Separate Legal Counsel:Both you and your fiancé should have your own, independent lawyer reviewing the document. This ensures that both parties' interests are represented and helps prevent the claim that the agreement was signed under duress or without full understanding.
4. Define Business Value: For clinic owners, the prenup must explicitly define how the business will be valued and how any appreciation during the marriage will be handled.

Katie and I have had these frank, open conversations, and while they weren't always easy, they have made our financial vision for the future incredibly clear and aligned. It removes ambiguity, which is the ultimate goal of all good planning.

The Ultimate Dream: Win a $1 Million Home!

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Now, I'm going to interrupt the behavioral finance lesson for a moment with something incredibly exciting and timely.

The one material goal everyone seems to share is homeownership. And right now, Wealthsimple has launched their 2025

$1 Million Home Giveaway!

Yes, you heard that right. They are giving away a $1 million home. This is the ultimate dream, the financial security, the stability, and the freedom a home provides.

Here’s how you can enter (and why you should do it now):

The giveaway opened on October 3, 2025, and the deadline to register and start earning entries is October 30, 2025.

1. Start Here (5,000 Entries): Whether you're new or existing, complete the Homeownership Survey within the Wealthsimple app.
2. Refer Friends (5,000 Entries): Refer a brand-new client who signs up and funds their account with at least $1.
3. Fund Your Account (1 Entry for Every $1): For every dollar of net deposits or transfers (like moving your RRSP/TFSA), you receive one entry. This is the fastest way to stack up entries.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take the first step towards homeownership, or just build up your investment accounts, while giving yourself a chance at a life-changing prize.

Log into Wealthsimple and enter the Home Giveaway today!

Webinar Spotlight: Mastering Finances & Practice Management for Physiotherapists

Speaking of important proactive steps, I want to invite you to a valuable webinar I'll be hosting this fall.

I'm thrilled to be giving a focused webinar with the Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association (SPA) in partnership with Jane.app on Monday, November 17th!

This session is designed specifically for SPA members who want to stabilize their finances, whether you're a clinic owner, a contractor, or an employee. We'll be diving deep into the actionable strategies that put you in control of your financial life.

Here's why this is a must-attend:

• Financial Fundamentals: Build a rock-solid personal financial foundation.
• Practice Streamlining: Learn how to use practical tools to automate admin burdens (like Jane), freeing up time.
• Business Growth: Get sustainable strategies for managing income variability and building a financially secure practice.

If you’re a physio in Saskatchewan, this is your chance to get specialized financial insight that directly addresses your professional needs and provincial context.

Webinar Details:

• When: Monday, Nov 17, 2025
• Hosted by: SPA & Jane.app
• Audience:SPA Members Only.

Yours Truly,
Robin Valadares

@financiallyfulfilledpro and Certified Financial Counselor CFC™

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