Contracts of Love & Money That Make or Break Relationships | James Sexton

My guest is James Sexton, Esq., a renowned attorney specializing in contracts related to love and money—prenuptial agreements, divorce and custody. We explore the counterintuitive fact that people with prenuptial agreements tend to stay married longer and report more satisfying relationships than those who don’t. We discuss how legal contracts can foster deeper understanding by encouraging vulnerability and honest communication about each partner’s values and expectations.We also examine what defines true, lasting love versus generic romantic ideals—and how social media can distort our understanding of what we truly need. Additionally, we review how cultural traditions, gender dynamics, courtship length, and age at the time of marriage shape marital outcomes.This episode offers practical tools for anyone—single or partnered—to build more successful and stable relationships through deeply honest dialogue and contracts that reflect genuine values around love and money.Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.Thank you to our sponsorsAG1: https://drinkag1.com/hubermanWealthfront**: https://wealthfront.com/hubermanBetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/hubermanOur Place: https://fromourplace.com/hubermanFunction: https://functionhealth.com/huberman**This experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients of Wealthfront, and there is no guarantee that all clients will have similar experiences. Cash Account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) on cash deposits as of December 27,‬ 2024, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to partner banks where they earn the variable‭ APY. Promo terms and FDIC coverage conditions apply. Same-day withdrawal or instant payment transfers may be limited by destination institutions, daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo, the RTP® Network, and FedNow® Service. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer.Timestamps00:00:00 James Sexton00:02:19 Divorce & Breakups, Men vs Women, Perception; Infidelity00:12:04 Sponsors: Wealthfront & BetterHelp00:14:41 Contracts, Business, Marriage Celebration, Prenups00:26:24 Nesting; Prenups, Creating Rulesets00:33:56 Prenups & Strengthening Marriage00:38:19 Marriage Traditions; Divorce Rates, Religion00:44:44 First vs Second Marriages, Love & Impermanence00:50:09 Sponsors: AG1 & Our Place00:53:53 Contracts, Relationships & Hard Conversations01:02:37 Marriage & Underlying Problems, Love, Successful Marriages01:16:27 Ideals, Social Media & Advertising, Simplicity, Dogs01:27:33 Sponsor: Function01:29:26 Intimacy, Tool: Early Framework for Hard Discussions01:37:06 Prenup Consultation, Legal Defaults, Reasons for Marriage01:47:37 Alimony, Prenups & Creating Rulesets, Yours, Mine & Ours, Adultery, Pets02:02:30 Fond Memories & Ending Relationship, Pain, Divorce02:12:49 Social Media, Movies & Ideals, Pornography vs Real Sexual Relationships02:22:43 Revealing Flaws, Bravery, Prenups & Expectations, Money02:37:49 Bravery, Vulnerability, Relationship Changes, Men vs Women, Marriage02:47:11 Relationship Sacrifices, Men & Women; Prenups, Government02:54:45 Life Milestones, Early vs Late Marriage, Navigating Challenges03:01:38 Courtship Period & Marital Outcomes03:10:12 Knowing Self & Partner, Vulnerability03:16:58 "Postnup", Rekindling or Ending Relationships, Tool: Leave a Note03:26:41 Heartbreak & Love, Divorce; Acknowledgements03:34:45 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network NewsletterDisclaimer & Disclosures

The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.
Huberman has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function, and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills, and cognitive functioning. He is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017.
Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell, and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover, and other top media outlets.
In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 10 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.

• No. of episodes: 299
• Latest episode: 2025-05-08
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