Detailed Answer

Short answer: yes — a valid prenuptial (premarital) agreement can change how property is classified and what a surviving spouse may receive on death, and that can indirectly or directly affect life‑estate language in wills or deeds. If you are a potential beneficiary and the executor refuses to provide documents, Minnesota law and the probate court process provide routes to compel disclosure and protect heirs’ rights.

How prenuptial agreements generally work in Minnesota

Prenuptial agreements (premarital agreements) let parties agree in advance about ownership and distribution of property, spousal support, and related financial rights. If a valid premarital agreement says certain property is the separate property of one spouse or that the other spouse waives claims, that agreement will usually control those rights at death unless the agreement is invalidated later.

For state law on marriage and related agreements, see Minnesota statutes and searchable text: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 517 (Marriage) and use the Revisor search for “premarital agreement”: Search: premarital agreement.

What a prenup can change about estate shares and life estates

• If the prenup specifically assigns property to one spouse as separate property, that classification affects what property can pass under a will or by intestacy. For example, property declared separate in a prenup typically is not part of the marital estate that the surviving spouse can claim.
• The agreement can include a waiver of the surviving spouse’s statutory or elective rights (if Minnesota law recognizes such election rights and the waiver is valid). A valid waiver will reduce or eliminate a spouse’s ability to compel a greater share of the estate than the prenup allows.
• Life‑estate provisions created by deed or by a will generally control who has possession or income while someone is alive. If the testator (your mother) created a life estate in a deed or will, that life estate is effective unless a later valid agreement or court order changes it. However, a prenup that changes ownership classification of the underlying property may affect whether that property was even available for the life estate.
• If the will or deed creates a life estate but the prenup says the property belongs to the surviving spouse as separate property (or vice versa), the documents must be read together. Often a court will give effect to a valid prenup’s terms about property ownership first, then interpret the will/deed consistently with that ownership classification.

When a prenup will not control

• A prenup cannot — after the fact — revoke specific testamentary language unless the parties intended that result and the instrument is valid with respect to the subject property.
• If the prenup was executed under duress, fraud, without proper disclosure, or without required formalities, a court may set it aside. A successful challenge can restore rights that had been waived.
• Some personal decisions (like guardianship of a child) are not controlled by a prenup.

Practical example (hypothetical)

Suppose your mother signed a prenup before marrying that stated all land she owned before marriage remained her separate property and that her spouse waived any claim to her estate. Later she signed a will leaving a life estate in a lake cabin to you, with remainder to your children. If the prenup is valid and the cabin was her separate property as declared, the spouse generally cannot use marital‑property rules to undo the will or the life estate. If, alternatively, the prenup was ambiguous or invalid, the spouse could claim a share and possibly challenge the life estate.

Executor duties and your rights as a beneficiary or interested person

When someone dies, Minnesota’s probate framework governs how property is gathered, how creditors are paid, and how assets are distributed to beneficiaries. Executors (personal representatives) have duties to locate and file the will, inventory the estate, and provide information to interested persons during probate. See the Minnesota probate statutes and probate court resources: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 524 (Decedents’ Estates, Probate) and the Minnesota Judicial Branch probate help pages: Minnesota Courts — Probate.

What to do if the executor refuses to provide the prenuptial agreement, will, inventory, or accountings

1. Ask in writing. Send a clear written request (email or certified letter) to the executor asking for copies of the will, the prenup (if they have it), and any estate inventory or accounting.
2. Explain your status. Identify yourself as a named beneficiary, possible beneficiary, heir, or other interested person. Courts treat requests from interested persons differently than from strangers.
3. Allow time but keep records. Give a reasonable deadline (e.g., 10–14 days) and keep copies of your communications.
4. Contact the probate court clerk. Many probate clerks can tell you whether a will has been filed, whether probate has opened, and what documents are on file in the estate. If the will was not filed, Minnesota law requires people in possession of a will to present it to the court for probate—check the court’s procedures: Probate help.
5. Hire a lawyer for a written demand. A lawyer can send a formal demand and explain legal consequences to the executor.
6. File a motion in probate court. If the executor still refuses, an interested person can petition the probate court to compel production of documents, require a formal accounting, issue subpoenas, or remove the executor for failure to perform duties. The probate court has power to enforce executor obligations and award sanctions or appoint a successor fiduciary when appropriate. See Minnesota probate statutes: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 524.
7. Consider a petition to interpret or construe documents. If there is a conflict between a will, deed, and prenup, you can ask the probate court to interpret the documents and declare the parties’ rights.
8. If you suspect fraud, undue influence, or invalidity of the prenup, bring that claim promptly. Courts apply time limits; delays can make challenges harder.

Timing and urgency

Act quickly. Probate tasks (notice to creditors, inventory deadlines, and final accounting deadlines) run on schedules. Promptly asserting your rights improves your chances of preserving evidence and legal remedies.

When you need a lawyer

Challenging a prenup’s validity, interpreting competing documents, or compelling an executor to act are actions that commonly require a probate or estate litigation attorney. An attorney can evaluate the prenup’s execution formalities, whether full financial disclosure occurred, and whether Minnesota law was followed.

Relevant resources:

• Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 517 (Marriage): https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/517
• Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 524 (Decedents’ Estates, Probate): https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/524
• Revisor search for “premarital agreement”: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/search/?keyword=premarital%20agreement
• Minnesota Judicial Branch — Probate help and forms: https://www.mncourts.gov/Help-Topics/Probate.aspx

Helpful Hints

• Request documents in writing and keep copies of all correspondence.
• Identify yourself as an interested person (named beneficiary, heir, or potential heir) when communicating with the executor or the court clerk.
• If the prenup is likely to be central to your rights, preserve any originals or copies of the prenup, deeds, wills, and bank/title documents you can find.
• Keep a timeline of events: dates of marriage, the prenup signing, property purchases, the decedent’s death, when documents were requested, and any responses.
• Don’t sign away rights under pressure. If an executor or spouse asks you to accept a proposed distribution, get the proposal in writing and consider independent advice before agreeing.
• Act before deadlines. Probate contains strict time frames for creditor claims and certain challenges — inertness can harm your position.
• Consult a probate lawyer quickly if the executor obstructs access, if you suspect improper behavior, or if large assets are involved.