Valuable consideration in contracts typically refers to which of the following?

• A. Real property or money
• B. A promise of love, affection, or loyalty
• C. An illegal objective
• D. A lack of capacity

Answer: (A)

In contract law, valuable consideration is something of economic value that each party gives or promises to give in exchange for the other party’s promise or performance. Real property or money fit this idea perfectly because they have clear, measurable value that courts readily recognize in enforcing bargains. A promise of love, affection, or loyalty, on the other hand, typically lacks any objective economic value and isn’t considered valuable consideration. If the agreement aims at an illegal objective, the contract is unenforceable regardless of what is promised, so that issue isn’t about the value of consideration. Likewise, an absence of capacity affects whether a contract can be formed or enforced, not the presence of consideration itself. So the best answer is real property or money because they clearly satisfy the requirement of having economic value in the bargain.