Death, Remarriage, Cohabitation: Termination of VA Spousal Support

Though the laws vary (sometimes dramatically!) from state-to-state, the law in Virginia is that spousal support terminates in three specific circumstances: (1) the death of either party, (2) the remarriage of the recipient party, and (3) the continued cohabitation of the recipient party in a relationship analogous to marriage for a period of one year...

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Understanding Military 20/20/20 Entitlement

Military 20/20/20 status is an incredible benefit for qualifying spouses, because it entitles you to permanent military healthcare.  For many women, health care is one of the most important issues in a divorce – in no large part because, for non-20/20/20 spouses and literally any civilian, there is no way to qualify for permanent, lifetime...

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If you have a trust fund or received an inheritance – whether before, during, or after your marriage – one of your big concerns when it comes to separation and divorce is probably how to adequately protect that asset. For many families, divorce marks a major turning point in their lives, especially as it relates...

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When a marriage starts to fall apart, it’s definitely not the most comfortable experience – especially if you and your soon-to-be ex are still living under the same roof.  In most family law cases, the facts really, really matter, so its hard to make generalized, one-size-fits-all type statements.  If you’re living in the same home,...

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Divorcing Virginia Women in the Military

If you’re a woman in the military and you’re getting a divorce, you’re not alone.  Though the reverse dynamic – a man as the active duty military service member and a woman as the dependent spouse – is more common, that doesn’t mean that the reverse doesn’t also occur. Plenty of women are active duty...

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  As much as I’ve written about child support over the years, I think there are still a lot of things that people don’t understand about how it works. Custodial arrangements – or parenting plans – vary dramatically these days, and though it’s true to say that more parents share custody than have primary physical...

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Virginia Divorce After 30+ Years of Marriage

Marriages of more than 30 years are sort of in their own category. Once you get to the point that you’ve spent three decades together, there’s no question that you’ve accumulated some joint assets. There are some things that are, generally speaking, easier.  It’s unlikely, at this point, that you have minor children together –...

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Virginia Divorce After 20 Years of Marriage

  You’ve been married a really long time.  At this point, probably almost every asset (or liability) you can think of is one that was earned, purchased, or acquired during the marriage.  While it doesn’t have to be harder to end a longer marriage as opposed to a shorter one, there are often a lot...

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