Now you might have heard some details about spousal support in the past, but it is time for you to forget about that, as this section of divorce law is now being looked at for some changes. There were some recent changes to the Virginia spousal support laws, which stated that, should one person admit to adultery, then they would be highly unlikely to receive any alimony. However, it has now been reviewed and the person who is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage now has more of a chance of actually receiving some spousal support, depending on other circumstances.
It has never been the case that spousal support is simply there to punish the guilty party, so the courts will now look further into the situation and then determine just how much they will be awarded in spousal support and how long for. This is done in order to make things less damaging to the person who will be affected in the biggest financial way by the divorce, while the court will also take into consideration things such as the duration of the marriage; the history of the marriage; and the ages of the people involved.
When it comes to receiving spousal support, there are going to be two options available, with the court deciding the best course of action to take. Now they could decide that the spousal support will be all paid out in one lump sum, or they could decide that periodic alimony payments should be made instead. If they do decide to go with the periodic alimony payments, then there will either be a set time range given for these payments, or it could be that the payments will be made indefinitely.
It is important that you remember that spousal support payments can be changed over time, as and when the circumstances of one or both of the people involved changes. Once the spousal support has been made official, it does not have to be awarded right away, as one of the people involved in the divorce have the right to request a “reservation” of their right to receive alimony in the future. If this does happen, it is usually the case that it will be put under reservations for around half of the amount of time that the couple were married.
So there you have it. If you have been looking for information about the Virginia spousal support, then we hope this has helped you with everything you need.