Northern Virginia Family Law Blog
What if I need to move after a child custody order?
Like other states, Virginia has a rule that requires parents who are subject to custody and parenting time orders to let each other know if they plan to move. Specifically, the law of this state requires that any parent who wants to move for any reason, whether they...
How to divide a family business during divorce
There are several different ways for divorcing couples to approach dividing a family business during divorce. Dividing a family business during a divorce can be difficult financially and emotionally which is why divorcing couples who have built a business together and...
How to remove yourself from a hopeless marriage
You’ve tried everything you can to make your marriage work, but no matter how hard you try you run into one challenge after the next. At this point, you have a couple of options. You can remain in your marriage and hope for the best, or ask your spouse for a divorce...
Divorcing with children and navigating family law issues
Ending a marriage can feel like a failure. Because no one gets married to get a divorce, it can feel like one’s world has turned upside down. But divorcing spouses in Virginia are not alone. This is because the divorce rate has remained around 50% in the United...
Want to fight for the family home? Consider your options first
There’s a lot at stake in a divorce. While you might struggle with the emotional aspect of untangling your life from your spouse, you also face the very real possibility of redefining your relationship with your children and reshaping your financial standing. These...
Divorce and taxes: Two painful things that go badly together
The default position of the IRS is that any transfer of funds from one party to another can be taxed, but there are many exceptions. One is the transfer of funds between spouses. For the most part, any transfer of funds from one spouse to another, whether as a gift or...
Child custody and parenting time
Many people think of the term "child custody" as referring to just which parent lives with the child. In fact, Virginia law recognizes child custody as encompassing much more, including the rights of noncustodial parents to visitation with their children and to have a...
Your legitimate interest in your stepchild reinforces your bond
A lot of relationships change in a divorce. For many people, that includes their bond with their stepchildren. Virginia stepparents who have not adopted their stepchild have no legal rights. You cannot maintain your connection to the child without court approval. Your...
3 reasons you should prioritize mental health in a divorce
If you’re in the midst of divorce, you understand the emotional toll it can take on you. Depression, anxiety, and feelings of failure or shame are common experiences after a marriage ends. Even if you’re ultimately relieved to finalize the divorce, it’s not uncommon...
The 4 things that change after divorce
Everybody knows that divorce is the end of a marriage. But what does that mean, exactly? After all, a marriage is not a business partnership. It represents a web of relationships, duties and plans. So your feelings about divorce can be surprisingly complicated. Here...
