In this article, I will guide you on how to smoothly move from the decision to separate, through settlement, and ending with a judge signing your Divorce Decree. This article will go through each step, making it easy for you to handle this part of your life confidently and ensure that you get everything right.

In Virginia, property that is owned pre-marriage is known as “separate property”. Separate property may consist of: tangible assets (e.g. automobiles, antiques, furniture), liquid assets (e.g. bank accounts, mutual funds, stocks), retirement assets (e.g., 401(k)s, TSPs, IRAs, pensions), real estate, and business interests Under §20-107.3 of the Virginia Code, the spouse who came into the marriage with the separate property is permitted to keep that property as his or her own individual property.