When Virginia couples get a divorce and one person has to pay child or spousal support to the other, the court will take several factors into account in determining the amount. In addition to the regular salary a person earns, a court will look at other types of compensation. This could include deferred compensation, corporate retirement account contributions, and interest and dividends.
How to determine spousal support amounts
In many divorce cases in Virginia, spousal support is among the final issues to be resolved. This is because the parties to a divorce need to split assets and otherwise determine what resources each person will walk away from the marriage with. At that point, talks can begin regarding the potential need for financial assistance. There are many factors that come into play when deciding how much support an ex-spouse should receive.
Steps to protect credit scores during a divorce
Divorce involves the separation of financial lives. Although this process does not necessarily damage the credit scores of estranged Virginia couples, it could result in financial distress and damaged credit records. Jointly held credit accounts, like mortgages or credit cards, create opportunities for negative credit scores after a divorce. Although a divorce decree might require one party to pay a credit card bill, the creditor still looks to both parties for payment on joint accounts. Missed payments ding the credit scores of people who were expecting former spouses to meet their obligations.
Study looks at attitudes toward stay-at-home mothers in divorce
More than 25% of American mothers with kids younger than 18 do not work outside the home. For fathers, that figure is 7%. When stay-at-home mothers in Virginia get divorced, they are entitled to an equitable amount of marital assets. This raises an issue about how to value caregiving compared to being the family breadwinner.
Med Pay
Medical Payments Coverage ("Med-Pay") is an optional rider on your car insurance policy that every driver in the Commonwealth of Virginia should have. It is very cheap, typically a few dollars a month, but the financial benefits if you are in a car accident can be astronomical. Without Med-Pay, the financial repercussions, especially if you do not have health insurance, can be devastating.
