A separation agreement is to your advantage
Written by our divorce lawyers in Virginia Beach
One of the topics that our divorce lawyers are asked about most frequently is a “separation agreement.” A separation agreement is simply a written agreement between two spouses that states how the marriage will be dissolved.
For more than a decade our divorce lawyers in Virginia Beach have helped individuals with separation agreements throughout Hampton Roads, including Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.
The separation agreement most often establishes the distribution of marital property, retirement accounts, real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles. The agreement will also generally address issues related to child support, child custody, and child visitation. The separation agreement can provide for an award of spousal support. It can also provide for any other miscellaneous issue such as responsibility for pets or payment of lawyer’s fees.
The separation agreement is a binding contract between the parties, and in most cases will be eventually entered by the court as part of the final divorce decree. This means that if a party does not comply with the agreement once it is a court order, that person risks being held in contempt of court. Therefore, it is very important to make sure you understand your obligations (as well as those of your former spouse) established by any separation agreement you sign.
The advantages of finalizing your divorce by separation agreement are twofold. First, you will spend much less in lawyer fees if you settle the case instead of going to trial. Second, by entering into an agreement you, at the very least, have some input into how the case ends. Even if you have to compromise, that might be better than how a judge would rule in your case.
It is most likely in your best interest to have a divorce lawyer guide you through the process of drafting and negotiating a separation agreement. Our divorce lawyers in Virginia Beach have drafted numerous such agreements for divorces throughout Hampton Roads, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth.
If you are searching for experienced divorce lawyers with proven results, please call us at (757) 432-2500 or use our online form below. We can help with a separation agreement, child support, child custody, child visitation, spousal support, and more.
Divorce lawyers in Virginia Beach serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and all of Hampton Roads.