Estate planning comes in all shapes and sizes. It includes updating beneficiary designations on financial accounts and insurance policies, adding joint owners to accounts, and gifting personal property items during one’s life. Estate planning is…

Annulments are available in very limited situations in Virginia. Marriage is a contract between two people, and it comes with certain rights and obligations that are ordinarily only terminated with a divorce. A divorce, in addition to dissolving…

Here are the five biggest we as family law and estate planning lawyers come across.   1. I’m young, so I don’t need a Will.   Even if you don’t have a large estate, you may disagree with how Virginia’s laws will handle distribu…

In some cases a grandparent may want to petition for full custody of their grandchild where the child’s parent suffers from mental health problems, drug or alcohol addiction, or has been abusive or neglectful of the child in the past. In suc…

The term “estate planning” can be a bit of a misnomer. The term “estate” can summon images of a stately manor full of housekeepers and stables out back. The truth is that every single person has an “estate” – whether that means assets, liabi…

So you’ve made the responsible decision and purchased a life insurance policy to ensure your dependents will be cared for in the unfortunate event something happens to you. Naming a beneficiary should be the easy part, right? But mistakes ma…

Spousal support can be a major aspect of divorce cases in Virginia. The court may order temporary support while the case is pending and may order time-limited or even permanent spousal support at the end of the case.  Spousal support, also known …

    When it comes to estate planning, most families have the same objectives: to provide income for their children or other descendants. Parents want their children to continue having the sa me comfortable lifestyle and the freedom to p…

Keep the Money, and Run! In a recent case, the Virginia Supreme Court allowed a divorced wife to keep almost $63,000 worth of survivor benefits wrongfully paid to her by OPM. Read more. Read the opinion here: Emond v. Office of Personnel Managemen…

What happens to child support when one parent switches careers or quits their job? Guideline Child Support Every parent has a duty to support their children, whether or not they are employed. When parents divorce or separate, one or both may petit…

Melone Law, P.C. is pleased to announce the addition of Priti Khanna to the firm as Of Counsel. Ms. Khanna brings years of experience in the areas of immigration law, bankruptcy, and family law. Ms. Khanna is passionate about getting the best resu…