What Happens to My Assets If I Die Without a Will?
No estate plan is complete without a carefully-crafted will. If you don’t legally decide how your assets will be designated prior to your death, the law will do it for you. SmolenPlevy estate...
View ArticleWhat Happens to the Family Business After Divorce?
Businesses are as complicated as marriages Maintaining a family business, like divorce, is a process that requires attention to detail and the ability to understand the needs of other people. You can’t...
View ArticleSmolenPlevy Principals Recognized by Super Lawyers for their Outstanding...
2022 Super Lawyers award: SmolenPlevy is honored to announce that Principals Alan Plevy, Kyung (Kathryn) Dickerson and Daniel Ruttenberg are named to Super Lawyer’s 2022 Virginia and Washington D.C....
View ArticleUnderstanding Federal Estate Taxation
When a loved one passes away, it is important to ensure that all of his or her affairs are in order. This includes paying off any debts, as well as paying any necessary federal and state taxes required...
View ArticleDan Ruttenberg Celebrates a Quarter Century at SmolenPlevy
May 19, 2022, is a special day at SmolenPlevy. That date marks Daniel H. Ruttenberg’s 25th anniversary as a principal with the firm. Dan is one of very few attorneys in northern Virginia who’s also a...
View ArticleHow to Get a Marriage Annulled in Virginia
We have all heard about divorce – whether it took place in our family, we saw it in a movie or TV show, or even as a media spectacle between two celebrities. Annulments, on the other hand, are not as...
View ArticleCreating an Education Legacy Using a Family Education Trust
For many people, leaving a legacy for their children, grandchildren, and future generations is an important goal of the estate plan. Providing for their educational needs is a great way to ensure...
View ArticleCan a Legal Dispute be Solved by Mediation?
Mediation is a great way to solve traditional legal disputes and can be a much cheaper, quicker, and more pleasant process than litigation. Not too many people are very familiar with mediation,...
View ArticleUnmarried Couples Should Consider Alternative Estate Planning Strategies
Unmarried couples face many of the same estate planning concerns as married couples. However, married couples can use more advantageous estate planning strategies than unmarried couples. Estate...
View ArticleWhat Happens to the Family Pets After a Divorce?
When a couple decides to divorce, property distribution, spousal and child support and child custody are important areas that need to be addressed. But one thing that is sometimes left up in the air is...
View Article7 Summer Vacation Tips for Divorced or Separated Parents
It’s an annual rite of spring — children are eagerly anticipating the end of the school year and the start of their summer break. The same can’t be said for a number of divorced or separated parents....
View ArticleDivorce Dilemma: Who Pays for Back-to-School Expenses?
It’s back-to-school season, and for divorced or separated parents, the question is: Who is paying for the expensive TI-84 calculator their child needs for class? Child support doesn’t cover the costly...
View ArticleTake Caution When Including Employees in Your Estate Plan
If you’re the owner of a small business, you may think of your tight-knit group of employees as a family. SmolenPlevy Principals Jason Smolen and Dan Ruttenberg say it’s critical to be aware of...
View ArticleCan I Date While Separated in Virginia?
Jumping back into the dating scene after separating from your spouse can sound fun but the consequences can make your divorce complicated. Virginia Does Not Recognize Separation Regardless of your...
View ArticleDoes Dad Always Pay For Child Support In A Divorce?
As a parent, you may be wondering whether you are entitled to receive child support payments from your child’s other parent. Here are a few initial considerations regarding parents’ rights to receive...
View ArticleWhat Parental Rights Do Unmarried Parents Have in Virginia?
Unmarried Mothers Virginia law presumes that the unmarried mother is the child’s parent. This means that from birth, unwed mothers have sole custody of the child. Unmarried Fathers Unlike the child’s...
View ArticleCan We Still Live in the Same House If We’re Separated in Virginia?
When you are getting divorced, it can feel like everything changes in a matter of months. You quickly go from living off of two incomes to living off one. The lack of finances can make it hard to get...
View ArticleWhat Happens if My Partner Dies and We’re Not Married?
In the past two decades, the number of unmarried couples living together in the U.S. has nearly tripled from 6 million to 17 million, but that does not mean they have the same rights that married...
View ArticleWho Gets the Engagement Ring After a Breakup?
Although engagements are typically a time of joy and associated with new beginnings, some engagements come to an unforeseen end. When this happens, a major question on everyone’s mind is “who will get...
View ArticleWhat are the Grounds for Divorce in Virginia?
So, you have been thinking you want a divorce, and you live in the Commonwealth of Virginia. By making that decision, you have taken the first step in the divorce process. The next step is to determine...
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