Updated September 1, 2026. Quick answer: Virginia creates a rebuttable presumption that a reserved future-support right lasts for 50% of the time from marriage to separation.
This page is limited to the controlling Virginia alimony rule captured below. It does not substitute a generic gray-divorce checklist for the state-specific answer.
The state rule that changes the answer
- Virginia creates a rebuttable presumption that a reserved future-support right lasts for 50% of the time from marriage to separation.
- Once granted, the reservation duration is not subject to modification.
- An order granting or reserving support must state whether either party's retirement was contemplated and specifically considered, with the contemplated facts when applicable.
Build the later-life review sheet
Copy each factor, threshold, formula, or procedure named in the controlling section into a separate field before comparing possible support structures. Do not add an input the source does not name.
Label each entry as eligibility, amount, duration, termination, or required finding, as applicable. That keeps a threshold rule from being presented as a guaranteed result.
Keep adjacent divorce questions with their owners
This page does not restate property-division, QDRO or pension, Social Security or Medicare, estate, divorce-statistics, or debt content.
Primary source and verification
The controlling source used here is Va. Code § 20-107.1(D). Confirm the current official text and the facts of the order before acting; this is a source-backed planning guide, not individualized legal advice.