{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/64.2-304.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/64.2-304.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/64.2-304.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/64.2-304.html"}],"law_id":75855,"edition_id":1,"section_id":75855,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-304","catch_line":"Rights upon claiming an elective share","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 64-16; 1968, c. 656, \u00a7 64.1-16; 1978, c. 647; 1986, c. 526; 1990, c. 831; 2012, c. 614.","full_text":"If a claim for an elective share is made, the surviving spouse is entitled to (i) one-third of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left surviving children or their descendants or (ii) one-half of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left no surviving children or their descendants. The surviving spouse is entitled to interest at the legal rate specified in \u00a7 6.2-301 from the date of the decedent’s death to the date of satisfaction of the elective share.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":272381,"text":"If a claim for an elective share is made, the surviving spouse is entitled to (i) one-third of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left surviving children or their descendants or (ii) one-half of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left no surviving children or their descendants. The surviving spouse is entitled to interest at the legal rate specified in \u00a7 6.2-301 from the date of the decedent’s death to the date of satisfaction of the elective share.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13685,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elective Share of Surviving Spouse","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12864,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:33","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:33","permalink":{"id":272945,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13685,"identifier":"1","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1","url":"\/64.2\/II\/3\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12864,"edition_id":1,"name":"Rights of Married Persons","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12863,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","permalink":{"id":272943,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12864,"identifier":"3","token":"64.2\/II\/3","url":"\/64.2\/II\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12863,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wills and Decedents' Estates","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12723,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:57","permalink":{"id":272911,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12863,"identifier":"II","token":"64.2\/II","url":"\/64.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12723,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries","identifier":"64.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":272781,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12723,"identifier":"64.2","token":"64.2","url":"\/64.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":82689,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-300","catch_line":"Applicability; definitions","url":"\/64.2-300\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-300","metadata":false},{"id":65456,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-301","catch_line":"Dower or curtesy abolished","url":"\/64.2-301\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-301","metadata":false},{"id":75301,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-302","catch_line":"When and how elective share may be claimed by surviving spouse","url":"\/64.2-302\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-302","metadata":false},{"id":67214,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-303","catch_line":"Extension of time until after determination of action for construction of will or extent of augmented estate","url":"\/64.2-303\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-303","metadata":false},{"id":75855,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-304","catch_line":"Rights upon claiming an elective share","url":"\/64.2-304\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-304","metadata":false},{"id":60057,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-305","catch_line":"Augmented estate; exclusions; valuation","url":"\/64.2-305\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-305","metadata":false},{"id":62978,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-306","catch_line":"Charging spouse with the value of property received; liability of others for balance of elective share","url":"\/64.2-306\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-306","metadata":false},{"id":54664,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-307","catch_line":"Rights in family residence","url":"\/64.2-307\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-307","metadata":false},{"id":75762,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-308","catch_line":"Statutory rights barred by desertion or abandonment","url":"\/64.2-308\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-308","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":67214,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-303","catch_line":"Extension of time until after determination of action for construction of will or extent of augmented estate","url":"\/64.2-303\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-303","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":60057,"structure_id":13685,"section_number":"64.2-305","catch_line":"Augmented estate; exclusions; valuation","url":"\/64.2-305\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-305","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/64.2-304\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1968, chapter 656; in 1978, chapter 647; in 1986, chapter 526; in 1990, chapter 831; in 2012, chapter 614<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":62070,"section_number":"6.2-301","catch_line":"Legal rate of interest; when legal rate implied","order_by":null,"url":"\/6.2-301\/"}],"permalink":{"id":272963,"object_type":"law","relational_id":75855,"identifier":"64.2-304","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-304","url":"\/64.2-304\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/64.2-304\/","token":"64.2\/II\/3\/1\/64.2-304","dublin_core":{"Title":"Rights upon claiming an elective share","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 64.2-304","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If a claim for an elective share is made, the surviving spouse is entitled to (i) one-third of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left surviving children or their descendants or (ii) one-half of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left no surviving children or their descendants. The surviving spouse is entitled to interest at the legal rate specified in \u00a7 6.2-301<\/a> from the date of the decedent’s death to the date of satisfaction of the elective share.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRIGHTS UPON CLAIMING AN ELECTIVE SHARE (\u00a7 64.2-304)\n\nIf a claim for an elective share is made, the surviving spouse is entitled to\n(i) one-third of the decedent’s augmented estate if the decedent left\nsurviving children or their descendants or (ii) one-half of the decedent’s\naugmented estate if the decedent left no surviving children or their\ndescendants. The surviving spouse is entitled to interest at the legal rate\nspecified in \u00a7 6.2-301 from the date of the decedent’s death to the date\nof satisfaction of the elective share.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 64-16; 1968, c. 656, \u00a7 64.1-16; 1978, c. 647; 1986, c.\n526; 1990, c. 831; 2012, c. 614.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}