<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66052</law_id><section_number>64.2-308.14</section_number><catch_line>Waiver of right to elect and of other rights; defenses</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Wills and Decedents' Estates</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Rights of Married Persons</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1.1">Elective Share of Surviving Spouse of Decedent Dying on or After January 1, 2017</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The right of election of a surviving spouse and the rights of the surviving spouse to homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, or any of them, may be waived, wholly or partially, before or after marriage, by a written <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, agreement, or <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> signed by the surviving spouse. <a id="paragraph-239998" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A surviving spouse&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> is not enforceable if the surviving spouse proves that: <a id="paragraph-239999" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> was not executed voluntarily; or <a id="paragraph-240000" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> was unconscionable when it was executed and before execution of the <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> because:
				a. A fair and reasonable disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent was not provided;
				b. Any right to disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent beyond the disclosure provided was not voluntarily and expressly waived, in writing; and
				c. The surviving spouse did not have, or reasonably could not have had, an adequate knowledge of the property or financial obligations of the decedent. <a id="paragraph-240001" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> An <span class="dictionary">issue</span> of unconscionability of a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> is for decision by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> as a matter of <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-240002" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Unless it provides to the contrary, a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of all rights, or equivalent language, in the property or estate of a present or prospective spouse or a complete property <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> entered into after or in anticipation of separation or divorce is a <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> of all rights of elective share, homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance by each spouse in the property of the other and a renunciation by each of all benefits that would otherwise pass to one spouse from the other by intestate succession or by virtue of any <span class="dictionary">will</span> executed before the <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> or property <span class="dictionary">settlement</span>. <a id="paragraph-240003" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> If a spouse willfully deserts or abandons the other spouse and such desertion or abandonment continues until the death of the other spouse, the <span class="dictionary">party</span> who deserted or abandoned the deceased spouse shall be barred of all interest in the decedent&#x2019;s estate by intestate succession, elective share, exempt property, family allowance, and homestead allowance. <a id="paragraph-240004" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-308.14/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2016, cc. 187, 269.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
