A. A surviving spouse may claim an elective share regardless of whether (i) any provision for the surviving spouse is made in the decedent's will or (ii) the decedent dies intestate.
B. The surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in the Commonwealth may claim an elective share in the decedent's augmented estate within six months from the later of (i) the time of the admission of the decedent's will to probate or (ii) the qualification of an administrator on the decedent's intestate estate. The claim to an elective share shall be made either in person before the court having jurisdiction over administration of the decedent's estate, or by a writing recorded in the court or the clerk's office thereof, upon such acknowledgment or proof as would authorize a writing to be admitted to record under Chapter 6 (§ 55.1-600 et seq.) of Title 55.1.
C. The right, if any, of the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled outside of the Commonwealth to take an elective share based upon the value of property in the Commonwealth is governed by the law of the decedent's domicile at death.
Code 1950, § 64-13; 1968, c. 656, § 64.1-13; 1990, c. 831; 1995, c. 211; 2012, c. 614.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 64.2 - Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Chapter 3 - Rights of Married Persons
§ 64.2-300. Applicability; definitions
§ 64.2-301. Dower or curtesy abolished
§ 64.2-302. When and how elective share may be claimed by surviving spouse
§ 64.2-304. Rights upon claiming an elective share
§ 64.2-305. Augmented estate; exclusions; valuation
§ 64.2-307. Rights in family residence
§ 64.2-308. Statutory rights barred by desertion or abandonment
§ 64.2-308.1. Applicability; definitions
§ 64.2-308.2. Dower or curtesy abolished
§ 64.2-308.3. Elective share amount; effect of election on statutory benefits; non-domiciliary
§ 64.2-308.4. Composition of the augmented estate; marital property portion
§ 64.2-308.5. Decedent's net probate estate
§ 64.2-308.6. Decedent's non-probate transfers to others
§ 64.2-308.7. Decedent's non-probate transfers to the surviving spouse
§ 64.2-308.8. Surviving spouse's property and non-probate transfers to others
§ 64.2-308.9. Exclusions, valuation, and overlapping application
§ 64.2-308.10. Sources from which elective share payable
§ 64.2-308.11. Personal liability of recipients
§ 64.2-308.12. Proceeding for elective share; time limit
§ 64.2-308.13. Right of election personal to surviving spouse; incapacitated surviving spouse
§ 64.2-308.14. Waiver of right to elect and of other rights; defenses
§ 64.2-308.15. Protection of payors and other third parties
§ 64.2-308.16. Rights in family residence
§ 64.2-308.17. Statutory rights barred by desertion or abandonment
§ 64.2-311. Homestead allowance
§ 64.2-313. When and how exempt property and allowances may be claimed
§ 64.2-317. Disposition upon death
§ 64.2-318. Perfection of title of surviving spouse
§ 64.2-319. Perfection of title of personal representative, heir or devisee
§ 64.2-320. Purchaser for value or lender
§ 64.2-322. Acts of married persons