Virginia Spousal Support: Reservation vs an Award

Identify what the document actually says

Read the complete support provision, not only a heading or monthly figure. Separate an amount currently payable, any duration or end condition, a reservation of rights and language waiving or limiting support. Keep signed agreements and entered orders distinguishable.

Create a working note quoting the relevant paragraph number and its location in the document. Do not replace the actual text with a label such as “permanent alimony” unless that description has been checked.

Read the reservation provision separately

Virginia Code § 20-107.1(D) permits reservation of a party’s right to receive support in the future and addresses its duration. This is different from the periodic, lump-sum or combined support discussed elsewhere in the section. A reservation does not itself establish that a future payment will be awarded.

The effect of an agreement, waiver or court finding must be assessed in context. Do not assume that saying “we will decide later” in a private conversation creates the same result as a legally effective reservation.

Questions to resolve before signing

Ask whether support is payable now, whether future rights are reserved, when a reservation ends and what must happen to pursue a future request. Identify the documents and circumstances the lawyer needs to answer those questions. A general duration rule is not a substitute for interpreting the actual provision.

For example, a paragraph providing a present monthly payment and a separate sentence preserving future rights can raise different questions from a provision dealing only with a future claim. Read both with the rest of the agreement.

Keep later events and present obligations separate

Retain the order and any written amendments, with dates of relevant changes. A reservation should not be read as permission to stop an existing payment or as a guarantee of later support. Ask about the applicable process and timing before relying on a future claim.

This guide explains a document distinction rather than reproducing the full statutory factor list. It does not interpret a reader’s agreement, calculate an award or decide whether a waiver or reservation is enforceable.

Read the legal sources

Checked for this guide on October 20, 2026. Read the current source and case-specific instructions before acting.

• Virginia Code § 20-107.1 — spousal support

Related guides

• Marital and Separate Debt in a Virginia Divorce
• Can a Child Choose a Parent in a Virginia Custody Case?
• Pendente Lite Support in Virginia: Temporary Orders Explained

For the wider picture, read the Virginia spousal support overview.

Browse all practical Virginia family-law guides. For broader context, explore our family-law topics or legal-aid and referral resources.