Protecting Your Personal Property in a Virginia Divorce (Part A)

Divorce causes a host of emotions that can consume your time and energy. It's important to not allow your mixed emotions to stand in the way of protecting what's rightfully yours. To protect the things that are important to you during your Virginia divorce, you should take proactive steps to safeguard your personal property and keep your valuables safe. A Newport News divorce attorney can help you in understanding how you can work within your legal rights to protect your assets.

What is Considered Personal Property?

All the items that you own, whether tangible or intangible, are considered personal property in your Virginia divorce, excluding real estate or anything that falls under the definition of marital property.

Personal property may include: 

• cash, savings, and checking accounts;
• jewelry;
• antiques and collectibles;
• stocks and bonds;
• pets;
• family heirlooms;
• personal collections, such as coin collections; and
• clothing and furniture. 

In a Virginia divorce, these items can be marital property or separate property.  An experienced Newport News divorce attorney can help you understand what your separate or non-marital property consists of and what steps to take to secure it. This will help to avoid mishaps if your divorce gets heated. Protecting your personal property during a Virginia divorce requires your being assertive and exercising your rights to establish your personal security. A Newport News divorce attorney that specializes in helping women can be your advocate when protecting your personal property and help you work towards a fair property settlement.

Taking Inventory of Your Personal Property

In addition to finding a confident Newport News divorce attorney to stand on your side, one of the first steps to take when securing your belongings during your Virginia divorce is to take an inventory of all your personal property. Log all the items that belong to you to create a record that may prove useful later if items go missing.

When recording your personal property, you may find it valuable to use: 

• digital pictures;
• video; and
• professional appraisals. 

You'll also want to move items of value to a secure location away from the home. This applies only to items that are personally yours and excludes marital or community property. If you're unsure of what's within your legal rights and want someone on your side as you secure your financial future during your Virginia divorce, speak with a Newport News divorce attorney who can help you work towards a fair settlement when the time comes to divide personal property. 

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