Monday - Friday8:30AM - 5PM
OfficesFairfax | Manassas
Family Law Attorneys · Rosslyn, Virginia
When part of your pay has not vested yet, dividing it gets complicated.
Rosslyn runs on corporate and federal careers, and a lot of the pay comes as stock, bonuses, and deferred compensation that has not landed yet. Dividing it in a divorce takes more than splitting a paycheck. We help Rosslyn professionals untangle it, with the case heard at the Arlington County Justice Center. Reach us when you are ready.
A first call is steady, and it costs nothing.
You Are Not Alone
In Rosslyn's towers, plenty of two-income households are facing this quietly. None of them do it alone, and neither will you.
Marital
stock and deferred pay earned during the marriage can be divided
Va. Code § 20-107.3
Vesting
unvested grants are often split by a coverture formula
Deferred compensation
17th
Judicial Circuit, where Arlington cases are decided
Arlington County Circuit Court
50+
years of combined family law practice
Three Northern Virginia offices
What We Handle
Family law help for Rosslyn professionals.
When compensation includes stock, bonuses, and deferred pay, the division has to account for what is vested, what is not, and what was earned during the marriage. Here is the work we take on.
Looking for a family law attorney near Rosslyn? NOVA Legal Professionals helps Rosslyn clients divide executive and deferred compensation, retirement, and property, and handles custody and support, with cases at the Arlington County Justice Center. Talk with an attorney at 571.260.0999.
01 /
The matter of what you have earned.
01
Contested Divorce
When you and your spouse cannot agree, an Arlington judge decides. We build the case, negotiate where we can, and try it when settlement is off the table.
When You Cannot Agree 02Equitable Distribution
Virginia divides marital property by what is fair, not a flat half. We work every statutory factor so the split reflects the marriage.
Fair, Not Equal 03Asset Division
Stock grants, options, deferred pay, and the accounts, we identify and value every piece of compensation so the division is accurate.
The Marital Estate 04Separation Agreements
A clear separation agreement settles how unvested grants and future bonuses are split. We draft yours so nothing earned during the marriage is missed.
First Protection 05Child Support
Child support follows the state guideline, and higher incomes can move it above the table. We make sure bonuses and equity income are counted correctly.
Guideline & Beyond 06Custody & Parenting
A parenting plan should fit two demanding careers and a city schedule. We build custody and visitation around how your family actually lives.
Parenting Time 07Spousal Support
For higher earners, spousal support reaches past the base table into the court's discretion. We frame the amount and the term around what is fair.
Maintenance 08Military Divorce
Arlington sits beside the Pentagon and a deep federal bench. We divide military and federal retirement, survivor benefits included, by their own rules.
Service MembersWhere Your Case Is Heard
Where a Rosslyn case is heard.
Rosslyn sits at Arlington's northern edge, minutes from the courthouse. A divorce is filed in the Arlington County Circuit Court; custody and support on their own go to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, both inside the Arlington County Justice Center at 1425 North Courthouse Road.
Circuit Court
Arlington County Circuit Court
17th Judicial Circuit
HearsThe divorce, and the division of compensation, accounts, and property.
DecidesEquitable distribution, plus support and custody when part of the divorce.
Where1425 North Courthouse Road, in the Courthouse neighborhood, the 17th Judicial Circuit.
NoteThe 17th Circuit also covers the City of Falls Church.
J&DR Court
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
Family matters outside a divorce
HearsCustody, visitation, child support, and protective orders on their own.
StartMost cases open at the intake desk before a hearing is set.
WhereThe same Justice Center on North Courthouse Road, Suite 4100.
NoteYou file where you and your spouse last lived together, which for Arlington couples is Arlington.
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insights
What I tell Rosslyn clients about compensation.
The paycheck is the easy part. It is the stock that has not vested that decides whether a settlement is actually fair.
- 1
Find the unvested pay before you settle
Restricted stock, options, and deferred compensation that has not vested can be worth more than the salary. A settlement that ignores it can be badly one-sided, so we identify every grant first.
- 2
The marital share is a formula, not a guess
Courts often divide unvested grants by a coverture fraction, the part earned during the marriage against the part earned after. Getting the dates and the vesting schedule right is what makes the split fair.
- 3
Tax turns equal into unequal
A dollar of vested stock and a dollar in a retirement account are not worth the same after tax. We weigh after-tax value, so a fair-looking split is fair in real life too.
Why Families Trust Us
Help with compensation that is hard to value.
When pay comes as stock and deferred compensation, you want counsel who knows how Virginia divides it.
Experience
50+
Years Combined
Years of dividing executive and deferred compensation for Arlington professionals.
Expertise
100%
Family Law Focus
Family law is the whole practice, complex compensation included.
Authority
AV
Preeminent Rated
Peer rated AV Preeminent, listed in Super Lawyers, and rated 10.0 on Avvo.
Trust
5★
Verified Reviews
Verified five star reviews from Rosslyn professionals and others across Northern Virginia.
Recognition
Recognition that holds up at the table.
We have helped Rosslyn professionals divide stock, bonuses, and deferred pay correctly, so a settlement that looked fair on paper was fair in the years that followed.
Our commitment to Rosslyn
From Our Clients
Rosslyn professionals in their own words.
Read what Rosslyn clients have shared about dividing complex compensation with our attorneys.
Questions People Actually Ask
Plain answers, about complex pay.
These are the questions Rosslyn clients ask first. If yours is not here, just ask.
Have a question about dividing compensation?Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
Is unvested stock divided in a divorce?
Often yes. Stock, options, and deferred pay granted during the marriage are usually marital property, even if they have not vested. Courts commonly divide the unvested portion by a coverture formula based on when it was earned.
How is a bonus treated?
A bonus earned during the marriage is generally marital, even if it is paid after separation. We look at the period the bonus rewards, not just the date it lands, to sort the marital share from the separate share.
What about support for high earners?
Child and spousal support for higher incomes can rise above the base guideline into the court's discretion. We make sure the above-guideline math, bonuses, and equity income are presented accurately so the figure is fair.
Where is a Rosslyn divorce filed?
In the Arlington County Circuit Court at the Justice Center, 1425 North Courthouse Road, the 17th Judicial Circuit. Custody or support on their own start at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the same building.
Can we keep it private?
Much of a divorce can be resolved by a confidential settlement agreement rather than open court testimony. We work to keep sensitive compensation details out of the public record wherever the law and your case allow.
Before You Decide
Reading before you settle.
Plain English guides Rosslyn professionals reach for most as they get started.
A
How Do I Get a Divorce in Virginia?
The plain English overview of grounds, timelines, and the steps to a final decree.
Virginia GuideBWho Pays the Bills?
How couples handle the mortgage, the cards, and everyday costs during a separation.
SeparationCWhat to Expect in an Uncontested Divorce
The requirements, the timeline, and what makes a Virginia divorce uncontested.
Virginia GuideWhen You Are Ready
When you are ready, let's value it right.
Tell us how your compensation is structured, and we will help you divide it fairly in your Rosslyn divorce.