A. The election by the surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in the Commonwealth must be made no later than six months after 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, 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 (§ 55-106 et seq.) of Title 55. The clerk shall record such election in the will book of the court. A copy of such election shall be provided to the personal representative, if any, by regular U.S. mail or hand delivery within 30 days of filing.
B. The surviving spouse must file the complaint to determine the elective share no later than six months after the filing of the election as set forth in subsection A. No later than 30 days after the filing of the complaint, the surviving spouse must provide a copy of the complaint to all known persons interested in the estate and to the distributees and recipients of portions of the augmented estate whose interests will be adversely affected by the taking of the elective share. The decedent’s non-probate transfers to others are not included within the augmented estate for the purpose of computing the elective share if the complaint is filed more than 12 months after the decedent’s death.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 8.01-380, the election for an elective share may be withdrawn by the surviving spouse at any time before entry of a final determination by the court and such election shall be extinguished.
D. After notice and hearing, the court shall determine the elective share amount, and shall order its payment from the assets of the augmented estate or by contribution as appears appropriate under §§ 64.2-308.10 and 64.2-308.11. If it appears that a fund or property included in the augmented estate has not come into the possession of the personal representative, or has been distributed by the personal representative, the court nevertheless shall fix the liability of any person who has any interest in the fund or property or who has possession thereof, whether as trustee or otherwise. The proceeding may be maintained against fewer than all persons against whom relief could be sought, but no person is subject to contribution in any greater amount than such person would have been under §§ 64.2-308.10 and 64.2-308.11 had relief been secured against all persons subject to contribution.
E. An order or judgment of the court may be enforced as necessary in suit for contribution or payment in other courts of this state or other jurisdictions.
History
2016, cc. 187, 269.
