{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-state","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/community-property-state","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"community-property-state","term":"Community Property State","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"These are states where marital assets acquired during marriage are considered jointly owned by both spouses. If you live in one, your spouse will likely need to sign a personal guarantee or a spousal consent form for an SBA loan.","what_it_means":"In a community property state, even if your spouse isn't involved in the business, their signature may be required on loan documents to allow the lender to perfect a lien on community assets. This is because your spouse has an ownership interest in those assets, impacting available collateral.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-state","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"community-property","term":"Community Property","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property"},{"slug":"personal-guarantee","term":"Personal guarantee","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-guarantee"},{"slug":"guaranty","term":"Guaranty","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/guaranty"},{"slug":"lien","term":"Lien","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/lien"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Will outstanding state or local tax liens on the business affect SBA 7(a) loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-outstanding-state-or-local-tax-liens-on-the-business-affect-sba-7-a-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"What if the business I'm acquiring currently owes money to the IRS or state tax authorities?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-the-business-i-m-acquiring-currently-owes-money-to-the-irs-or-state-tax-authoritie"},{"question":"Can an SBA 7(a) loan be used to purchase a business located in a different state?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-an-sba-7-a-loan-be-used-to-purchase-a-business-located-in-a-different-state"},{"question":"Is it possible to use an SBA 7(a) loan to acquire a business in a different state?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/is-it-possible-to-use-an-sba-7-a-loan-to-acquire-a-business-in-a-different-state"},{"question":"Can I use an SBA 7(a) loan to buy another business that is located out of state?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-i-use-an-sba-7-a-loan-to-buy-another-business-that-is-located-out-of-state"},{"question":"Do I need to live in the same state as my business to get an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/do-i-need-to-live-in-the-same-state-as-my-business-to-get-an-sba-7-a-loan"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Community Property State","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-state","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}