{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-states","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/community-property-states","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-states","term":"Community Property States","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"These are states where marital assets and debts acquired during marriage are considered jointly owned by both spouses. This impacts how your lender assesses your personal financial strength and requires spousal signatures.","what_it_means":"If you live in a community property state, your spouse will likely need to sign certain loan documents, even if they aren't directly involved in the business acquisition. Lenders will also consider your spouse's Credit Score and Personal Financial Statement as part of the overall Credit Risk assessment for the Personal Guarantee. Understand these implications early.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-states","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":"personal-financial-statement","term":"Personal financial statement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-financial-statement"},{"slug":"personal-guarantee","term":"Personal guarantee","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-guarantee"},{"slug":"credit-score","term":"Credit Score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-score"},{"slug":"co-borrower","term":"Co-borrower","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/co-borrower"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What if the business assets are located in multiple states, requiring multiple UCC filings?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-if-the-business-assets-are-located-in-multiple-states-requiring-multiple-ucc-filings"},{"question":"Are there any restrictions on what states or territories a business can be in?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/are-there-any-restrictions-on-what-states-or-territories-a-business-can-be-in"},{"question":"Does acquiring a business operating in multiple states complicate SBA 7(a) loan collateral requirements?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-acquiring-a-business-operating-in-multiple-states-complicate-sba-7-a-loan-collateral-"},{"question":"Do I need to live in the United States to get an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/do-i-need-to-live-in-the-united-states-to-get-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"Can an SBA 7(a) loan be used for a business located anywhere in the United States?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-an-sba-7-a-loan-be-used-for-a-business-located-anywhere-in-the-united-states"},{"question":"Can I use an SBA 7(a) loan to purchase a business located outside the United States?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-i-use-an-sba-7-a-loan-to-purchase-a-business-located-outside-the-united-states"}]},"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 States","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-states","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}