{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/marital-interest","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/marital-interest","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":"marital-interest","term":"Marital interest","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"The legal rights a spouse has in a married person's property, including business assets, during a marriage or upon divorce. As a buyer, you need to ensure any spouse with a marital interest consents to the sale to prevent future claims.","what_it_means":"If the seller is married, their spouse may have a marital interest in the business being sold, even if not directly an owner. Your lender will require the non-owner spouse to sign spousal consents, especially in community property states, to ensure they have no claim on the business assets or collateral securing your SBA loan.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/marital-interest","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-rights","term":"Community property rights","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/community-property-rights"},{"slug":"personal-guarantee","term":"Personal guarantee","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-guarantee"},{"slug":"collateral","term":"Collateral","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/collateral"},{"slug":"due-diligence","term":"Due diligence","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/due-diligence"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What happens to the interest rate on an SBA 7(a) loan if general market interest rates go down significantly?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-happens-to-the-interest-rate-on-an-sba-7-a-loan-if-general-market-interest-rates-go-d"},{"question":"Can a full standby seller note be interest-bearing if interest is deferred until after the SBA loan is repaid?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-full-standby-seller-note-be-interest-bearing-if-interest-is-deferred-until-after-the"},{"question":"What is the difference between a fixed interest rate and a variable interest rate on an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-is-the-difference-between-a-fixed-interest-rate-and-a-variable-interest-rate-on-an-sb"},{"question":"How are SBA 7(a) loan interest rates determined?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-are-sba-7-a-loan-interest-rates-determined"},{"question":"What defines 'insurable interest' for a business life insurance policy?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-defines-insurable-interest-for-a-business-life-insurance-policy"},{"question":"Are SBA 7(a) loan interest rates fixed or variable?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-sba-7-a-loan-interest-rates-fixed-or-variable"}]},"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 — Marital interest","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/marital-interest","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}