Can a Certified Public Accountant’s professional CPA designation be a marital asset? I am going to elaborate on the state of North Carolina, my state of residence. In many states if a spouse has acquired a degree during the marriage then it can count as an asset in terms of spousal support. Normally it does not carry a physical value like a car or house, but it does have value because the financial situation of a married couple would have had to suffer during the course of education for the specific spouse.
If he / she were running a CPA firm then, the firm would be counted as a straight asset like a house or car. In North Carolina, marital property is defined as all assets acquired during the marriage and prior to separation (with certain exceptions). Debt can also be marital property and subject to division. All marital property is subject to distribution between the marital partners. In North Carolina’s “Equitable Distribution of Marital Assets” statutes, empower the court to divide all marital assets (including real and personal property) and debts.
It is important to understand that the rights to equitable distribution are not automatic and must be specifically claimed by one or both spouses. Any equitable claim to, interest in, or direct or indirect contribution made to the acquisition of such marital property by the party not having title, including joint efforts or expenditures and contributions and services, or lack thereof, as a spouse, parent, wage earner or homemaker. The courts consider any direct or indirect contribution made by one spouse to help educate or develop the career potential of the other spouse following factors when determining the property distribution.
