#sba
SBA loan programs, applications, and small business resources
Embedded lending marketplaces like Lili's Lendio integration put loan applications inside your banking dashboard, but the lender—not the platform—sets your terms. A practical framework for freelancers to compare net proceeds, total repayment, factor rates, and payment burden, stress-test a slow month, and record the debt properly before accepting an offer.
SBA's VetCert program took over veteran business certification from the VA on January 1, 2023. This guide explains the VOSB vs SDVOSB distinction, the 51% direct ownership and control tests, the documents to prepare before applying through MySBA Certifications, SBA's 30-day average review target, the three-year certification term with a 120-day recertification window, and the bookkeeping records that make an eligibility review easier to pass.
How to build a business disaster inventory that proves existence, identity, value, and timing of what you own — fixed-asset registers, dated inventory reports, photo walkthroughs, and offsite records — plus a first-72-hours checklist and how IRS Publication 584-B and Form 4684 handle casualty losses and insurance reimbursements.
SBA's June 11 proposed rule and August 11 final rule eliminate the rebuttable presumption of social disadvantage for 8(a) applicants. Learn the new three-actor test, who it affects, the September 10 effective date for pending applications, and the DCAA-ready bookkeeping controls you need before your first set-aside award.
Congress set a 10-year statute of limitations for PPP fraud, so a loan funded in 2020 can be charged until 2030 and forgiveness is not a defense. This guide covers False Claims Act liability, the five eligibility tripwires still generating cases, and the six-year record-retention rule borrowers must meet.
In April 2025 the SBA 7(a) small loan cap fell from $500,000 to $350,000, the SBSS minimum rose to 165, guaranty fees returned, and MCA debt can no longer be refinanced with SBA proceeds — seven hard-filter changes that decide approval before a human reads your file.
About 6 million U.S. small and mid-sized businesses will change hands by 2035 as baby boomer owners retire, and McKinsey estimates more than 1 million of those are sellable, representing up to $5 trillion in enterprise value — yet only about 35% of owners have a succession plan. This guide covers the three-year seller timeline, how valuation multiples of 2x to 4x SDE are earned, SBA 7(a) and seller-financing structures for buyers, due diligence, and the bookkeeping habits that separate a sellable business from one that quietly closes.
A potential 2026 Fed hike would lift prime and SOFR within days, raising payments on variable-rate lines, cards, and SBA 7(a) loans. Learn which loans reprice first, how to stress-test at +50 bps, and what to lock before the next FOMC meeting.
On July 4, 2026, the SBA doubled its combined 7(a)/504 borrowing ceiling from $5 million to $10 million. This guide explains how the stacking works, which limits stayed in place, and the loan-tracking bookkeeping a $10 million capital structure demands.
WOSB certification requires unconditional, direct 51% ownership and genuine control by women who are U.S. citizens, and must now come from SBA or an approved third-party certifier — it unlocks set-aside competition in 733 industries and sole-source awards up to $6.5 million.
The SBA retired FICO SBSS for 7(a) loans under $350K as of March 2026, making Debt Service Coverage Ratio the primary approval metric—learn how to prepare with accurate financials and bookkeeping.
The SBA's new Made in America Loan Guarantee offers eligible small manufacturers up to $5 million with a 90% federal guarantee and waived fees in FY 2026—the highest guarantee rate ever extended to small manufacturers.
