#sba-loans

Sba Loans

SBA loan programs, requirements, and applications

September 5, 202611 min read

Turned Down for a Bank Loan? Your State Might Guarantee It Through SSBCI

The State Small Business Credit Initiative routes nearly $10 billion in federal money into state loan guarantee, collateral support, loan participation, capital access and venture programs delivered through local banks, with a $20 million loan cap and a 750-employee ceiling. This guide covers who qualifies, how SSBCI differs from SBA 7(a), the no-stacking rule, and the five steps to get a participating lender to enroll your loan.

Mike Thrift

small-business-loansfinancingsba-loans

August 21, 202613 min read

The $350,000 Reality: How the 2026 SBA 7(a) Rule Changes Decide Your Loan Approval

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.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loanssmall-business-loans

August 16, 202612 min read

The Fed Is on Hold: What the June 2026 Dot Plot Means for Your Next Business Loan

The June 2026 dot plot moved the median end-of-year Fed funds projection from 3.4% to 3.8%, erasing the cut many borrowers were waiting for. Here is how prime at 6.75% flows into SBA 7(a), term loan, and line-of-credit pricing, when to lock fixed versus float variable, and the debt-schedule bookkeeping that gets you quoted 0.5%-1.0% lower.

Mike Thrift

business-loanssba-loansfinancing

July 30, 20267 min read

Your Business Partner Has a Green Card? Your SBA Loan Just Got a Lot Harder to Get

As of March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a), 504, and microloan applicants must be 100% owned by U.S. citizens or nationals — green card holders are excluded from any direct or indirect ownership stake. Existing loans are grandfathered; new applicants with a permanent resident anywhere in the ownership chain must turn to CDFIs, state loan programs, or USDA B&I financing instead.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loanssmall-business-loans

July 30, 20267 min read

Selling Your Business to Your Employees: What the New SBA Worker Cooperative Lending Pilot Means for Retiring Owners

Six million U.S. businesses are expected to change hands by 2035, yet over 58% of owners have no succession plan. The National Worker Cooperative Development and Support Act, reintroduced in December 2025, would create an SBA pilot guaranteeing $60 million in loans over ten years for worker cooperative conversions — solving the 20%-owner personal guarantee problem that blocks most co-op financing. Here's how the pilot, Section 1042 capital gains deferral, and clean bookkeeping fit into an employee-ownership exit.

Mike Thrift

small-businesssba-loansbusiness-acquisition

July 29, 20266 min read

SBA SOP 50 10 8: What the New Collateral and Equity Injection Rules Mean for 7(a) Borrowers

SBA SOP 50 10 8, effective June 1, 2025, dropped the 7(a) collateral trigger from $500,000 to $50,000, requires liens on personal real estate with 25%+ equity for 20%+ owners, and tightened equity injection rules — HELOCs need outside income, seller notes must sit on full standby, and phased ownership buyouts are gone.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loanssmall-business

July 28, 20269 min read

The $875 Billion Maturity Wall: A Small Business Guide to Refinancing Commercial Real Estate in 2026

Roughly $875 billion in commercial real estate loans mature in 2026 — about 17% of all outstanding commercial mortgage debt — with rates 150-250 basis points above origination. A practical guide for owner-occupiers and tenants, covering the financing gap, DSCR targets of 1.20x-1.35x, SBA 504/7(a) options, and a nine-month refinancing timeline.

Mike Thrift

real-estatesmall-businessbusiness-loans

July 26, 20266 min read

How the Fed's Rate Path Actually Hits Your Business Loan: A 2026 Prime Rate Guide

The prime rate — not the federal funds rate — drives variable business loan payments. It sits at 6.75% in mid-2026, with SBA 7(a) loans priced at Prime + 2.25%–3.0%. Here's the payment math on a quarter-point cut (about $37/month on a $250,000 loan) and how to plan around the Fed's uncertain rate path.

Mike Thrift

business-loanssba-loansinterest

July 26, 20266 min read

The SBA Just Doubled Its Loan Ceiling to $10 Million: How the New 7(a) + 504 Rules Work

As of July 4, 2026, the SBA decoupled its 7(a) and 504 loan caps, letting qualified borrowers combine up to $5 million from each program — $10 million in total SBA-backed financing. Here's who benefits, how the two programs differ, and the structuring mistakes to avoid.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loansbusiness-loans

July 23, 20266 min read

SBA's 2026 Citizenship Rule: What Non-Citizen Business Owners Can Do Now

As of March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a), 504, Microloan, and Surety Bond programs require 100% U.S. citizen or national ownership (with a 5% carve-out), ending green card holder eligibility. Here's who is affected and the financing alternatives — conventional loans, CDFIs, ITIN lending, and revenue-based funding.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loansimmigration

July 21, 20269 min read

Why the SBA's Easiest Loan Program Just Got a $750,000 Capital Requirement

The SBA's 2025–2026 Community Advantage overhaul caps CA loans at $350,000, requires lenders to hold $750,000 in unencumbered capital as of May 15, 2026, and freezes new CA SBLC licenses — here's what the shrinking lender pool means for startups and underserved borrowers seeking SBA-backed financing.

Mike Thrift

sbasba-loanssmall-business-loans

July 21, 20266 min read

UCC-1 Financing Statements: The 5-Year Lapse, the Continuation Window, and the Stale Liens That Block Loans

A UCC-1 financing statement lapses exactly five years after filing unless the lender files a UCC-3 continuation within the six months before the lapse date — and paid-off liens that never get terminated can quietly block your next SBA loan. Here's how to search your own UCC record and clear stale filings before a lender finds them.

Mike Thrift

loanssmall-businessfinancing

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