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To determine if you qualify for SBA's financial assistance, you should first understand some basic credit factors that apply to all loan requests. Every application needs positive credit merits to be approved. These are the same credit factors a lender will review and analyze before deciding whether to internally approve your loan application, seek a guaranty from SBA to support their loan to you, or decline your application all together.
Credit Factors
To determine if you qualify for SBA's financial assistance, you should first understand some basic credit factors that apply to all loan requests. Every application needs positive credit merits to be approved. These are the same credit factors a lender will review and analyze before deciding whether to internally approve your loan application, seek a guaranty from SBA to support their loan to you, or decline your application all together
 1. Equity Investment
Business loan applicants must have a reasonable amount invested
in their business. This ensures that, when combined with borrowed
funds, the business can operate on a sound basis. There will be a
careful examination of the debt-to- worth ratio of the applicant to
understand how much money the lender is being asked to lend
(debt) in relation to how much the owner(s) have invested (worth).
Owners invest either assets that are applicable to the operation of
the business and/or cash which can be used to acquire such
assets. The value of invested assets should be substantiated by
invoices or appraisals for start-up businesses, or current financial
statements for existing businesses.
Strong equity with a manageable debt level provide financial resiliency to help a firm weather periods of operational adversity. Minimal or non-existent equity makes a business susceptible to miscalculation and thereby increases the risk of default on -- failing to repay -- borrowed funds. Strong equity ensures the owner(s) remains committed to the business. Sufficient equity is particularly important for new business. Weak equity makes a lender more hesitant to provide any financial assistance. However, low (not non- existent) equity in relation to existing and projected debt -- the loan -- can be overcome with a strong showing in all the other credit factors.
Determining whether a company's level of debt is appropriate in relation to its equity requires analysis of the company's expected earnings and the viability and variability of these earnings. The stronger the support for projected profits, the greater the likelihood the loan will be approved. Applications with high debt, low equity, and unsupported projections are prime candidates for loan denial.
2. Earnings Requirements
Financial obligations are paid with cash, not profits. When cash outflow exceeds cash inflow for an extended period of time, a business cannot continue to operate. As a result, cash management is extremely important. In order to adequately support a company's operation, cash must be at the right place, at the right time and in the right amount.
A company must be able to meet all its debt payments, not just its loan payments, as they come due. Applicants are generally required to provide a report on when their income will become cash and when their expenses must be paid. This report is usually in the form of a cash flow projection, broken down on a monthly basis, and covering the first annual period after the loan is received.
When the projections are for either a new business or an existing business with a significant (20% plus) difference in performance, the applicant should write down all assumptions which went into the estimations of both revenues and expenses and provide these assumptions as part of the application.
All SBA loans must be able to reasonably demonstrate the "ability to repay" the intended obligation from the business operation. For an existing business wanting to buy a building where the mortgage payment will not exceed historical rent, the process is relatively easy. In this case, the funds used to pay the rent can now be used to pay the mortgage. However, for a new or expanding business with anticipated revenues and expenses exceeding past performance, the necessity for the lender to understand all the assumptions on how these revenues will be generated is paramount to loan approval.
3. Working Capital
Working capital is defined as the excess of current assets over current liabilities.
Current assets are the most liquid and most easily convertible to cash, of all assets. Current liabilities are obligations due within one year. Therefore, working capital measures what is available to pay a company's current debts. It also represents the cushion or margin of protection a company can give their short term creditors.
Working capital is essential for a company to meet its continuous operational needs. Its adequacy influences the firm's ability to meet its trade and short-term debt obligations, as well as to remain financially viable.
4. Collateral
To the extent that worthwhile assets are available, adequate collateral is required as security on all SBA loans. However, SBA will generally not decline a loan where inadequacy of collateral is the only unfavorable factor.
Collateral can consist of both assets which are usable in the business and personal assets which remain outside the business. Borrowers can assume that all assets financed with borrowed funds will collateralize the loan. Depending upon how much equity was contributed towards the acquisition of these assets, the lender also is likely to require other business assets as collateral.
For all SBA loans, personal guarantees are required of every 20 percent or greater owner, plus others individuals who hold key management positions. Whether or not a guarantee will be secured by personal assets is based on the value of the assets already pledged and the value of the assets personally owned compared to the amount borrowed. In the event real estate is to be used as collateral, borrowers should be aware that banks and other regulated lenders are now required by law to obtain third-party valuation on real estate related transactions of $50,000 or more.
Certified appraisals are required for loans of $100,000 or more. SBA may require professional appraisals of both business and personal assets, plus any necessary survey, and/or feasibility study.
Owner-occupied residences generally become collateral when:
1) The lender requires the residence as collateral;
2) The equity in the residence is substantial and other credit factors are weak;
3) Such collateral is necessary to assure that the principal(s) remain committed to the success of the venture for which the loan is being made;
4) The applicant operates the business out of the residence or other buildings located on the same parcel of land.
5. Resource Management
The ability of individuals to manage the resources of their business, sometimes referred to as "character," is a prime consideration when determining whether or not a loan will be made. Managerial capacity is an important factor involving education, experience and motivation. A proven positive ability to manage resources is also a large consideration.
Mathematical calculations on the historical and projected financial statements form ratios which provide insight into how resources have been managed in the past. It is important to understand that no single ratio provides all this insight, but the use of several ratios in conjunction with one another can provides an overall picture of management performance. Some key ratios all lenders review are: debt to worth, working capital, the rate at which income is received after it is earned, the rate at which debt is paid after becoming due, and the rate at which the service or product moves from the business to the customer.
Basic Requirements
Even though the SBA-qualifying standards are more flexible than other types of loans, lenders will generally ask for certain information before deciding to use an SBA loan program. Generally, a business will need the following documentation to evaluate your loan request:
- Business profile. A document describing type of business, annual sales, number of employees, length of time in business and ownership.
- Loan request. description of how loan funds will be used. Should include purpose, amount and type of loan.
- Collateral. Description of collateral offered to secure the loan, including equity in the business, borrowed funds and available cash.
- Business financial statements. Complete financial statements for the past three years and current interim financial statements.
- Personal financial statements.Statements of owners, partners, officers and stockholders owning 20% or more of the business.
The strength and accuracy of your financial statements will be the primary basis for the lending decision, so be sure that yours are carefully prepared and up-to-date.
The most important documents in your financial statements are:
Balance sheets from the last three fiscal year-ends.
Income statements revealing your business profits or losses for the last three years.
Cash flow projections indicating how much cash you expect to generate to repay the loan.
Accounts receivable and "payable aging," breaking your receivables and payables in to 30-, 60-, 90- and past 90-day old categories.
Personal financial statements from you and your business partners listing all personal assets, liabilities and monthly payments, as well as your personal tax returns for the past three years.Eligibility Size Standards
When the U.S. Congress first established SBA, the fundamental question was just what numerical definition should SBA use to define small businesses, industry by industry, to determine what businesses were eligible for SBA's programs. Over the years SBA has established and revised numerical definitions for all for-profit industries, and this numerical definition is called a "size standard." It is almost always stated either as the number of employees or average annual receipts of a business concern.
In addition to establishing eligibility for SBA programs, all federal agencies must use SBA's size standards for its Federal Government contracts it identifies as a small business. Agencies must also use SBA's size standards for their other programs and regulations, unless they are authorized by Federal statute to use something else.
For further information, you may write or call the Office of Size Standards:
Office of Size Standards
U.S. Small Business Administration
409 3rd St., SW, Washington, DC 20416
Phone: (202) 205-6618
Fax: (202) 205-6390
E-mail: sizestandards@sba.gov
Applying for a Loan
When applying for a loan, you must prepare a written loan proposal. Make your best presentation in the initial loan proposal and application; you may not get a second opportunity.
 Always begin your proposal with a cover letter or executive summary. Clearly and briefly explain who you are, your business background, the nature of your business, the amount and purpose of your loan request, your requested terms of repayment, how the funds will benefit your business, and how you will repay the loan. Keep this cover page simple and direct.
Many different loan proposal formats are possible. You may want to contact your commercial lender to determine which format is best for you. When writing your proposal, don't assume the reader is familiar with your industry or your individual business. Always include industry-specific details so your reader can understand how your particular business is run and what industry trends affect it.
Description Of Business
Provide a written description of your business, including the following information:
Type of organization
Date of information
Location
Product or service
Brief history
Proposed Future Operation
Competition
Customers
Suppliers
Management Experience:
Resumes of each owner and key management members.
Personal Financial Statements:
SBA requires financial statements for all principal owners (20% or more) and guarantors. Financial statements should not be older than 90 days. Make certain that you attach a copy of last year's federal income tax return to the financial statement.
Loan Repayment:
Provide a brief written statement indicating how the loan will be repaid, including repayment sources and time requirements. Cash-flow schedules, budgets, and other appropriate information should support this statement.
Existing Business:
Provide financial statements for at least the last three years, plus a current dated statement (no older than 90 days) including balance sheets, profit & loss statements, and a reconciliation of net worth. Aging of accounts payable and accounts receivables should be included, as well as a schedule of term debt. Other balance sheet items of significant value contained in the most recent statement should be explained.
Proposed Business:
Provide a pro-forma balance sheet reflecting sources and uses of both equity and borrowed funds.
Projections:
Provide a projection of future operations for at least one year or until positive cash flow can be shown. Include earnings, expenses, and reasoning for these estimates. The projections should be in profit & loss format. Explain assumptions used if different from trend or industry standards and support your projected figures with clear, documentable explanations.
Other Items As They Apply:
Lease (copies of proposal)
Franchise Agreement
Purchase Agreement
Articles of Incorporation
Plans, Specifications
Copies of Licenses
Letters of Reference
Letters of Intent
Contracts
Partnership Agreement
Collateral:
List real property and other assets to be held as collateral. Few financial institutions will provide non-collateral based loans. All loans should have at least two identifiable sources of repayment. The first source is ordinarily cash flow generated from profitable operations of the business. The second source is usually collateral pledged to secure the loan.
The 5 C's of Credit:
Your bank is in business to make money. Consequently, when a bank lends money it wants to ensure that it will be paid back. The bank must consider the 5 "C's" of Credit each time it makes a loan.
Capacity to repay is the most critical of the five factors. The prospective lender will want to know exactly how you intend to repay the loan. The lender will consider the cash flow from the business, the timing of the repayment, and the probability of successful repayment of the loan. Payment history on existing credit relationships - personal and commercial - is considered an indicator of future payment performance. Prospective lenders also will want to know about your contingent sources of repayment.
Capital is the money you personally have invested in the business and is an indication of how much you will lose should the business fail. Prospective lenders and investors will expect you to contribute your own assets and to undertake personal financial risk to establish the business before asking them to commit any funding. If you have a significant personal investment in the business you are more likely to do everything in your power to make the business successful.
Collateral or guarantees are additional forms of security you can provide the lender. If the business cannot repay its loan, the bank wants to know there is a second source of repayment. Assets such as equipment, buildings, accounts receivable, and in some cases, inventory, are considered possible sources of repayment if they are sold by the bank for cash. Both business and personal assets can be sources of collateral for a loan. A guarantee, on the other hand, is just that - someone else signs a guarantee document promising to repay the loan if you can't. Some lenders may require such a guarantee in addition to collateral as security for a loan.
Conditions focus on the intended purpose of the loan. Will the money be used for working capital, additional equipment, or inventory? The lender will also consider the local economic climate and conditions both within your industry and in other industries that could affect your business.
Character is the personal impression you make on the potential lender or investor. The lender decide subjectively whether or not you are sufficiently trustworthy to repay the loan or generate a return on funds invested in your company. Your educational background and experience in business and in your industry will be reviewed. The quality of your references and the background and experience of your employees will also be considered.
Borrowing Money
Borrowing money is one of the most common sources of funding for a small business, but obtaining a loan isn't always easy. Before you approach your banker for a loan, it is a good idea to understand as much as you can about the factors the bank will evaluate when they consider making you a loan. This discussion outlines some of the key factors a bank uses to analyze a potential borrower. Also included is a self-assessment checklist at the end of this section for you to complete.
Key Points To Consider
Let's begin by exploring some of the key points your banker will review:
1. Ability to Repay/Capacity
The ability to repay must be justified in your loan package. Banks want to see two sources of repayment -- cashflow from the business, plus a secondary source such as collateral. In order to analyze the cash flow of the business, the lender will review the business's past financial statements. Generally, banks feel most comfortable dealing with a business that has been in existence for a number of years because they have a financial track record. If the business has consistently made a profit and that profit can cover the payment of additional debt, then it is likely that the loan will be approved. If however, the business has been operating marginally and now has a new opportunity to grow or if that business is a start-up, then it is necessary to prepare a thorough loan package with detailed explanation addressing how the business will be able to repay the loan.
2. Credit History
One of the first things a bank will determine when a person/business requests a loan is whether their personal and business credit is good. Therefore before you go to the bank, or even start the process of preparing a loan request, you want to make sure your credit is good.
First get your personal credit report. You can obtain a report by calling TransUnion, Equifax, TRW or another credit bureau. It is important that you initiate this step well in advance of seeking a loan. Personal credit reports may contain errors or be out of date. In many cases, people find that they paid off a bill but that it has not been recorded on their credit report. It can take 3 to 4 weeks for this error to be corrected -- and it is up to you to see that this happens. You want to make sure that when the bank pulls your credit report that all the errors have been corrected and your history is up to date.
Once you obtain your credit report, how do you know what it says? Many people receive their credit reports yet have no idea what the strange numbers signify. The following should help in interpreting and checking your personal credit report.
First, check your name, social security number and address at the top of the page. Make sure these are correct. There are people who have found that they have credit information from another person because of mistakes in their identification information.
On the rest of your credit report you will see a list of all the credit you have obtained in the past - credit cards, mortgages, student loans, etc. Each credit will be listed individually with information on how you paid that credit. Any credit where you have had a problem in paying will be listed towards the top of the list. These are the credits that my affect your ability to obtain a loan.
If you have been late by a month on an occasional payment, this probably will not adversely affect your credit. However, if you are continuously late in paying your credit, have a credit that was never paid and charged off, have a judgment against you, or have declared bankruptcy in the last 7 years, it is likely that you will have difficulty in obtaining a loan.
In some cases, a person has had a period of bad credit based on a divorce, medical crisis, or some other significant event. If you can show that your credit was good before and after this event and that you have tried to pay back those debts incurred in the period of bad credit, you should be able to obtain a loan. It is best if you write an explanation of your credit problems and how you have rectified them and attach this to your credit report in your loan package.
Each credit bureau has a slightly different way of presenting your credit information. You can get specific information on "how to read the report" form the appropriate company, but here's a few tips to get you started:
TRW
In the last few years TRW has prepared credit reports with words and not numbers. Good credits should read "Never Late", "Paid as Agreed".
TransUnion|
On the right side of the page on the credit report are number and letter combinations. "I" means installment credit. "R" means revolving credit. The key information is in the numbers. A "1" means perfect credit since you have always paid your bills on time. "2" or "3" means you have been 2 to 3 months late in paying your bills. Too many of theses will hurt your chances in obtaining credit. A "9" means delinquency in paying your bills and a charge off. This could make it difficult in obtaining a loan
If you need assistance in interpreting or evaluating your credit report you can ask your accountant or a friendly banker. If your credit report has a few problems on it, you may find that another bank may evaluate your credit report differently.
3. Equity
Financial institutions want to see a certain amount of equity in a business. Equity can be built up in a business through retained earnings or the injection of cash from either the owner or investors. Most banks want to see that the total liabilities or debt of a business is not more than 4 times the amount of equity. (Or stated differently, when you divide total liabilities by equity, your answer should not be more than 4.) Therefore if you want a loan you must ensure that there is enough equity in the company to leverage that loan.
Don't be misled into thinking that start-up businesses can obtain 100% financing through conventional or special loan programs. A business owner usually must put some of her/his own money into the business. The amount an individual must put into the business in order to obtain a loan is dependent on the type of loan, purpose and terms. For example, most banks want the owner to put in at least 20 - 40% of the total request.
Example: A new business needs a $100,000 to start. The business owner must put $20,000 of her own money into the new business as equity. Her loan will be $80,000. The debt to equity ratio is 4:1. Note also that this is only one of many factors used to evaluate the business -- just having the right debt/equity ratio does not guarantee you'll get the loan.
The balance sheet indicates the amount of equity or net worth of a business. The net worth of the business is often a combination of retained earnings and owner's equity. In many cases, owner's equity will be shown as a loan from shareholders and therefore a liability. If a business owner wishes to obtain a loan, she will be obligated to pay the bank back first and not herself. Consequently, it may be necessary to restructure the liability so that it becomes owner's equity or subordinate the loan. If the current debt to net worth is 4 or over it is unlikely that the business will be able to obtain additional debt/loan.
4. Collateral
Financial institutions are looking for a second source of repayment, which often is collateral. Collateral are those personal and business assets that can be sold to pay back the loan. Every loan program, even many microloan programs, requires at least some collateral to secure a loan. If a potential borrower has no collateral to secure a loan, she/he will need a co-signer that has collateral to pledge. Otherwise it may be difficult to obtain a loan.
The value of collateral is not based on the market value. It is discounted to take into account the value that would be lost if the assets had to be liquidated.
The following table gives a general approximation on how different forms of collateral are valued by a typical bank and the SBA:
| COLLATERAL TYPE |
BANK |
SBA |
| HOUSE: |
Market Value x .75
- Mortgage balance |
Market Value x .80
-Mortgage balance |
| CAR: |
nothing |
nothing |
TRUCK & HEAVY
EQUIPMENT: |
Depreciated Value x .50 |
same |
| OFFICE EQUIPMENT: |
nothing |
nothing |
| FURNITURE & FIXTURES: |
Depreciated Value x .50 |
same |
| INVENTORY:Perishables |
nothing |
nothing |
| JEWELLERY |
nothing |
nothing |
| OTHER |
10%-50% |
10%-50% |
| RECEIVABLES |
Under 90 days x .75 |
Under 90 days x .50 |
| STOCKS & BONDS |
50%-90% |
50%-90% |
| MUTUAL FUNDS |
nothing |
nothing |
| IRA |
nothing |
nothing |
| CD |
100% |
100% |
Collateral Coverage Ratio
The bank will calculate your collateral coverage ratio as part of the loan evaluation process. This is calculated as follows:
Total Discounted Collateral Value
Total Loan Request
5. Experience
A client that wants to open a business and has no experience in that business should not seek financing let alone start the business unless they intend to hire people who know the business or take on a partner that has the appropriate experience. Regardless, the client should be advised to take some time to work in the business first and take some entrepreneurial training classes.
Prequalification Program
The Prequalification Loan program uses intermediary organizations to assist prospective borrowers in developing viable loan application packages and securing loans. This program targets low income borrowers, disabled business owners, new and emerging businesses, veterans, exporters, rural and specialized industries.
The job of the intermediary is to work with the applicant to make sure the business plan is complete and that the application is both eligible and has credit merit. If the intermediary is satisfied that the application has a chance for approval, it will send it to the SBA for processing. To find out whether there is a pre-qualification intermediary operating in your area, contact your local SBA office. Note: Small Business Development Centers serving as intermediaries do not charge a fee for loan packaging. For-profit organizations will charge a fee.
Once the loan package is assembled, it is submitted to the SBA for expedited consideration. SBA conducts a thorough analysis of the case, using the same time frame and degree of analysis that it uses when processing requests under the regular method of delivery process.
If SBA decides the application is eligible and has sufficient credit merit to warrant approval, it will issue a commitment letter on behalf of the applicant. The commitment letter or pre-qualification letter, indicates SBA's willingness to guaranty a loan made by a lender under certain terms and conditions. The intermediary then helps the borrower locate a lender offering the most competitive rates. The applicant then takes the letter and its application documents to a lender for a decision.
Policies Specific to the Prequalification Program
The maximum loan amount for this pilot program is $250,000. Interest Rates, Maturities, Collateral policy, and Guaranty percentages all follow the standard 7(a) loan program.
Forms
*All information was developed from www.sba.com
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