If you need financial help to get your own small business started, SBA financing
is probably your best option. SBA loans are the most common loans for
small businesses because they provide several advantages for small
business owners, as well as banks.
SBA Loans are Guaranteed
A
SBA loan is a type of commercial loan for small businesses that is
guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. You can apply for
a SBA loan for your small business at a local bank. If your business is
not successful and you default on your SBA loan, the U. S. Small
Business Administration will reimburse the bank for a percentage of the
loan.
The SBA guarantee provides an incentive for banks to
loan more money (for longer terms) to small businesses than they
normally would. By insuring specific loans for small business, the U.S.
Small Business Administration helps small businesses gain access to
capital (and to create jobs).
SBA Loan Amounts
SBA loan amounts can vary between $5 thousand and $2 million. If a
small business receives an SBA guaranteed loan for $2 million, the
maximum guarantee to the lender will be 75 percent of the loan amount,
or $1.5 million.
Different Types of SBA Loans
There are several types of SBA loans including:
- commercial mortgage loans for the purchase, construction, or financing of commercial properties
- equipment term loans for the purchase or financing of business and office equipment
- permanent capital term loans for franchising a start up business
There is a new financial product called the Greenline Program. This program provides a short term working capital line of credit for up to five years.
There is also a new program from the SBA called the Low Doc Program.
This program simplifies the process for the banks because it does not
require all of the financial data about the business for analysis and
review. The process has been simplified to a one page application and a
one page analysis of the request from the bank. This program is
available for all SBA loans that are less than $100,000, except
Greenline loans.
Applying for an SBA Loan
You
can apply for an SBA loan at your local bank. It is recommended that
you choose a bank that has prior experience processing SBA loans to
ensure the process will go smoothly and efficiently. Be ready to
provide background information about your company, the owners, business
goals, and monthly cash flow projections. Your lender will want
documentation that proves how the income from your small business will
be able to repay the loan amount over time. If your company already
exists, be prepared to share financial history and tax returns with the
bank.
Once your application is approved, which sometimes can happen within 48 hours, you will be on your way to running a successful business!