{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/character-assessment","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/character-assessment","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"character-assessment","term":"Character Assessment","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"The SBA and lenders evaluate your honesty and integrity. They look at your credit history, criminal record, and general reputation to determine if you're a trustworthy borrower.","what_it_means":"Lenders will scrutinize your personal history, including any bankruptcies, felonies, or even significant derogatory marks on your credit report. Disclose everything upfront. Any red flags here can kill your SBA loan application, regardless of the business's strength.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/character-assessment","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"},{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"}],"related":[{"slug":"good-character","term":"Good character","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/good-character"},{"slug":"fico-score","term":"FICO score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/fico-score"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"felony","term":"Felony","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/felony"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What basic character requirements must business owners meet when applying for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-basic-character-requirements-must-business-owners-meet-when-applying-for-an-sba-7-a-l"},{"question":"How does a lender assess 'good character' for all principals on a 7(a) loan application?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-assess-good-character-for-all-principals-on-a-7-a-loan-application"},{"question":"What are the basic character requirements for business owners applying for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-are-the-basic-character-requirements-for-business-owners-applying-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"Are there any specific character or background checks for owners applying for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/are-there-any-specific-character-or-background-checks-for-owners-applying-for-an-sba-7-a-l"},{"question":"What types of non-financial character issues (e.g., past legal disputes not criminal) might disqualify me for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-types-of-non-financial-character-issues-e-g-past-legal-disputes-not-criminal-might-di"},{"question":"Is an environmental assessment always necessary for real estate acquired with an SBA loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-an-environmental-assessment-always-necessary-for-real-estate-acquired-with-an-sba-loan"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Character Assessment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/character-assessment","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}