{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/circular-financing","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/circular-financing","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":"circular-financing","term":"Circular Financing","group":"The loan itself","definition":"This is when the seller or an affiliate provides funds for your equity injection or uses loan proceeds to repay their own debt. It's strictly prohibited by the SBA.","what_it_means":"Circular financing is a red flag for the SBA because it suggests the buyer isn't truly investing their own capital or that the loan isn't for a legitimate business purpose. Ensure your equity injection comes from seasoned funds that are genuinely yours and not from the seller or a related party. Any attempt at this will lead to immediate loan denial.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/circular-financing","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":"equity-injection","term":"Equity injection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/equity-injection"},{"slug":"seasoned-funds","term":"Seasoned funds","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/seasoned-funds"},{"slug":"relending","term":"Relending","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/relending"},{"slug":"disguised-debt","term":"Disguised debt","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/disguised-debt"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Which types of businesses are typically ineligible for SBA 7(a) financing?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/which-types-of-businesses-are-typically-ineligible-for-sba-7-a-financing"},{"question":"Does the SBA 7(a) loan program allow for seller training period financing?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-the-sba-7-a-loan-program-allow-for-seller-training-period-financing"},{"question":"What makes a business 'speculative' and thus ineligible for SBA 7(a) financing?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-makes-a-business-speculative-and-thus-ineligible-for-sba-7-a-financing"},{"question":"How does seller financing structure impact the required equity injection for a business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-seller-financing-structure-impact-the-required-equity-injection-for-a-business-ac"},{"question":"What specific due diligence is required for seller financing in a change of ownership?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-due-diligence-is-required-for-seller-financing-in-a-change-of-ownership"},{"question":"What specific franchise agreement clauses are generally unacceptable to the SBA and could prevent financing?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-specific-franchise-agreement-clauses-are-generally-unacceptable-to-the-sba-and-could-"}]},"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 — Circular Financing","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/circular-financing","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}