{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-statement-review","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/financial-statement-review","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":"financial-statement-review","term":"Financial Statement Review","group":"Reading the business","definition":"A limited assurance engagement by an accountant that provides some comfort that financial statements are free from material misstatement. It's less thorough than an audit but more detailed than a compilation.","what_it_means":"Lenders often require reviewed financial statements for the business being acquired, especially for larger loans. This provides a higher level of assurance than tax returns alone, helping the lender and you, the buyer, confirm the accuracy of the business's financial health during due diligence.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-statement-review","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"due-diligence","term":"Due diligence","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/due-diligence"},{"slug":"profit-and-loss-statement","term":"Profit and Loss Statement","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/profit-and-loss-statement"},{"slug":"balance-sheet","term":"Balance Sheet","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/balance-sheet"},{"slug":"irs-transcripts","term":"IRS transcripts (4506-T)","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/irs-transcripts"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What if my personal financial statement shows low liquid assets?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-if-my-personal-financial-statement-shows-low-liquid-assets"},{"question":"How important is my personal financial statement for an SBA 7(a) loan application?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-important-is-my-personal-financial-statement-for-an-sba-7-a-loan-application"},{"question":"What is a 'personal financial statement' and why is it needed for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-is-a-personal-financial-statement-and-why-is-it-needed-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What does a 'personal financial statement' entail and why is it needed for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-does-a-personal-financial-statement-entail-and-why-is-it-needed-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"When is a personal financial statement (SBA Form 413) required for non-owner guarantors of a 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/when-is-a-personal-financial-statement-sba-form-413-required-for-non-owner-guarantors-of-a"},{"question":"What if my personal financial statement shows low liquidity, but I have a strong credit score and business plan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-my-personal-financial-statement-shows-low-liquidity-but-i-have-a-strong-credit-sco"}]},"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 — Financial Statement Review","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-statement-review","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}