{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/future-cash-flow","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/future-cash-flow","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":"future-cash-flow","term":"Future Cash Flow","group":"Reading the business","definition":"This refers to the projected cash a business is expected to generate after all expenses and debt payments. It's crucial for assessing the business's ability to repay the SBA loan.","what_it_means":"Lenders heavily scrutinize future cash flow projections to ensure the business can service the new debt. Your business plan must realistically forecast revenue, expenses, and debt service. Be conservative in your estimates and understand the underlying assumptions.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/future-cash-flow","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"}],"related":[{"slug":"cash-flow","term":"Cash flow","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow"},{"slug":"cash-flow-projection","term":"Cash flow projection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow-projection"},{"slug":"repayment-capacity","term":"Repayment capacity","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/repayment-capacity"},{"slug":"dscr","term":"DSCR","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/dscr"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can future cash flow or profits from the acquired business count as equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-future-cash-flow-or-profits-from-the-acquired-business-count-as-equity-injection"},{"question":"How does a lender evaluate the reasonableness of a borrower's projections for future revenue and cash flow?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-evaluate-the-reasonableness-of-a-borrower-s-projections-for-future-reven"},{"question":"How does the SBA evaluate the reasonableness of a borrower's projections for future revenue and cash flow?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-the-sba-evaluate-the-reasonableness-of-a-borrower-s-projections-for-future-revenu"},{"question":"How can an SBA 7(a) loan help with ongoing cash flow for my business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/how-can-an-sba-7-a-loan-help-with-ongoing-cash-flow-for-my-business"},{"question":"What is the primary factor a lender considers when evaluating the cash flow from an acquired business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-is-the-primary-factor-a-lender-considers-when-evaluating-the-cash-flow-from-an-acquir"},{"question":"Are there any restrictions on the use of cash flow projections for an SBA 7(a) acquisition loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/are-there-any-restrictions-on-the-use-of-cash-flow-projections-for-an-sba-7-a-acquisition-"}]},"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 — Future Cash Flow","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/future-cash-flow","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}