{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/s-corporation","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/s-corporation","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":"s-corporation","term":"S-Corporation","aka":"S-Corp","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A business entity that passes corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to its shareholders for federal tax purposes. This structure helps avoid double taxation on corporate income.","what_it_means":"Many small businesses are structured as S-Corps. When buying an S-Corp, you're typically doing an asset purchase to avoid inheriting past liabilities, not a stock purchase. Understand how the seller's distributions affect the business's cash flow for your loan application.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/s-corporation","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"corporation","term":"Corporation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/corporation"},{"slug":"asset-purchase","term":"Asset purchase","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/asset-purchase"},{"slug":"stock-purchase","term":"Stock purchase","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/stock-purchase"},{"slug":"llc","term":"LLC","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/llc"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can a foreign corporation own a minority (less than 20%) stake in an SBA 7(a) loan applicant business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/can-a-foreign-corporation-own-a-minority-less-than-20-stake-in-an-sba-7-a-loan-applicant-b"},{"question":"Does my business need to be set up as an LLC or Corporation for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/does-my-business-need-to-be-set-up-as-an-llc-or-corporation-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"How does a lender confirm an owner's U.S. citizenship if they were born in a U.S. territory or abroad to U.S. parents?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-confirm-an-owner-s-u-s-citizenship-if-they-were-born-in-a-u-s-territory-"},{"question":"What is the SBA's requirement for a buyer's post-closing working capital position?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-is-the-sba-s-requirement-for-a-buyer-s-post-closing-working-capital-position"},{"question":"What specific documentation is required for a lender to verify U.S. citizenship if an owner was born in a U.S. territory or abroad to U.S. parents?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-documentation-is-required-for-a-lender-to-verify-u-s-citizenship-if-an-owner"},{"question":"Can a seller note be used to finance the entire seller's equity contribution to the buyer's business?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-a-seller-note-be-used-to-finance-the-entire-seller-s-equity-contribution-to-the-buyer-"}]},"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 — S-Corporation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/s-corporation","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}