{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/third-party-debt","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/third-party-debt","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":"third-party-debt","term":"Third-party debt","group":"Reading the business","definition":"This refers to any debt owed by the business to an entity other than the business's owners or related parties, such as bank loans, vendor credit, or equipment financing.","what_it_means":"When buying a business, you need a clear picture of all existing third-party debt. This debt will either need to be paid off at closing or assumed by you. Understand the terms, interest rates, and collateral for all existing debt as it impacts the business's total liabilities and your new loan structure.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/third-party-debt","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"liability","term":"Liability","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/liability"},{"slug":"seller-note","term":"Seller note","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/seller-note"},{"slug":"subordinated-debt","term":"Subordinated Debt","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/subordinated-debt"},{"slug":"debt-service","term":"Debt service","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/debt-service"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does a lender verify the full standby status of a non-SBA third-party debt?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-verify-the-full-standby-status-of-a-non-sba-third-party-debt"},{"question":"Can a third-party loan, not from the seller, count towards the minimum equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-a-third-party-loan-not-from-the-seller-count-towards-the-minimum-equity-injection"},{"question":"What specific language must a non-SBA third-party standby agreement include to ensure eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-language-must-a-non-sba-third-party-standby-agreement-include-to-ensure-elig"},{"question":"Can an SBA 7(a) loan finance the purchase of intellectual property rights from a third party?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-an-sba-7-a-loan-finance-the-purchase-of-intellectual-property-rights-from-a-third-part"},{"question":"What are the eligibility requirements for funds borrowed from a third party to count as equity injection?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-are-the-eligibility-requirements-for-funds-borrowed-from-a-third-party-to-count-as-eq"},{"question":"Can I use an SBA 7(a) loan to purchase a business from an unrelated third party?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-i-use-an-sba-7-a-loan-to-purchase-a-business-from-an-unrelated-third-party"}]},"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 — Third-party debt","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/third-party-debt","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}