{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/underwrite","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/underwrite","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":"underwrite","term":"Underwrite","group":"Doing the deal","definition":"The process where a lender assesses your creditworthiness and the business's financials to decide if they'll approve the loan. It determines if you're a good risk for the SBA 7(a) loan.","what_it_means":"Your lender will scrutinize everything: your personal finances, credit history, the target business's cash flow, and collateral. Be prepared to provide comprehensive documentation. A strong underwriting package means a faster approval.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/underwrite","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":"credit-analysis","term":"Credit analysis","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-analysis"},{"slug":"creditworthiness","term":"Creditworthiness","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/creditworthiness"},{"slug":"prudent-lending-standards","term":"Prudent lending standards","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/prudent-lending-standards"},{"slug":"due-diligence","term":"Due diligence","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/due-diligence"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"How does a lender underwrite a business acquisition with existing deferred revenue or unearned income?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-underwrite-a-business-acquisition-with-existing-deferred-revenue-or-unea"},{"question":"How must lenders underwrite 7(a) Small Loans following the sunset of the SBSS score requirement?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-must-lenders-underwrite-7-a-small-loans-following-the-sunset-of-the-sbss-score-require"},{"question":"How does a lender underwrite the value of inventory included in an SBA 7(a) business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-underwrite-the-value-of-inventory-included-in-an-sba-7-a-business-acquis"},{"question":"How does a lender underwrite a 7(a) business acquisition where a significant portion of the assets are intangible, such as proprietary software?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-a-lender-underwrite-a-7-a-business-acquisition-where-a-significant-portion-of-the"}]},"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 — Underwrite","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/underwrite","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}