{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/variable-rate-margin","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/variable-rate-margin","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":"variable-rate-margin","term":"Variable rate margin","group":"The loan itself","definition":"This is the fixed percentage added to a base rate (like WSJ Prime or Term SOFR) to determine your loan's variable interest rate. It's a key factor in your monthly payments.","what_it_means":"For an SBA 7(a) loan, the interest rate is typically variable, meaning it adjusts periodically. The margin is set at closing and doesn't change, but the overall rate fluctuates with the base rate. Understand how changes in the base rate will impact your monthly debt service.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/variable-rate-margin","official_sources":[{"slug":"13-cfr-part-120","title":"13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans","official_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120","official_label":"View on eCFR","authority_tier":1,"publisher":"Office of the Federal Register","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/13-cfr-part-120"},{"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":"variable-rate","term":"Variable rate","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/variable-rate"},{"slug":"wsj-prime","term":"WSJ Prime","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/wsj-prime"},{"slug":"term-sofr","term":"Term SOFR","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/term-sofr"},{"slug":"spread","term":"Spread","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/spread"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What alternative base rate options are available for variable rate 7(a) loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-alternative-base-rate-options-are-available-for-variable-rate-7-a-loans"},{"question":"What are the current alternative base rate options for variable rate 7(a) loans, besides Prime Rate?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-current-alternative-base-rate-options-for-variable-rate-7-a-loans-besides-pri"},{"question":"Are fixed-rate or variable-rate options more common for SBA 7(a) loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/are-fixed-rate-or-variable-rate-options-more-common-for-sba-7-a-loans"},{"question":"What are the currently approved base rate options for variable rate 7(a) loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-currently-approved-base-rate-options-for-variable-rate-7-a-loans"},{"question":"How is the interest rate cap determined for a variable rate 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-is-the-interest-rate-cap-determined-for-a-variable-rate-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What are the current alternative base rate options for variable rate 7(a) loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-current-alternative-base-rate-options-for-variable-rate-7-a-loans"}]},"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 — Variable rate margin","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/variable-rate-margin","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}