{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-a-loan-secured-by-personal-assets-eligible-for-the-down-payment","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/questions/is-a-loan-secured-by-personal-assets-eligible-for-the-down-payment","question":"Is a loan secured by personal assets eligible for the down payment?","topic":"Down payment & equity injection","audience":"borrower","bot_mode":"buyer","short_answer":"Yes, funds from a loan secured by non-business personal assets, such as a home equity loan or a loan against marketable securities, can be used for the equity injection. The key is that the funds are not borrowed against the business itself.","rule":"The SBA permits equity injection from funds that are borrowed, provided the loan is secured by assets other than the business being acquired or the assets of that business. This prevents the borrower from effectively leveraging the business beyond SBA guidelines for the equity portion.","example":"A buyer needs a $75,000 equity injection. They take out a $50,000 home equity loan, securing it with their personal residence, and contribute $25,000 in cash. This $75,000 would qualify.","what_lenders_check":"Lenders verify that the personal loan is genuinely secured by non-business assets and that the borrower has sufficient personal capacity to repay both the personal loan and the SBA loan.","required_facts":["Personal assets","Non-business collateral","Home equity","Marketable securities","Unencumbered"],"source_families":["SOP 50 10 - Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","13 CFR Part 120 - Business Loans","7(a) Loan Program Terms, Conditions, and Eligibility"],"official_sources":[{"title":"SOP 50 10 - Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","url":"https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/SOP%2050%2010%208%20Technical%20Updates%20effective%206.1.2025.docx"},{"title":"13 CFR Part 120 - Business Loans","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-120"},{"title":"7(a) Loan Program Terms, Conditions, and Eligibility","url":"https://www.sba.gov/partners/lenders/7a-loan-program/terms-conditions-eligibility"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can I use retirement funds from a 401(k) as equity injection for a $750,000 business purchase?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-i-use-retirement-funds-from-a-401-k-as-equity-injection-for-a-750-000-business-purchas"},{"question":"Can funds from a home equity line of credit (HELOC) be used as my equity injection for a business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-funds-from-a-home-equity-line-of-credit-heloc-be-used-as-my-equity-injection-for-a-bus"},{"question":"Is it possible to use a second mortgage on my personal residence as an equity injection for a $1.5 million business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-it-possible-to-use-a-second-mortgage-on-my-personal-residence-as-an-equity-injection-fo"},{"question":"How much cash must I personally inject for an SBA 7(a) business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-much-cash-must-i-personally-inject-for-an-sba-7-a-business-acquisition"},{"question":"What are the acceptable sources for my cash equity injection beyond personal savings?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-are-the-acceptable-sources-for-my-cash-equity-injection-beyond-personal-savings"},{"question":"What is the SBA's minimum required equity injection percentage for a business acquisition?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-is-the-sba-s-minimum-required-equity-injection-percentage-for-a-business-acquisition"}],"related_terms":[{"term":"Down payment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/down-payment"},{"term":"Equity injection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/equity-injection"},{"term":"Personal Assets","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-assets"},{"term":"Demand for Payment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/demand-for-payment"},{"term":"Minimum Equity Injection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/minimum-equity-injection"},{"term":"Tangible Equity Injection","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/tangible-equity-injection"}],"related_tools":[{"name":"SBA 7(a) payment & fee calculator","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/calculator"},{"name":"Find an active SBA 7(a) lender","url":"https://dealroom.so/lenders"}],"data_freshness":{"last_reviewed":"2026-06-13","sba_rule_sources_checked_through":"2026-06-13"},"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so SBA 7(a) Q&A","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/is-a-loan-secured-by-personal-assets-eligible-for-the-down-payment","source_type":"DealRoom Q&A"},"caveats":["Grounded in the current SBA rulebook; verify against official sources before relying on it for a live deal.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice and not an approval decision."]}