{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-is-the-maximum-loan-amount-an-affiliated-group-of-businesses-can-receive-under-the-7-","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/questions/what-is-the-maximum-loan-amount-an-affiliated-group-of-businesses-can-receive-under-the-7-","question":"What is the maximum loan amount an affiliated group of businesses can receive under the 7(a) program?","topic":"Affiliation & size","audience":"lender","bot_mode":"lender","short_answer":"The maximum loan amount for an affiliated group of businesses is $5,000,000, as SBA regulations aggregate all outstanding 7(a) loan balances for affiliates.","rule":"SBA's maximum loan amount applies to the borrower and its affiliates. If a borrower and its affiliates collectively have existing 7(a) loans, any new 7(a) loan must not cause the total outstanding balance for the entire affiliated group to exceed $5,000,000.","example":"A borrower applies for a $3,000,000 7(a) loan. The lender discovers an affiliated business already has an outstanding $2,500,000 7(a) loan. Since the combined total ($5,500,000) exceeds the $5,000,000 maximum, the new loan cannot be approved at that amount.","what_lenders_check":"Lenders must perform thorough affiliation analysis to identify all affiliated entities and aggregate their existing SBA loan exposure. Failure to do so can result in the loan being ineligible or the guaranty being repaired.","required_facts":["Affiliated businesses","Maximum loan amount","SBA aggregation rules","Outstanding balances"],"source_families":["SOP 50 10 - Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","13 CFR Part 121 - Small Business Size Regulations","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 121 - Small Business Size Regulations","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121"},{"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":"When does a contractual relationship between two businesses trigger affiliation for size standard calculations?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/when-does-a-contractual-relationship-between-two-businesses-trigger-affiliation-for-size-s"},{"question":"How does ownership of options or warrants affect affiliation determination for SBA size standards?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-ownership-of-options-or-warrants-affect-affiliation-determination-for-sba-size-st"},{"question":"What are the size standard requirements for a business applying for a 7(a) loan if it operates internationally?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-are-the-size-standard-requirements-for-a-business-applying-for-a-7-a-loan-if-it-opera"},{"question":"What specific scenarios involving shared directors, officers, or key employees constitute 'common management' triggering affiliation for SBA size determination?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-specific-scenarios-involving-shared-directors-officers-or-key-employees-constitute-co"},{"question":"Under what conditions does a shared economic interest trigger affiliation for SBA size standard purposes?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/under-what-conditions-does-a-shared-economic-interest-trigger-affiliation-for-sba-size-sta"},{"question":"How does the 'totality of the circumstances' rule apply when determining affiliation for SBA size standards?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/how-does-the-totality-of-the-circumstances-rule-apply-when-determining-affiliation-for-sba"}],"related_terms":[{"term":"Affiliated group","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/affiliated-group"},{"term":"Affiliated businesses","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/affiliated-businesses"},{"term":"Maximum SBA 7(a) Loan Amount","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/maximum-sba-7-a-loan-amount"},{"term":"Maximum Aggregate Loan Amount","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/maximum-aggregate-loan-amount"},{"term":"Loan Amount","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/loan-amount"},{"term":"Under-collateralized loan","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/under-collateralized-loan"}],"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/for-lenders/questions/what-is-the-maximum-loan-amount-an-affiliated-group-of-businesses-can-receive-under-the-7-","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."]}