Glossary · Doing the deal
In short
In an asset sale, you buy specific assets (equipment, inventory, goodwill) of a business, not the legal entity itself. This is the most common structure for small business acquisitions.
With an SBA 7(a) loan, nearly all small business acquisitions are structured as asset sales. This protects you from inheriting the seller's past liabilities, as you're not buying their legal entity. You'll specify exactly which assets you're acquiring in the purchase agreement.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
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