Glossary · Reading the business
In short
This refers to the total amount of debt a business or individual carries. A high debt load can signal repayment risk to lenders.
When buying a business with an SBA loan, your lender will assess the business's existing debt load, your personal debt load, and the pro forma debt load (including the new SBA loan). They want to ensure the combined cash flow can comfortably cover all debt service.
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
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.
Pressure-test the numbers before you make an offer
Send us the asking price and the seller's cash flow — we'll show whether the deal services SBA debt and where the add-backs are likely to hold up.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day