Glossary · The loan itself
In short
The original amount of money borrowed, or the portion of a loan that remains unpaid, excluding interest. This is the core amount you actually borrowed for the business acquisition.
When you make loan payments, a portion goes to interest, and the remainder reduces your principal balance. A larger principal payment means you pay off the loan faster and incur less total interest over the loan's term.
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.
See which SBA lenders would fund your deal
Tell us the business, the price, and where you are — we'll point you to the lenders most likely to approve a 7(a) like yours and flag what trips up approval.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day