Business and owner identity
- Legal business name, DBA, entity type, EIN, formation date, and operating address.
- Government-issued identification for owners and authorized signers.
- Ownership percentages and beneficial-owner information.
- Current contact information that matches the application.
Banking and revenue
- Complete recent business bank statements with every page included.
- Current year-to-date profit and loss statement and balance sheet when requested.
- Recent business tax returns for products that require them.
- Accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory, or contract reports when relevant.
Existing obligations
Prepare a current debt schedule showing the creditor, original amount, current balance, payment amount, frequency, maturity date, and collateral. Include leases, lines, advances, tax payment plans, and other recurring financing obligations. Omitting an existing position can delay review or affect an approval.
Use of funds
State the amount requested, what the money will fund, when it is needed, and how the expense is expected to affect cash flow. For equipment, acquisitions, construction, or real estate, expect invoices, purchase agreements, project budgets, appraisals, environmental reports, or property information.
Quality-control pass
- Make sure names, addresses, ownership, and revenue figures agree across documents.
- Explain unusual deposits, negative-balance days, returned payments, or one-time expenses.
- Remove passwords from files, but do not redact information the reviewer needs.
- Send documents only through the application channel or another approved secure method.
- Ask for the product-specific checklist before paying for third-party reports.
The SBA notes that eligibility and documentation depend on the program and that its working-capital line program can require timely financial statements, receivables and payables agings, and inventory reports.
Primary sources
General educational information only. This page is not a financing offer or legal, tax, or accounting advice. Actual products and terms depend on the applicant, provider, underwriting, and written agreement.