Understand what the evidence tells you
A program rule, a calculated scenario and a completed transaction answer different questions. Here is how to read the sources behind our financing resources.
Reference links checked October 5, 2026. Individual guides and tools carry their own dates and assumptions.
Program rules and lender decisions
For an SBA rule, follow the cited official document and its effective date. The program overview is useful context; the applicable SOP, notices and lender review determine the transaction-specific analysis. Meeting one condition does not establish eligibility or a financing commitment.
- SBA 7(a) program
- Program purpose, permitted uses, eligibility overview and applying through a participating lender.
- SBA loan origination SOP
- The official version history and loan origination requirements. Version 8.1 with Technical Updates is listed as effective October 1, 2026.
- SBA Form 413
- The official personal financial statement download. Our Excel preparation worksheet is a separate Duneland resource.
- OCC Commercial Loans handbook
- General commercial credit analysis, repayment and collateral considerations. This is supervisory guidance, not a loan offer or a universal acquisition term sheet.
Calculators and worked examples
Our calculators model the inputs and assumptions shown on the page. They do not establish that a lender will offer those terms. A balanced funding plan and a debt-service ratio answer arithmetic questions; a lender also assesses the borrower and the business.
For reproducible research, the twenty-scenario methodology provides inputs and calculation files. The SBA data methodology explains the separate public-data analysis. Hypothetical examples are labeled as such and should not be read as closed deals.
Company-reported transaction results
The case studies describe anonymized outcomes reported by Duneland. They distinguish the financing amount, structure and stated obstacle. They are not independent audits, market averages or promises of the same terms on another acquisition. General preparation questions alongside a case are not additional historical facts about that client.
Buyer profiles and financial readiness
A buyer profile describes acquisition criteria and the review information shown on the card. It is not a loan approval. A credit-score band cannot substitute for evidence of available equity, operating fit or transaction-level underwriting. Read the buyer review methodology before relying on a match.
Dates, questions and corrections
Check the date beside a rate, rule or review status. A historical case may predate current program requirements. If a cited document changes or a calculation needs clarification, contact Duneland with the page address and the statement in question.
For a live acquisition, see what to prepare for a financing review. Duneland advises on the structure; the lender or capital provider makes its own credit decision.
Have a deal in front of you?
Whether you have a signed LOI, are preparing an offer or are still evaluating the opportunity, send us the basic numbers and where you are in the process. We’ll look at the business, buyer and proposed structure and determine what the financing path may look like.