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In our first look at the Change of Ownership changes in SBA SOP 50 10 8.1, we focused on financial statements, DSC, Quality of Earnings, and equity. But even when the cash flow works, the deal still has to be structured correctly. And Appendix 15 includes several changes that affect loan terms, debt structure, collateral, seller involvement and even delivery method. These are the details that can turn into big issues if they are discovered too late.

Just when your team was getting comfortable with SBA SOP 50 10 8, another SBA SOP update is on the way. SBA SOP 50 10 8.1 becomes effective October 1, 2026, and Change of Ownership transactions are getting significant attention. In fact, SBA has created an entire appendix—Appendix 15—specifically for 7(a) Changes of Ownership. So, what do lenders really need to know? First, Know What Type of Deal You Have SBA SOP 50 10 8.1 divides Change of Ownership transactions into four ca

Lenders have always been responsible for verifying owners’ citizenship and residency according to SBA SOP 50 10 8. But beginning January 1st of 2026, and then again as of March 1st, standards have changed and are being enforced with greater precision. In short, ownership eligibility now more than ever is a key consideration for SBA compliance.

Too often, loan changes occur—whether minor borrower updates or significant structural modifications—without being fully reflected in E-Tran. That oversight can result in servicing issues, audit flags, or worse: denial of the SBA guarantee. Here’s why every lender should treat E-Tran updates as an important part of their SBA loan servicing workflow.

Part I of our series on how to handle the SBA portfolio during a merger – discussed what you need to do before the merger: assessing the...

Mergers are seldom easy, no matter what industry you’re in. Bank mergers, with all the associated regulations and financial...

Banks have a deserved reputation of being traditionalists, slow to adopt new technologies and often bound up in “how we’ve always done it...

Hard to believe, but we’re well into the fourth – and final! – quarter of the year. So there’s a lot going on, not the least of which is...

Sometimes, a client’s annual SBA loan review uncovers a pattern. That’s when we recommend one of our SBA lender training classes . This...

SBA Consultant We all have that thing – you know, the thing that keeps our attention, that energizes and challenges us. When I was a...