United States: SBA and lenders
Understand the 7(a), 504 and microloan routes, lender requirements and the purpose of SBA Lender Match.
Read the US preparation guide →FREE INTERACTIVE TOOL · BUSINESS FINANCE
Are you ready to discuss a business loan?
Use this practical checklist before meeting a lender. Work through your funding purpose, financial evidence, existing commitments and questions for the provider. Requirements vary by market and lender.
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Your loan preparation checklist
Tick a point when you have evidence ready, not just when you intend to prepare it. Your progress is an organisation aid, not a credit score, probability of approval or eligibility decision.
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Tip: keep supporting documents in your own private storage or your lender’s verified upload portal. Do not upload financial documents or personal identifiers to this website.
How much funding do you actually need?
Start with a documented use of funds. A practical planning identity is estimated funding gap = planned expenditure + working-capital reserve − available internal cash − committed external funding. Include timing: a profitable business can still run short of cash while waiting for customer payments.
For a repayment discussion, compare forecast operating cash available for debt service with scheduled repayments, including existing obligations. Check a slower-sales scenario. These are preparation principles, not a substitute for the lender's underwriting model or professional advice.
Common problems to resolve before applying
- An amount requested without quotations or a clear spending schedule.
- Profit forecasts that ignore payment delays, seasonality or tax obligations.
- Mixing business and personal finances or treating expected sales as collected cash.
- Comparing interest rates while overlooking fees, guarantees and early-repayment conditions.
Choose guidance for your country
United Kingdom: funding routes
Distinguish debt, grants and alternative business finance, and verify the programme and regional conditions.
Read the UK preparation guide →Official references
- US Small Business Administration: Lender Match ↗
Preparation, matching and lender discussions. A match is not an approval.
- GOV.UK: Finance and support ↗
Check the current eligibility and details of UK support schemes.
Independent educational content. Dossier Bancaire does not arrange loans or guarantee approval. No financial or identity information is collected by this tool.