SBA issued SOP 50 10 8.1 on August 14, 2026, governing any 7(a) or 504 application that receives a loan number on or after October 1, 2026. Key changes: outside investors can fund at most 50% of the required 10% equity injection on acquisition loans (each under 20% ownership, no control), deals of $3M or more need a Quality of Earnings report, and every purchase needs an independent business valuation.
Home › Founders News › Gov & Employment
SBA's SOP 50 10 8.1 takes effect Oct 1, tightening 7(a) acquisition loan rules
Why this matters for founders
Founders financing a business acquisition or buyout via a 7(a) loan should get their application a loan number before Sept 30 to stay under the looser rules, or restructure investor equity to fit the new caps.
Source: Pioneer Capital Advisory / NAGGL
Related updates
More that helps you.
SBA proposes size-standard overhaul that would add 110,000+ eligible small businesses
On Aug 20, 2026 the SBA proposed simplifying its size standards from ~1,000 NAICS codes into 338 broader categories and raising many thresholds (e.g., semiconductor makers 1,250 to…
China caps electronic IOU maturity at 6 months to stop late payments to SMEs
Effective July 1, 2026, China caps the maturity of electronic IOUs (commercial bills / supply-chain payment instruments) at six months, barring large corporates and government bodi…
Singapore launches AI-powered BizSG portal to simplify grant and government access
Singapore's whole-of-government BizSG portal, unveiled by Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling at the SME Centre Conference on 9 Sep 2026, launches on 30 Sep 2026 as a single entr…
Region Stockholm affarsutvecklingscheckar open Sept 7 to 27, 2026: up to SEK 200,000
Region Stockholm's 2026 business development checks (affarsutvecklingscheckar) are open for applications from 7 to 27 September 2026. SMEs can apply for SEK 50,000 to SEK 200,000,…
Get briefs like this tuned to you.
In the app, Founder Briefs are personalized to your country, industry and stage, and you can save the ones that matter.
See plans →
Keep exploring
Related across the site
ToolLegalZoomLegalZoom helps you form an LLC or corporation and access legal documents, registered agent service, and attorney consultations. It walks non-lawyers through business formation filings.ChecklistStart a moving company the right wayStart a moving company with the right truck, permits, and pricing, plus the marketing that keeps the calendar full.ToolClerkyClerky handles startup incorporation and legal paperwork specifically for founders raising venture capital, generating Delaware C-corp filings, founder stock, and fundraising documents. It focuses on getting the legal details right for future investment.ToolDocuSignDocuSign lets you send documents for legally binding electronic signature and track their status. It handles contracts, NDAs, offer letters, and other agreements with an audit trail.Term409A ValuationAn independent appraisal of a private company's common stock, used to set the strike price for employee stock options in the US.TermBootstrappingBuilding a company using your own money and the revenue it generates, rather than raising outside investment.