Acquisition Calculator
Enter your available cash below to see what size business you could buy — and what you'd take home from it each year.
SBA 7(a) — 10 year term @ 9.5% — 10% buyer down / no seller carry
5% Seller Carry
A 5% seller carry means you put down 5% and the seller finances another 5% (on standby per SBA), so the same cash controls a larger business. Toggle off to model a standard 10% buyer down payment with no seller note — some deals require it.
Off — 10% buyer down, no seller carry
Buyer Liquidity
The cash you have available to invest — savings, accessible retirement funds, or other liquid assets. An SBA 7(a) loan requires the buyer to put in 5% of the purchase price.
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Move the slider to match your available cash
$50,000
$500,000
The slider stops at a $5M business — a $4.5M SBA loan, just under the program's $5M cap.
Business Purchase Price
The total price of the business you could afford — your liquidity divided by the 5% buyer down payment. More cash to put down means a larger business within reach.
$0
Based on 10% buyer equity injection
Annual Cash Flow (SDE)
SDE — Seller's Discretionary Earnings — is the total yearly profit the business puts in the owner's pocket, including the owner's salary. Businesses here are valued at 3× SDE.
$0
Valued at 3× cash flow
SBA Loan (90%)
The portion financed by an SBA 7(a) loan — 90% of the purchase price, repaid monthly over 10 years at a 9.5% interest rate.
$0
Seller Note (0%)
A loan from the seller covering 5% of the price. "On standby" means the SBA requires the seller to wait for repayment — you make no payments on it during the SBA loan term, which protects your cash flow.
$0
Not used — full 10% down
Annual Debt Service
Your total yearly loan payments — principal plus interest — on the SBA 7(a) loan.
$0
$0 / month
Cash Flow After Debt
What's left for you after loan payments — your pre-tax take-home as the owner. This is the number that matters most.
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Owner take-home (pre-tax)
In Plain English
Equity Buildup — Year by Year
Each year, principal paid down on the SBA loan converts directly into buyer equity.
| Year | Loan Balance Start | Interest Paid | Principal Paid | Loan Balance End | Total Equity Built |
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