SBA Loans From A to Z

There's one last category of SBA loan that you should know about but hope you'll never need--Disaster Assistance loans. These are the only loans the SBA makes directly, and the stated goal of the program is to offer long-term disaster assistance. This means the loans can carry up to a 30-year maturity, depending upon yourability to repay the loan. You should use any insurance funds first, but the SBA will make a loan with the stipulation that your insurance proceeds, when you receive them, will be used to repay the loan. The SBA Disaster Assistance program includes two loans targeted to small businesses. Economic Injury Disaster Loans provide working capital for a company until it can reopen its doors. Business Physical Disaster Loans can be used to replace or repair damaged business property. They have a maximum lending limit of $1.5 million.

This article was originally published in the August 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: SBA Loans From A to Z.