Greetings!

Aren’t transitional moments fun?

It’s that space between the always-and-forever need for process discipline and SBA compliance … and the ways in which new rules and new opportunities are pushing SBA Lenders to think a little differently about production and risk.

We covered two significant shifts last month: SBA’s sunsetting of the SBSS Score (FICO’s Small Business Scoring Service) for 7(a) small loans (pushing Lenders back toward their own credit analysis), and the recent SOP changes tightening ownership eligibility requirements.

Both point to the same theme: stronger documentation, stronger underwriting, fewer shortcuts.

Discipline holds us steady. Production pulls us forward. And in between lies the flexibility to adapt to SBA’s changing landscape.

SBA 7(a) Quarterly Connect Calls 2026 dates and links: Apr 21^st, July 14^th, 
Oct 20th

SBA 504 Quarterly Connect Calls 2026 dates and links: Mar 10^th, Jun 9^th, 
Sept 8^th, Dec 8^th

SBA Lender Connect Calls 2026 dates and links: May 13^th, Aug 12^th, Nov 10^th

Request to Honor SBA 7(a) Loan Guaranty. Updated 1/13/2026

Universal Purchase Package (UPP) v4. Published 1/14/2026. Effective 11/1/2025

CAFS: User Guide Accessing FTA Apps. Issued 1/30/2026

Form 159: Submission Guide. Issued 1/30/2026

Form 159: FAQs Issued 1/30/2026

FTA: Lender Payment Instructions. Issued 1/30/2026

SBA Policy Notice 5000-876441: Update to SOP 50 10 8 – Citizenship & Residency Requirements and Recission of Procedural Notice 5000-872050. Published 2/2/2026.  Effective 3/1/2026

Release Notes: Modernizing 1502 Reporting 2.6. Issued 2/3/2026

SBA Procedural Notice 5000-875051: 7(a) Alternative Base Rate Options. Published 2/6/2026. Effective 3/1/2026

Servicing & Liquidation Actions 7(a) Lender Matrix ver.18. Published 2/6/2026. Effective 12/18/2025



SBA Procedural Notice 5000-876626: Update to SOP 50 10 8 – Revised Applicant Ownership Citizenship & Residency Requirements for 7(a) & 504 Loans. Published 2/11/2026. Effective 3/1/26

SBA Franchise Directory. Updated 2/17/2026

FTA: LoanLIST: API Instructions. Update 2/18/2026



FTA: API FAQs issued 2/18/2026

SBA Procedural Notice 5000-876777: Sunset of SBSS Score of 7(a) Small Loans – Supplemental Guidance. Published 2/20/2026. Effective 3/1/2026

SBA Report on Goals for Procurement Contracts Awarded to Small Business Concerns. Published 2/20/2026

SBA Form 912 Statement of Personal History. Updated 2/23/2026

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.

Effective March 1st, 2026, SBA will no longer allow the use of FICO®’s Small Business Scoring Service to screen 7(a) small loans (loans up to $350,000).

Instead – as has been an observable trend for over a year now – SBA is re-emphasizing that Lenders must return to traditional commercial credit analysis in alignment with how their non-SBA commercial loans are evaluated and underwritten, as outlined in the SBA SOP 50 10 8.

Equity injection is becoming a key focus area, especially as underwriting and documentation expectations continue to tighten. Policy discipline, SBA compliance, and deal momentum: they all matter, and getting it right is essential.

We’ll be looking deeper into equity injection best practices next month. In the meantime, if you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! We’re here to help you structure deals with confidence and stay SBA compliant.



So give us a call at 877.576.0819, or drop us a quick query through our website here!

Your Team at LRM Lender Consultants,

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