Lender-ready financials
Get your books ready for a bank or SBA loan
Lenders ask for profit and loss statements, balance sheets, debt schedules and bank statements that agree with each other. When they don't, that's what delays an application.
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Matthew Coleman, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, accounting and finance degree. Cranford, NJ. Start with a free health check of your books. You get a quote after we review your books, before any work starts.
Keeping your own books? Tallyfinch does invoices, bank import and reports on your computer. See Tallyfinch
What lenders commonly ask for
Business tax returns for a few years, year-to-date financial statements, a debt schedule, bank statements and sometimes receivables and payables aging. Requirements vary, so ask your lender for their list.
What we prepare
Reconciled books, a clean profit and loss and balance sheet, a list of debts and loans, and aging reports, checked against the bank and your returns.
Limits
We can't promise financing. Our statements come from the bookkeeping and are not audited or reviewed. If a lender requires CPA-prepared statements, we work with your CPA.
What the package usually includes
Lenders commonly ask for recent business tax returns, a year-to-date profit and loss, a balance sheet, a debt schedule listing every loan with balance and payment, and bank statements. SBA applications also use personal financial forms. Your lender's checklist is the authority, so ask for it first.
Why clean books speed things up
A lender compares your statements to your tax returns and bank deposits. Differences cause questions and delay. A reconciled year-to-date P&L, a tied-out balance sheet and a clear debt schedule answer most questions before they are asked.
How much time to allow
Start well before you apply. If your books are behind, catch-up comes first, so allow time for that. We scope after looking at your accounts and cannot promise a lender's decision.
Related
- Books for a mortgage
- Years behind on books
- Selling a business
- Bookkeeping guides
- Business loan payment calculator
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency, lender or your professional. Updated October 2026.
FAQ
Common questions
Will this get me approved?
No one can promise that. We make your finances clear and consistent.
Can you write a business plan?
No. We prepare the financial records.
How early should I start?
Several weeks before applying, longer if the books are behind.
Will clean books get me approved?
No. Lenders look at credit, cash flow, collateral and more. Clean books remove one common cause of delay.
Do you prepare the loan application?
We prepare financial statements and schedules. The application itself is yours and your lender's.
Tallyfinch
Books you keep on your own computer
Tallyfinch does invoices, bills, bank import, reconciliation and the main reports, in a file you own. $99 once, then $5 a month for updates; the app keeps working if you stop the plan. It does not do payroll or sales tax filing. The free download records up to 60 entries.
See Tallyfinch Download it free Compare the three apps