white printer paper

DSCR Loan Calculator

What is DSCR?

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) reveals whether your target business generates enough cash flow to comfortably pay back all its debt including principal amount plus interest, which directly impacts your loan approval chances.

DSCR is calculated by dividing net operating income by debt service, where debt service represents both principal and interest payments. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dscr.asp

Why does it matter?

One of the most important factors for banks and lenders to approve loans, other than credit history and economic conditions, is DSCR. DSCR directly measures a business's ability to generate enough cash flow to cover its debt obligations.

For SBA 7(a) financing, most lenders want a borrower to have a DSCR of 1.25x or more.

Therefore, a complete understanding of DSCR is crucial for acquisition entrepreneurs seeking financing for their business purchases.

SBA 7(a) Loan

SBA loans are considered a good option for first-time business searchers and entrepreneurs, and it is one of the most commonly used financing options by searchers because they offer more accessible terms for new searchers, such as lower down payments, longer repayment terms, and competitive interest rates, as compared to other financing option.

DSCR Loan Calculator

Use this DSCR calculator to determine if your acquisition target meets lender requirements:

DSCR Calculator

Calculate your Debt-Service Coverage Ratio instantly

✅ Minimum DSCR: 1.25 > Shows lenders that your business is financially stable enough to handle the loan payments. 

✅ Preferred DSCR: 1.5+ Shows lenders that your business can survive tough times and still pay the loan.  

Note: Meeting the minimum is good but optimizing your DSCR with other key financial metric can unlock even better financing options. Let’s take a closer look; 

Other Key Acquisition Metrics for Searchers

Lenders don’t rely solely on DSCR when approving a loan; they also consider other key acquisition metrics before making a final decision. Let's briefly talk about some of the important ones.

🔹 Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR) → Both ratios quantify a business's ability to service debt. However, ICR focuses only on interest payments, while DSCR measures cash flow against both principal and interest repayments.

🔹 Gross Profit Margin (GPM) → GPM measures how efficiently a business converts revenue into profit after accounting for cost of goods sold, While DSCR assesses whether operational cash flow is sufficient to cover existing debt payment obligations.

🔹Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) → SDE calculates the total financial benefit available to a potential business owner, Where DSCR specifically evaluates if current cash flow levels are adequate to service debt commitments.

Lenders do not evaluate DSCR in isolation. They use a combination of these metrics to make the final decision. A high DSCR does not ensure the borrower will approve the loan, if other factors indicate high risk.

Expert CPA Support for Acquisition Success

Our DSCR Calculator serves as a measure of your business's standing when it comes to facing debt obligations. To complement this tool, we at Prosolve CPA offer tailored DSCR analysis as well as advisory services to ETA searchers. Reach out to our team at Prosolve CPA today for a free consultation so that we can guide you every step of the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your common questions, our straightforward answers.

Are all DSCR loans require 20% down Payment?

No, not all DSCR loans require 20% down payment. The down payment requirements typically range from 20-25%, but some lenders might go as low as 15% or as high as 30%. This usually relies on the borrower’s profile and deal.

Are all DSCR loans require 20% down Payment?

No, not all DSCR loans require 20% down payment. The down payment requirements typically range from 20-25%, but some lenders might go as low as 15% or as high as 30%. This usually relies on the borrower’s profile and deal.

Are all DSCR loans require 20% down Payment?

No, not all DSCR loans require 20% down payment. The down payment requirements typically range from 20-25%, but some lenders might go as low as 15% or as high as 30%. This usually relies on the borrower’s profile and deal.

How to calculate average DSCR?

How to calculate average DSCR?

How to calculate average DSCR?

What are the benefits of using the DSCR calculator?

What are the benefits of using the DSCR calculator?

What are the benefits of using the DSCR calculator?

One of the most important factors for banks and lenders to approve loans, other than credit history and economic conditions, is Debt Service Coverage Ratio(DSCR). 

Therefore, Complete Understanding of DSCR is crucial for acquisition Entrepreneurs seeking financing for their business purchases.  

Why is DSCR so important for searchers?

DSCR Requirements Across Different Financing Options 

Your financing source will determine exactly what DSCR you need to hit. Here's the breakdown: 
Conventional Bank Loans 
✅ Minimum DSCR: 1.35-1.5 
✅ Less paperwork but stricter requirements 
✅ May require additional collateral 
Seller Financing 
✅ Minimum DSCR: More flexible, varies deal-by-deal.  
✅ Terms can be negotiated directly  
✅ Might accept lower DSCR with higher down payment 

What is a good DSCR ratio? 

Not all DSCRs are created equal. The DSCR metric has different interpretations across industries. Below are the general interpretations of DSCR, so you have a clearer picture of how different ratios impact your chances of getting a loan.  
DSCR of 1.0 — Means your income is barely enough to cover the debt. It means any small dip in the business could make it hard to keep up with payments. 
DSCR of 1.25 — It indicates the entity has good financial health and implies that entity has more income than needed for debt payment. DSCR of 1.25 is typically the minimum for SBA loans.  
DSCR of 1.5+ — Gives the lender confidence that the business generates 50% more income than needed for debt and can comfortably cover payments with extra cushion for unexpected expenses.  
As mentioned earlier, different industries have different standards too. Stable businesses like healthcare might be fine with lower DSCRs, while cyclical industries like restaurants might need higher ratios. 
Now, let's look at how different financing sources view your DSCR. But before that, let me tell you about the most common financing option for a first-time acquisition entrepreneur.

SBA 7(a) Loan?  

SBA loans are considered a good option for first-time business searchers and entrepreneurs because they offer more accessible terms for new searchers, such as lower down payments, longer repayment terms, and competitive interest rates, as compared to other financing option. 
An SBA 7(a) loan is a financial instrument designed to help small businesses in their journey as they feature more friendly qualification criteria and can be utilized for a range of business purposes, including acquisition, working capital, equipment purchases, and real estate, making it easier for new business owners to obtain the funds necessary to achieve their objectives.  
🔹 DSCR vs. Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio → Lenders use LTV to analyze what proportion of the loan is backed by collateral. In contrast, DSCR measures how much of the loan a business can repay using its income. 
🔹 DSCR vs. Gearing Ratio → A gearing ratio measures a business’s total debt in comparison to its equity while DSCR focuses on cash flow sufficiency for debt repayment.  
https://www.sba7a.loans/sba-7a-loans-small-business-blog/required-dscr/