SBA Acquisition Attorney in Pennsylvania

By Alex Lubyansky Managing Partner Last updated October 8, 2026

Acquisition Stars advises buyers and sellers on sba acquisition attorney matters across Pennsylvania.

Serving clients across Pennsylvania.

SBA Acquisition Attorney Practice in Pennsylvania

Acquisition Stars advises buyers and sellers on sba acquisition attorney matters across Pennsylvania. Alex Lubyansky leads every engagement, and has been M&A counsel since 2013 across transactions of varying complexity, from lower-middle-market deals to multi-party structures.

Pennsylvania Transaction Considerations

Pennsylvania corporate net income tax rates change by tax year. Model the applicable year using the Department of Revenue schedule linked below.
Philadelphia imposes its own Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) with a gross receipts component (0.1415%) and net income component (5.99%), creating a significant added tax for Philadelphia-based businesses
Pennsylvania's Keystone Opportunity Zones offer substantial tax abatements that can be highly valuable in acquisitions of businesses operating in designated areas

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Pennsylvania Legal Framework for SBA Business Acquisition Law

Non-Compete Agreements

The lender expects a seller covenant that holds up, because the loan is underwritten on the goodwill the covenant protects.

Enforceable with reasonableness test. Reformation available. Continued employment is sufficient consideration.

Enforceable under common law if reasonable. Pennsylvania courts apply a reasonableness test, requiring that the restriction protect a legitimate business interest, be reasonably limited in duration and geographic scope, and be supported by adequate consideration. Courts will modify (reform) overbroad covenants. Continued employment generally constitutes sufficient consideration for existing employees.

Tax Considerations

Successor liability for unpaid state taxes falls on the borrower, so the lender requires clearance before the loan funds.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the Corporate Net Income Tax rate is 7.49% for 2026 and is scheduled to reach 4.99% in 2031. Apply the rate for the relevant tax year. Philadelphia business taxes and other entity-specific rules require separate analysis when modeling the transaction.

Filing Requirements

Spousal guarantees in community property states and buyer entity filings are lender closing conditions with their own lead time.

Entity mergers and conversions must be filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Tax clearance certificates (from the Department of Revenue and Department of Labor & Industry) are required for asset purchases. Annual reports are required for foreign entities (decennial reports for domestic corporations).

Bulk Sales / Asset Purchases

Lender closing conditions include creditor notice or tax clearance where the state keeps them, and that timing sets the funding date.

Pennsylvania has repealed UCC Article 6 (Bulk Sales). However, Pennsylvania's Department of Revenue (72 P.S. Section 7240) requires buyers of business assets to withhold sufficient purchase price to cover the seller's unpaid taxes unless a tax clearance certificate is obtained. This is sometimes called the "Bulk Sale" provision even though UCC Article 6 was repealed.

The federal framework for a SBA-financed acquisition

An SBA 7(a) loan is the financing many buyers use to fund the purchase of an existing business, and a change-of-ownership loan follows its own eligibility and structuring rules set out in the SBA's current Standard Operating Procedures. Because the lender, not just the buyer, has to satisfy these rules, the purchase agreement and the loan application get negotiated together rather than in sequence.
Equity requirements depend on the ownership-change type and the SBA procedures in effect when the loan is processed. Have the lender confirm the transaction category, required contribution and acceptable sources before relying on a proposed seller note. Whether debt counts toward equity is separate from how much seller financing the purchase structure can carry.

Owners at 20 percent or more generally must guarantee

SBA regulations generally require any owner holding at least 20 percent of the business to personally guarantee the loan, under 13 CFR 120.160. The lender can also require other individuals or entities to guarantee even below that threshold if it wants more support for the credit. A buyer bringing in minority partners should know upfront who the lender will require to sign.

Sources: 13 CFR 120.160(a)

Equity contribution depends on the transaction type

SBA treats equity as one underwriting factor, so the minimum comes from its Standard Operating Procedures: SOP 50 10 8 (effective June 1, 2025) and SOP 50 10 8.1 (effective October 1, 2026). Version 8 requires at least 10 percent of total project costs for a complete change of ownership to a new owner, excluding lines of credit and 504 loans; seller debt counts only on full standby for the loan's life and no more than half of the required injection. Version 8.1, Appendix 15, sets 10 percent for an Initial Acquisition, not reducible; also 10 percent for Business Expansions and Owner Buyouts, which the lender may reduce or eliminate if the borrower meets liquidity and net-worth tests. Under 8.1, standby debt, seller debt and non-controlling minority equity together supply no more than half, and seller debt must be subordinated and on full standby to count. Confirm the version and category with the lender first.

Sources: 13 CFR 120.150, SOP 50 10 8, effective June 1, 2025, Section B, Ch. 1, Equity requirements, SOP 50 10 8, effective June 1, 2025, Section B, Ch. 1, Equity requirements, SOP 50 10 8.1 with Technical Policy Updates, effective October 1, 2026, Appendix 15, Underwriting, Equity Requirements and Limited Equity Injection Sources

Diligence focus for a SBA-financed acquisition

Whether minority owners cross the personal guaranty threshold
How much of the price the seller note can fund
Standby terms on any seller note in the structure
Lender's timeline for approval against the purchase agreement deadline
Community property or spousal guaranty requirements where they apply

Ready to Discuss Your Pennsylvania Deal?

Alex Lubyansky leads every sba business acquisition law engagement, with an associate supporting the work.

M&A counsel since 2013. Nationwide practice. LOI through closing.

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