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Last updated on Sep 19, 2023

12 min read

The Small Business Owner's Guide to SBA Form 1081

Get clarity on completing the SBA’s statement of personal history form with our step-by-step guide for small business owners.

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SBA Form 1081, also known as the Statement of Personal History, is a document used by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to assess the character, reputation, and creditworthiness of individuals involved in businesses applying for SBA loans or participating in other SBA programs.

It is highly recommended you find the form directly on the SBA’s website — other forms in other locations may be out of date and no longer accepted.

Form 1081 was introduced in 2020 as a replacement for Form 912. Note that many lenders may still utilize the older version of Form 912.

The form requires detailed personal information, employment history, and information about any past legal issues.

The form is typically filled out by individuals who are proprietors, partners, officers, directors, or stockholders with a 20% or more interest in a small business applying for an SBA loan. It may also be required from individuals who are hired or promoted to key positions in a business participating in an SBA program.

Filling Out the Form

Let’s go step by step through each field found on the form. Feel free to use the table of contents to skip to the relevant field you need assistance with.

Personal Information

The personal information section of the SBA Form 1081 requires basic details about the individual completing the form. Remember to provide accurate and complete information in this section, as it will be used for background checks and other verification processes.

Name

Full legal name, including first, middle (if applicable), and last name. It's important to ensure that the name matches the one on your legal identification documents.

Date of Birth

The date of birth should be provided in the format of month, day, and year.

Place of Birth

This includes the city and state if born in the U.S., or the foreign country if born outside of the U.S.

Citizenship Status

Indicate whether you are a U.S. citizen. If not, provide your immigration status and alien registration number, if applicable. Remember that non citizens may be eligible for SBA financing.

The SBA requires you to enter your full social security number — not just the last four digits. Take care to protect this document until it is submitted.

Addresses

Provide your current home address, including street, city, state, and zip code. If you have lived at your current address for less than 10 years, provide previous addresses to cover the last decade.

Contact Information

Include your phone number and email address.

Employment, Professional History, and Education

This section of the SBA Form 1081 requires a comprehensive summary of your professional history, education, and any special qualifications or experiences. You can provide these details by attaching a resume, but ensure it touches on all of the information requested below:

Business or Professional Experience

You need to provide a detailed account of your professional experience over the past ten years. This should include the names and addresses of the companies or organizations you were associated with, your title or position, and a brief description of your responsibilities.

For example, if you were a manager at a retail store, you might write: "From 2015 to 2020, I served as the Store Manager for XYZ Retail, located at 123 Main St., Anytown, State. My responsibilities included overseeing daily operations, managing a team of 15 employees, and coordinating inventory management."

Education

In this section, you should provide a summary of your highest level of education. Include the name of the institution, your field of study or specialization, and the date of your degree. For instance, you might write: "I received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from ABC University in May 2010, with a specialization in Marketing."

Special Experience or Qualifications

Here, you should outline any special experiences or qualifications that are relevant to your responsibilities in the management or operation of the business. This could include any specialized training, certifications, or skills that you possess. For example, "I completed a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2018, which has equipped me with advanced project management skills."

Present Affiliations and/or Associations

In this section, you are required to provide a list with detailed information about your ownership and relationships with any business concerns. This includes any stock, equity, voting, profit, or proprietary interest you own, directly or indirectly.

Ownership Details

You should provide a detailed account of your ownership in any business concerns. This includes the percentage of ownership, the type of ownership (e.g., stock, equity), and the nature of the business. For example, "I own 30% equity interest in XYZ Retail, a clothing retail business."

Relationships

You should also provide information about your relationships with any business concerns. This includes your role in the business (e.g., partner, director, officer), the nature of the business, and the duration of your relationship. For example, "I have been a partner at ABC Consulting, a business consulting firm, since 2015."

Legal and Compliance Questions (Questions 9 to 17)

This section of the SBA Form 1081 involves a series of legal and compliance questions that help the SBA assess your character and suitability for a loan or participation in an SBA program.

Remember, it's crucial to provide accurate and complete information in these sections, as they will be used to assess your character, reputation, and creditworthiness. Any false statements can result in penalties, including fines and imprisonment, and can also affect your eligibility for SBA programs.

Question 9a and 9b

These questions ask about any past or present legal or financial issues involving you or any business concern or entity with which you are or have been affiliated or associated. This includes insolvency, bankruptcy, creditor's rights proceedings, other litigation, or failure to pay any debt or obligation to the federal government.

If you answer "Yes" to either of these questions, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the nature of the proceedings or debt, the dates, the amounts involved, the entities involved, and the ultimate disposition.

Questions 10a, 10b, and 10c

These questions ask about your current and past criminal history. They cover whether you are currently subject to any formal criminal charges (10a), whether you have been arrested in the past six months for any criminal offense (10b), and whether you have ever been convicted, pleaded guilty, pleaded nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion, or been placed on any form of parole or probation for any criminal offense other than minor vehicle violations (10c).

If you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the nature of the offense, the dates, the jurisdiction, the outcome, and any penalties or sentences imposed.

Questions 11a and 11b

These questions ask whether you or any business concern or entity with which you are or have been affiliated or associated have ever been involved in any criminal or civil legal actions involving fraud, misrepresentation, dishonesty, or breach of trust.

If you answer "Yes" to either of these questions, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the nature of the offense or action, the dates, the jurisdiction, the outcome, and any penalties or sentences imposed.

Question 12

This question asks whether you or any business concern or entity with which you are or have been affiliated or associated have ever been subject to any regulatory enforcement action, suspension, debarment, voluntary exclusion, revocation, or other administrative enforcement due to fraud, lack of business integrity, ethics violations, or noncompliance with other governmental requirements.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the nature of the action, the dates, the agency or body involved, and the outcome.

Question 13

This question asks whether you are associated with any other SBA Lender, SBA Microloan Intermediary, Agent or Lender Service Provider, or have been a direct or indirect owner of 10% or more of any past or present SBA Lender, SBA Microloan Intermediary, Agent or Lender Service Provider.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the name of the SBA Lender, SBA Microloan Intermediary, Agent or Lender Service Provider, your positions, basic functions and responsibilities, and the dates.

Question 14

This question asks whether during any part of the past ten years a request for financial assistance has been made to any federal agency by you or any business concern or entity with which you are or have been affiliated or associated.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the nature of the assistance requested, the dates, the federal agency involved, the outcome, and the current status of any assistance received.

Question 15

This question asks whether you are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, or through an affiliate or associate, to any SBA employee, any member of an Advisory Council for the Small Business Administration, or any member of SCORE.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the names of the individuals, their addresses, and their relationship to you.

Question 16

This question asks whether you borrowed funds to purchase 10% or more of any class of the stock or other ownership interest of an SBA Lender or SBA Microloan Intermediary.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include your net worth, the amount borrowed, the security and/or guarantors, the terms of repayment, and the status of the loan/debt.

Question 17

This question asks whether any concern with which you are affiliated or associated has directly or indirectly borrowed funds from any SBA Lenders, or SBA Microloan Intermediaries.

If you answer "Yes" to this question, you need to provide complete details on a separate sheet. This should include the names of all parties to the transaction, the amounts involved, the security and/or guarantors, the terms of repayment, the use of proceeds, and the status of the loan/debt.

Certification

The certification section of the SBA Form 1081 is a crucial part of the form. It's where you affirm that all the information you've provided is true and complete to the best of your knowledge.

Certification Process

By signing the certification, you are attesting that all the information provided in the form is true and accurate. This includes your personal information, employment history, education, affiliations, associations, and responses to the legal and compliance questions. It's important to understand that providing false information can have serious legal implications.

Signature and Date

To certify the form, you need to sign and date it. Make sure to use your legal signature — the same one you use on other official documents. The date should be the day you complete and sign the form. If you're filling out the form electronically, you may be able to use an electronic signature, but you should check the specific instructions provided with the form. When in doubt, speak to your lender or loan advisor.

After Completing the Form

Once you've filled out the SBA Form 1081, there are a few more steps to take.

Submission

The form should be submitted to the SBA, though usually the lender involved in your SBA loan application will handle the submission. The specific submission process may vary, so it's important to check the instructions provided with the form or consult with your lender or an SBA representative.

Use of Information

The information you provide on the form will be used by the SBA to assess your character, reputation, and creditworthiness, and to determine your eligibility for SBA programs. The SBA may also share the information with other government agencies for various purposes, including verifying the information, conducting background checks, and complying with federal laws and regulations.

Freedom of Information Request

The SBA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which means that certain information about its activities is available to the public upon request. However, personal information provided on the SBA Form 1081 is generally exempt from FOIA requests to protect privacy. If you have concerns about the privacy of your information, you can contact the SBA or consult with a legal advisor.

Remember, the SBA Form 1081 is a legal document, and it's important to fill it out honestly and completely. If you have any questions or uncertainties, don't hesitate to seek help from us or an SBA representative.

Conclusion

Completing the SBA Form 1081 is a crucial step in the process of applying for an SBA loan or participating in an SBA program. This form provides the SBA with important information about your character, reputation, and creditworthiness, which helps them make informed decisions about your eligibility.

The form requires detailed personal information, a comprehensive summary of your professional history and education, and information about your current affiliations and associations. It also includes a series of legal and compliance questions that cover a range of issues, from your criminal history to your involvement in bankruptcy proceedings.

When filling out the form, it's important to provide accurate and complete information. The certification section of the form requires you to affirm that all the information you've provided is true and complete to the best of your knowledge. Providing false information can have serious legal implications, including fines and imprisonment.

After completing the form, it should be submitted to the SBA or the lender involved in your SBA loan application. The information you provide will be used to assess your eligibility for SBA programs and may be shared with other government agencies for various purposes.

Remember, the SBA Form 1081 is a legal document, and it's important to approach it with care and honesty. If you have any questions or uncertainties, don't hesitate to seek help from a legal advisor or an SBA representative. With careful attention to detail and a thorough understanding of the form's requirements, you can successfully navigate this step in your journey towards securing an SBA loan