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Subordinated Debt Loans

Flexible, non-dilutive capital to fund growth, close acquisitions, and strengthen your balance sheet without disrupting senior debt.

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Key Highlights
Fast and flexible funding
Line Amount
$100K to $10M
Non-Disruptive
Complements senior lending
Time to Fund
24 to 48 hours
Subordinated debt digram of how it works
What is it?
Grow beyond credit limits

Subordinated debt (sub debt) gives you access to additional capital without refinancing or disrupting senior loans. It sits behind senior debt in repayment priority, making it a flexible tool for funding growth, acquisitions, or restructuring.

Who uses sub debt?

  • Business owners: Fund growth, acquisitions, or optimize balance sheets.
  • Private equity & M&A firms: Fill funding gaps in buyouts or recapitalizations.
  • Commercial brokers: Offer non-dilutive capital solutions alongside senior debt.
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why get it?
Funding at your pace

Business moves fast. Your financing should, too.

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Preserve ownership

Access growth capital without diluting equity or bringing in outside investors.

Fast access to strategic capital

Get funding quickly to fill capital gaps, support time-sensitive deals, or maintain growth initiatives.

Supports major growth moves

Use capital for acquisitions, recapitalizations, shareholder buyouts, or large-scale expansions.

Works alongside senior debt

Subordinated debt sits behind senior loans, making it ideal for layered financing strategies.

What’s the difference?
Senior debt vs Sub debt
feature
feature Senior Debt Subordinated Debt
Repayment Repaid first in default Repaid after senior obligations
Repayment
feature: Repayment
Senior Debt: Repaid first in default
Subordinated Debt: Repaid after senior obligations
Collateral Usually required Often unsecured
Collateral
feature: Collateral
Senior Debt: Usually required
Subordinated Debt: Often unsecured
Cost Lower Higher
Cost
feature: Cost
Senior Debt: Lower
Subordinated Debt: Higher
Use Case Primary working/growth capital Fill funding gaps after senior is maxed
Use Case
feature: Use Case
Senior Debt: Primary working/growth capital
Subordinated Debt: Fill funding gaps after senior is maxed
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Fueling transactions, funding growth

We help you close complex deals by filling capital gaps others can’t.

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Our sub debt helps bridge capital shortfalls in acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and recapitalizations, ensuring you have the funds to close deals successfully. We specialize in:

  • Capital gaps – Filling capital gaps in buyouts, expansions, and balance sheet moves.
  • Growth capital – Providing complementary capital alongside senior lending facilities.
  • Turnarounds – Bolstering declining companies with working capital to support growth

Asset-based lenders and factoring companies can use our Sub Debt to manage their balance sheets.

Here are a few examples of when these lenders would call upon National Business Capital:

  • You’re trying to take on a new facility, but there’s a capital gap between the new facility amount and what’s owed to the senior lender. Using a subordinated loan, your client can cover the capital gap, and you can take on the facility by gaining the first lien position.
  • A client needs capital in excess of their current facility, but the senior lender is unwilling to provide the client with additional capital. The client can leverage subordinated loans to obtain their requested over advance, while the senior lender retains the right to first lien position.
  • You have a client who is no longer in the formula. You notify the client of the change, but they don’t have the capital to cover their existing facility. Instead of taking a loss or unwanted risk, debt subordination can bridge the gap to move the client off your books and satisfy all parties.
  • If a prospective client applies for financing but has a first position lien against their assets, you can secure a subordinated loan to repay the senior lender and move their facility onto your balance sheet.

Funds as you need them, when you need them

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your eligibility
Have these two?
You’re set

Eligibility for our sub debt solution is focused on your business’s performance and potential. Here’s what you need to qualify with our team:

  • 1+ year in business
  • $1M+ in annual revenue
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Not a match? Check out your other options

What do I need to PROVIDE?
Required documents

Have this information on hand and you’re all set.

Funding Under 150K

  • Business formation documents
  • Bank statements (6 months)

Funding Over 150K

  • Business formation documents
  • Bank statements (6 months)
  • Business tax returns
  • Financial statements
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FAQs

• A logistics firm expands after maxing out its senior line
• A distributor requests an overadvance from their senior lender but is denied for lack of collateral coverage
• A commercial contractor is transitioning to a new senior lender but needs working capital to cover operations as they await their new facility

No. Unlike mezzanine financing, subordinated debt has no equity or ownership component.

Senior debt is secured, lower-risk, and repaid first. Sub debt sits behind it—riskier, often unsecured, and repaid second.

Listed under liabilities, below senior debt, and above equity. It does not dilute ownership.

• High-yield bonds – Unsecured, higher returns
• Mezzanine debt – Mix of debt/equity, may include warrants
• PIK notes – Deferred interest, paid later
• Vendor notes – Used in M&A from sellers

Mezzanine is a type of sub debt that includes equity components. Our Sub Debt loans are debt-only, no dilution or control loss.

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Get the capital you need to grow your business

Ready to take the next step? Let’s get you funded.

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