Frequently asked questions

No. Non-Recourse Loans is an educational website and referral directory. We explain how recourse, non-recourse and limited-recourse financing work and connect borrowers with independent lenders and brokers. We don't make loans or give legal or financial advice about your situation.

A recourse loan lets the lender pursue your other assets or income if you default, while a non-recourse loan limits the lender's recovery to the pledged collateral alone. Limited-recourse loans sit in between, carved out for things like fraud or misrepresentation — often called "bad boy" carve-outs.

Yes, in almost every case. SBA 7(a) and 504 loans generally require a personal guarantee from anyone owning 20% or more of the business, regardless of collateral pledged — ask a lender how that compares with non-recourse or alternative options for your situation.

No. A merchant cash advance is a sale of future receivables, not a loan, and it isn't regulated the same way lending is in every state — ask about the real cost, repayment structure and remedies like confessions of judgment before signing anything.

Revenue-based financing provides capital in exchange for a percentage of future revenue until a set repayment cap is reached, rather than fixed monthly payments — terms and qualification vary widely by provider.

Sometimes, though options narrow without an operating history or hard collateral — equipment financing, asset-based lending and revenue-based financing are the paths startups most often explore; a lender can explain what's realistic at your stage.

Lenders and brokers can list for free, or reserve an exclusive ZIP code, a 5-ZIP territory, or a 10-ZIP territory, so borrowers in that area who ask for help are connected to them.