Build an existing business debt schedule

The principle

List each lender or provider, product, original amount, current balance, payment frequency, payment amount, rate or pricing method, maturity, and security. Include lines, equipment obligations, shareholder loans, advances, and other financing relevant to the review. Label currencies separately and note amounts that vary with usage or sales.

Put it into practice

Reconcile the schedule with statements and accounting records. Translate daily and weekly deductions into the cash forecast without confusing them with monthly contractual terms. Record balloon payments and renewal dates. For a refinancing proposal, request current payoff amounts rather than assuming the accounting balance closes the facility.

What people often miss

Adding debt can breach restrictions in an existing agreement or create competing security claims. A new advance that repays another provider may deliver much less fresh working capital than its headline amount suggests. Keep the old and proposed schedules side by side so the business can see the change in payments, maturity risk, and usable proceeds.

Your next-step checklist

• All providers, balances, and currencies
• Complete payment and maturity calendar
• Security, guarantees, and borrowing restrictions
• Current payoff quotes and net new cash