Preparing a Schedule of Existing Business Obligations

Before a funder decides how much additional capital your business can handle, they need to understand what you already owe. A clear, accurate schedule of existing obligations is one of the most useful documents you can bring to a funding review — and one of the most commonly overlooked.

What a Schedule of Obligations Is

It is a simple list of every ongoing debt or recurring financial obligation your business carries: loans, lines of credit, advances, equipment financing, leases, and any other fixed payment. The goal is to show the full picture of cash already committed each month.

What to Include

For each obligation, capture:

• Creditor or provider name
• Type of obligation (term loan, line of credit, MCA, lease)
• Original amount and current outstanding balance
• Payment amount and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Remaining term or payoff date
• Whether it is secured or unsecured

Include merchant cash advances even if they do not appear on a credit report — funders often detect them through bank statement analysis, and an undisclosed obligation is one of the fastest ways to lose credibility.

A Simple Example Layout

Hypothetical example for illustration only.

Why It Matters

Funders estimate your capacity to repay new debt by looking at what is already leaving the account. A complete schedule lets them evaluate that accurately. An incomplete one — or one that hides an advance — leads to either a decline or an offer that overextends you. Both are avoidable with an honest, organized list.

This is also a foundational piece of financial strategy: you cannot plan your next move until you can see every obligation clearly.

Tips for Accuracy

• Verify balances directly with each provider, not from memory.
• Note daily/weekly obligations separately — they add up fast.
• Update the schedule before every funding conversation.