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Federal certification personal net worth calculator

The most common reason SBA and DOT certification applications are denied on economic grounds is the personal net worth test, and the rules exclude assets that ordinary accounting includes. Enter your figures below and see, instantly, whether you appear to fall under the limits for the SBA programs (8(a) and EDWOSB) and the DOT DBE program.

This covers the economic thresholds only. The 2026 proposed rule changing how 8(a) applicants show social disadvantage does not change these dollar limits. Nothing here is a determination, and only the certifying body decides.

Cash and bank balancesChecking, savings, money market, and other liquid funds.Primary residence, market valueWhat your home would sell for today.Primary residence, mortgage balanceWhat you still owe on that home.Your interest in the applicant businessFair market value of your stake in the business seeking certification.Qualified retirement accountsVested IRA, 401(k), and similar. Excluded from both programs.Other real estate and investmentsSecond homes, brokerage accounts, and any other assets.Other liabilitiesStudent, auto, credit card, and any other debts, excluding the mortgage above.Adjusted gross income, 3-year averageYour AGI averaged over the last three years. Used only for the SBA test.

How do you hold your primary residence?The DOT DBE program excludes only your share of home equity, so a jointly owned home is treated differently. The SBA programs exclude the full equity either way.

YOUR RESULT

SBA 8(a) / EDWOSBUNDER THE LIMIT

Personal net worth

Limit $850,000

UNDER THE LIMIT

Total assets (fair market value)

Limit $6,500,000

UNDER THE LIMIT

Adjusted gross income (3-year average)

Limit $400,000

UNDER THE LIMIT

13 CFR § 124.104Verified Jul 2026

DOT DBEUNDER THE LIMIT

Personal net worth

Limit $2,047,000

UNDER THE LIMIT

49 CFR § 26.68Verified Jul 2026

When you appear to qualify, the next step is the paperwork

See exactly which published requirements apply to your business, each one cited to its official source with the date we last checked it. You write your own answers and file everything yourself. We prepare, you file.

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