Business Loan Checklist Builder for Owners and Advisers

1. Who's building this checklist?

I'm the business owner I'm an adviser

2. What's the funding for?

3. Roughly how much?

4. Business structure

Sole trader Partnership Company Trust

5. Is property involved?

No property Owner's home Investment or commercial

6. What's lodged and in order? (tick all that apply)

All BAS lodged up to date Last year's tax return lodged There's an ATO balance owing Business and personal spending are mixed

Checklist for a company · cash flow gap

Your numbers point to

The owner provides

The adviser provides

See if you qualify →

General guide only. Each lender sets its own requirements; a specialist confirms the exact list for your file.

How the checklist builder works

Every business loan file is built from the same handful of ingredients: identification, evidence of trading, evidence of the tax position, and — where it applies — evidence of security. What changes from file to file is which of those ingredients matter most, and who holds them. The Link-up checklist builder answers both questions for your situation.

It starts with who you are. Owners get a list written for them, with a summary they can send to their accountant or bookkeeper. Advisers get a version written the other way round, ready to send to a client. Then it looks at what the money is for, how much, how the business is structured, whether property is involved and what's already lodged, and builds the list from there.

Why split the list between owner and adviser?

Most delays in a loan file aren't caused by the lender. They happen when a document sits in the wrong inbox — the owner thinks the accountant is sending the financials, and the accountant is waiting for the owner to ask. Splitting the list up front means each person knows exactly what's theirs to gather. Owners can usually pull bank statements, ID and property details themselves in an afternoon. Advisers hold the financial statements, tax returns, BAS history and ATO account statements, and can explain them.

Our page on who does what in a business loan explains the roles in more depth, and letting your accountant talk to the lender covers the authority your adviser needs.

How the tool decides which loan types fit

The "numbers point to" section links your situation to the loan types lenders usually consider:

Cash flow gaps and seasonal dips point to lines of credit and short cash flow loans, sized on turnover and bank statements — typically $5,000 to $500,000.
Tax bills and ATO debt point to short-term facilities or, for larger balances, property-secured loans — alongside the option of an ATO payment plan.
Growth and equipment point to term loans matched to the life of what you're funding, with a line of credit for ramp-up costs.
Property involvement or larger amounts point to property-secured business loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000, using a first mortgage, second mortgage or caveat.

For a deeper look at how each document links to each loan type, see the Linking the numbers hub.

What the flags mean

If you tick that there's an ATO balance, the tool adds an ATO account statement and a short explanation to the adviser's list. ATO debt is considered case by case, and it reads far better when it's disclosed up front with a plan. If last year's return isn't lodged, the tool swaps in year-to-date management accounts and suggests an accountant's letter — see getting a loan before the return is lodged. If your spending is mixed, it adds a reclassification step for your bookkeeper.

After you've built the list

Copy the summary and send it to your adviser (or client). Start gathering. You don't need everything before you enquire — a specialist will confirm exactly what the matched lender needs — but having the core items ready makes the process noticeably faster. When you're ready, make a 60-second enquiry. There's no credit check to ask, your file goes to one suitable lender rather than a crowd, and a real person will call you.

No credit check to enquire

Asking what's possible leaves your credit file untouched. A credit check only comes up once you choose to proceed.

One match, not a mailing list

Your file isn't fired off to a crowd of lenders. We read it, link it to a lender that suits, and tell you who before anything moves.

A real person on your file

A specialist calls you (and your adviser, if you'd like). Accurate answers on the form mean the first match is the right one.

Checklist builder questions

What is the Link-up checklist builder?

A free tool that builds a business loan document checklist for your situation, split into what the owner provides and what the adviser provides. It also shows which loan types your documents and figures point to, and lets you copy a summary to send to your adviser or client.

Is the checklist the same for every lender?

No. Each lender sets its own requirements. The checklist reflects what lenders commonly ask for in each situation, so you can start gathering early. A specialist will confirm the exact list for the lender matched to your file.

Can advisers use it for clients?

Yes. Choose 'I'm an adviser' and the summary is written for you to send to your client, with your items and theirs clearly separated.

Does the tool store my answers?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to make an enquiry.

Does using the tool affect my credit file?

No. Neither the tool nor the enquiry that follows involves a credit check. A check is only discussed once you choose to go ahead with an option.

Why doesn't the tool show interest rates or repayments?

Because every facility is priced on the business's own circumstances. The tool focuses on what you control — getting the right documents ready and understanding which loan types fit.