SBA application fees and preparation costs

What the subtotal means

The result separates quoted cash costs, estimates and staff time. An unknown expense is left out of the sum, so a budget with missing prices remains partial. A consultant’s quote does not create a mandatory application fee.

Use one currency for the expenses in a budget. If quotes use different currencies, either prepare separate budgets or convert them before entering the amounts and note the rate and date. The worksheet does not fetch exchange rates.

Before hiring application help

Ask what the fee includes: which application or certificate, which documents or tasks, any exclusions, refund terms and ongoing charges. Approved third-party WOSB certification may have a fee, but it still involves SBA submission requirements. A private provider’s price is not a government charge.

Illustrative budget

For example, USD 600 for assistance plus USD 40 for records gives USD 640 in cash expenses, assuming no other cash costs apply. Ten staff hours valued at USD 30 an hour adds USD 300 in time, shown separately. These are invented amounts to illustrate the calculation, not typical prices.