These terms ("Terms") govern your use of BusinessDebt.net (the "Site"). By accessing the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms and the Privacy Policy. If you don't agree, please don't use the Site.
1. What this site is
BusinessDebt.net is an educational publication about U.S. business debt. It publishes general-knowledge articles, comparison tools, and self-service calculators. It is not, and does not hold itself out as:
- A law firm or provider of legal services
- A certified public accountant, enrolled agent, or tax preparer
- A registered investment adviser or financial planner
- A debt-relief company, debt settlement firm, or credit-counseling agency
- A bank, lender, broker, or originator of any financial product
Nothing on the Site constitutes legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. Reading an article does not create an attorney-client relationship, accountant-client relationship, or fiduciary relationship of any kind. See the disclaimer for the long version.
2. Acceptable use
You agree to use the Site for personal, non-commercial reading and research, and not to:
- Reproduce, scrape, or systematically download Site content for republication or training data without prior written permission
- Interfere with the Site's operation, security, or availability
- Submit, transmit, or upload material that is unlawful, harassing, or infringing
- Impersonate any person or misrepresent any affiliation
- Use the Site to advertise, solicit, or otherwise direct commercial traffic to third parties without permission
3. Intellectual property
All content on the Site — text, graphics, layout, source code, and the BusinessDebt.net mark — is owned by BusinessDebt.net or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international copyright and trademark law. You may:
- View, save, and print individual pages for personal, non-commercial reference
- Share article URLs and brief excerpts (no more than two paragraphs) on social media or in articles, with a clear link back
You may not, without prior written permission, reproduce a full article, derivative work, or substantial portion of the Site, or include Site content in any product, dataset, model, course, or service.
4. No professional advice
The Site discusses laws, regulations, and procedures that vary by jurisdiction and that change over time. Bankruptcy exemptions, wage-garnishment caps, usury laws, statutes of limitations, IRS programs, SBA Standard Operating Procedures, and the rules around confessions of judgment are all jurisdiction-specific or subject to change. Before acting on anything you read here, consult a qualified, state-licensed practitioner: a bankruptcy attorney for legal questions, a CPA or enrolled agent for tax questions, a licensed financial planner or registered investment adviser for financial planning, and your specific lender for loan-specific options.
5. Tools and calculators
The Site provides two interactive tools (the payoff calculator and the self-assessment). Both run in your browser; we do not receive your inputs. The outputs are general illustrations using standard formulas and orientation rules. They are not a quote, a credit decision, a financial plan, or legal advice. Real-world rates, terms, and outcomes depend on factors the tools do not measure.
6. Third-party links and ads
The Site links to third-party sites for context and reference (federal courts, the SBA, the IRS, industry self-regulatory bodies, and others). We are not responsible for those sites' content, accuracy, or practices. The Site also displays advertising served through Google AdSense and partner networks. Advertisements are not endorsements; clicking an ad takes you to the advertiser, whose terms and privacy practices apply.
7. No warranty
The Site and its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that the content is current, complete, or accurate at the time you read it.
8. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, BusinessDebt.net and its operators, contributors, and affiliates will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages — including lost profits, lost data, loss of goodwill, or business interruption — arising out of or relating to your use of the Site, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising from or relating to the Site will not exceed one hundred U.S. dollars (US$100). Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages; in those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.
9. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless BusinessDebt.net and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorney fees) arising out of your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any third-party right.
10. Privacy
Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. By using the Site you agree to those documents.
11. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms. When we do, we'll change the "Last reviewed on" date at the top. Material changes will be flagged in the first paragraph for a reasonable period. Continued use of the Site after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
12. Changes to the Site
We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Site at any time, with or without notice. We may also delete or archive content. We are not liable for any change or discontinuance.
13. Governing law and venue
These Terms are governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction], without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will be brought exclusively in the courts located in [Jurisdiction], and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts. If you are a consumer in a jurisdiction whose law guarantees a different forum, that mandatory protection prevails over this clause.
14. Severability and waiver
If any part of these Terms is held unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of that provision.
15. Entire agreement
These Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Cookies Policy, and the Disclaimer together constitute the entire agreement between you and BusinessDebt.net regarding the Site.
16. Important reminders
Tax consequences of forgiven debt
Forgiven business debt may be reportable as taxable income (commonly via IRS Form 1099-C). Bankruptcy and insolvency exclusions may apply. Talk to a CPA or enrolled agent before settling debt.
Credit impact
Settlement, default, and bankruptcy can negatively affect personal and business credit for years. The exact impact depends on your starting profile, the trade lines involved, and which credit bureau is reporting.
No attorney-client relationship
Reading the Site, emailing us, or using the in-browser tools does not create an attorney-client relationship. Information you send us is not protected by attorney-client privilege.
17. Contact
Questions about these Terms: help@businessdebt.net.
Last reviewed on 2026-04-27.