Liberty Bank
SBA Preferred Lender bank in CT: SBA 7(a) and Express up to $5M, 9.75% median rate (last 12 months), collateral required, weeks to close. Best for CT startups and owners.
Rates & Cost
What the financing costs, normalized so lenders can be compared.
Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Connecticut owners, startups included, who want an SBA 7(a) or Express loan of about $20K to $400K from a local bank.
Not for: Borrowers outside Connecticut and Massachusetts, or anyone who needs unsecured money or posted rates.
Lender List verdict: Liberty Bank CT approved 48 SBA 7(a) loans worth $10.8 million in the 12 months to June 2026, at a 9.75% median starting rate, and 22 went to startups or businesses two years old or younger. All were collateralized; pricing comes only from a banker.
Liberty Bank at a glance
| Liberty Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured savings bank (cert 17943); SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1825 / Middletown, Connecticut |
| Products | SBA 7(a) up to $5 million, including SBA Express; 10-year terms most common |
| Cost | 9.75% median starting rate (last 12 months) |
| Funding speed | About 30 days (Express) to 60 to 90 days (standard 7(a)) |
| Status | Active |
What is Liberty Bank?
Liberty Bank is a Middletown, Connecticut savings bank founded in 1825, with $9.38 billion in assets and 51 offices at June 30, 2026. Mutual holding company Liberty Financial Corporation owns it.
How Liberty Bank's SBA loans work
Liberty Bank made 27 SBA Express and 21 Preferred Lender 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 2026.
- SBA Express: typically $95,000, up to $400,000
- Standard 7(a): typically $150,000; the bank advertises up to $5 million
- Terms: 120 months on 39 of 48 loans; no prepayment fee under 15 years
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov)
Liberty Bank SBA rates and fees
Liberty Bank's median SBA starting rate was 9.75% on loans approved July 2025 to June 2026; it posts no rates, and Prime is 7.00% today. Express loans ran 11.25% (median), Preferred Lender loans 9.0%. Add the SBA guaranty fee: 3% of the guaranteed share on $150,001 to $700,000.
Worked example: a $350,000, 10-year Preferred Lender 7(a) at 9.75% costs $4,576.96 a month, or $199,235.02 in interest. The $7,875 guaranty fee lifts the APR to about 10.29%, under the SBA's 11.5% variable ceiling for this size.
Liberty Bank requirements
Liberty Bank publishes no credit, revenue or time-in-business minimum.
| Requirement | Liberty Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Size | Small under SBA size standards |
| Credit score | Lender does not publish |
| Equity injection | 10%+ for startups and business purchases |
| Collateral / guarantee | Collateral on all 48 recent loans; guarantee from 20%+ owners |
See SBA Express and SBA 7(a) lenders, or compare Lendistry and iBusiness Funding.
Frequently asked questions about Liberty Bank
Is Liberty Bank CT Legit? Yes. Liberty Bank has operated in Connecticut since 1825, is FDIC-insured (cert 17943), held $9.38 billion in assets at June 30, 2026, and is an SBA Preferred Lender. SBA data shows 10 charge-offs among the 295 7(a) loans it approved from FY2020 through June 2026.
Does Liberty Bank Offer SBA Express Loans? Yes. SBA Express made up 27 of Liberty Bank's 48 SBA approvals in the year to June 2026, from $20,000 to $400,000, typically $95,000, at a median 11.25%. Express loans are capped at $500,000 with a 50% SBA guaranty; larger loans go through Preferred Lender 7(a).
How Long Does Liberty Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Expect about 30 days for SBA Express and often 60 to 90 days to funding for a standard 7(a). Liberty Bank approves in-house as a Preferred Lender, skipping SBA review, but collateral and closing papers take time. Call (888) 570-0773 to start.
Does Liberty Bank Lend to Startups? Yes. In the year to June 2026, 17 of its 48 SBA loans funded businesses not yet open and 5 more went to firms two years old or younger, 46% in all. Expect to bring a business plan, 10%+ equity, collateral and a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Connecticut owners, startups included, who want an SBA 7(a) or Express loan of about $20K to $400K from a local bank.
Not for: Borrowers outside Connecticut and Massachusetts, or anyone who needs unsecured money or posted rates.
Lender List verdict: Liberty Bank CT approved 48 SBA 7(a) loans worth $10.8 million in the 12 months to June 2026, at a 9.75% median starting rate, and 22 went to startups or businesses two years old or younger. All were collateralized; pricing comes only from a banker.
Liberty Bank at a glance
| Liberty Bank | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured savings bank (cert 17943); SBA Preferred Lender |
| Founded / HQ | 1825 / Middletown, Connecticut |
| Products | SBA 7(a) up to $5 million, including SBA Express; 10-year terms most common |
| Cost | 9.75% median starting rate (last 12 months) |
| Funding speed | About 30 days (Express) to 60 to 90 days (standard 7(a)) |
| Status | Active |
What is Liberty Bank?
Liberty Bank is a Middletown, Connecticut savings bank founded in 1825, with $9.38 billion in assets and 51 offices at June 30, 2026. Mutual holding company Liberty Financial Corporation owns it.
How Liberty Bank's SBA loans work
Liberty Bank made 27 SBA Express and 21 Preferred Lender 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 2026.
- SBA Express: typically $95,000, up to $400,000
- Standard 7(a): typically $150,000; the bank advertises up to $5 million
- Terms: 120 months on 39 of 48 loans; no prepayment fee under 15 years
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov)
Liberty Bank SBA rates and fees
Liberty Bank's median SBA starting rate was 9.75% on loans approved July 2025 to June 2026; it posts no rates, and Prime is 7.00% today. Express loans ran 11.25% (median), Preferred Lender loans 9.0%. Add the SBA guaranty fee: 3% of the guaranteed share on $150,001 to $700,000.
Worked example: a $350,000, 10-year Preferred Lender 7(a) at 9.75% costs $4,576.96 a month, or $199,235.02 in interest. The $7,875 guaranty fee lifts the APR to about 10.29%, under the SBA's 11.5% variable ceiling for this size.
Liberty Bank requirements
Liberty Bank publishes no credit, revenue or time-in-business minimum.
| Requirement | Liberty Bank minimum |
|---|---|
| Size | Small under SBA size standards |
| Credit score | Lender does not publish |
| Equity injection | 10%+ for startups and business purchases |
| Collateral / guarantee | Collateral on all 48 recent loans; guarantee from 20%+ owners |
See SBA Express and SBA 7(a) lenders, or compare Lendistry and iBusiness Funding.
Frequently asked questions about Liberty Bank
Is Liberty Bank CT Legit? Yes. Liberty Bank has operated in Connecticut since 1825, is FDIC-insured (cert 17943), held $9.38 billion in assets at June 30, 2026, and is an SBA Preferred Lender. SBA data shows 10 charge-offs among the 295 7(a) loans it approved from FY2020 through June 2026.
Does Liberty Bank Offer SBA Express Loans? Yes. SBA Express made up 27 of Liberty Bank's 48 SBA approvals in the year to June 2026, from $20,000 to $400,000, typically $95,000, at a median 11.25%. Express loans are capped at $500,000 with a 50% SBA guaranty; larger loans go through Preferred Lender 7(a).
How Long Does Liberty Bank Take to Close an SBA Loan? Expect about 30 days for SBA Express and often 60 to 90 days to funding for a standard 7(a). Liberty Bank approves in-house as a Preferred Lender, skipping SBA review, but collateral and closing papers take time. Call (888) 570-0773 to start.
Does Liberty Bank Lend to Startups? Yes. In the year to June 2026, 17 of its 48 SBA loans funded businesses not yet open and 5 more went to firms two years old or younger, 46% in all. Expect to bring a business plan, 10%+ equity, collateral and a personal guarantee.
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
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