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Leasing & Financing

Whether you are a business executive looking to invest in new equipment or a vendor seeking financing options for your clients, you can leverage flexible financing through First American.

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Case Studies

See firsthand how organizations have achieved their goals with customized financing from First American.

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Financing Insights for a Strong Start to 2026

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Updated quarterly, this curated page provides timely insights tailored to your industry. To succeed in a shifting economic landscape, AEC firm leaders must make strategic capital investments. Discover how First American’s custom financing solutions can help streamline operations, deliver tax advantages, and fuel sustainable growth.

 

Industry Insights

Featured Industry Insights

Financing Insights for a Strong Start to 2026

As AEC firms plan for a strong start to 2026, strategic financing is becoming essential for managing growth, technology upgrades, and evolving client expectations. By smoothing out large project investments and preserving cash for higher-value priorities, flexible financing solutions empower firms to modernize operations, accelerate digital transformation, and enter the new year with confidence.

Why Leasing Can Deliver More Value Than Ever

Leasing enhances balance-sheet liquidity, helping build cash reserves that are critical during periods of market uncertainty and provide the dry powder to pursue high-return opportunities, including M&A, without straining the balance sheet.

Operating leases can offer accounting benefits by improving FAR overhead recovery through the treatment of lease payments as operating expenses. When ownership and tax benefits are a priority, finance leases still allow firms to utilize Section 179 and bonus depreciation.

A lease can allow you to pay less than the cash purchase price for highly depreciating assets - like survey or geospatial equipment and heavily used laptops, while helping avoid other indirect costs of ownership, such as ongoing maintenance.

By smoothing spend into fixed monthly payments, leasing helps create budget consistency and improves forecasting. This is particularly valuable for software renewals with annual payments, where leasing spreads the cost over the period of use instead of requiring a large upfront payment.

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Why Leasing Can Deliver More Value Than Ever

Leasing enhances balance-sheet liquidity, helping build cash reserves that are critical during periods of market uncertainty and provide the dry powder to pursue high-return opportunities, including M&A, without straining the balance sheet.

Operating leases can offer accounting benefits by improving FAR overhead recovery through the treatment of lease payments as operating expenses. When ownership and tax benefits are a priority, finance leases still allow firms to utilize Section 179 and bonus depreciation.

A lease can allow you to pay less than the cash purchase price for highly depreciating assets - like survey or geospatial equipment and heavily used laptops, while helping avoid other indirect costs of ownership, such as ongoing maintenance.

By smoothing spend into fixed monthly payments, leasing helps create budget consistency and improves forecasting. This is particularly valuable for software renewals with annual payments, where leasing spreads the cost over the period of use instead of requiring a large upfront payment.

Commonly Financed

 

Technology Assets

AEC firms continue embracing technologies that support a hybrid work model. Leasing IT assets allows firms to stay up to date with the latest advancements and maintain a competitive edge—without incurring the upfront and ongoing costs associated with purchasing.

Examples: Laptops, networking infrastructure, secure servers, virtual collaboration tools

Software & Subscriptions Renewals

Software spending remains a growing line item within AEC IT budgets, frequently structured as 12–36-month subscription agreements. Financing software and annual subscriptions allows firms to align costs with use and avoid large upfront or annual payments.

Examples: Autodesk, Microsoft licensing, project & accounting systems, 3D BIM, Workday

Field Equipment

In order for firms to remain competitive in a technology-driven industry, investment in high-tech field equipment is critical and comes at a high cost. Choosing to finance field equipment can provide firms with lower upfront costs and better budget management overall.

Examples: Survey/geospatial equipment, LiDAR, drones, fleet vehicles, VAC trucks

Office Furniture & Leaseholds

Office renovations and reconfigurations are driving AEC firms to seek flexible funding solutions. Leasing can cover up to 100% of renovation costs, including expenses above IT allowances, and be structured to support the firm’s unique tax and cash flow objectives.

Examples: Ergonomic furniture, high-tech A/V systems, sustainable lighting, advanced security systems, construction services

Commonly Financed

Laptop with checkmark and lines.

Technology Assets

AEC firms continue embracing technologies that support a hybrid work model. Leasing IT assets allows firms to stay up to date with the latest advancements and maintain a competitive edge—without incurring the upfront and ongoing costs associated with purchasing.

Examples: Laptops, networking infrastructure, secure servers, virtual collaboration tools

Software tab and gears.

Software & Subscriptions Renewals

Software spending remains a growing line item within AEC IT budgets, frequently structured as 12–36-month subscription agreements. Financing software and annual subscriptions allows firms to align costs with use and avoid large upfront or annual payments.

Examples: Autodesk, Microsoft licensing, project & accounting systems, 3D BIM, Workday

Drone

Field Equipment

In order for firms to remain competitive in a technology-driven industry, investment in high-tech field equipment is critical and comes at a high cost. Choosing to finance field equipment can provide firms with lower upfront costs and better budget management overall.

Examples: Survey/geospatial equipment, LiDAR, drones, fleet vehicles, VAC trucks

Chairs, desk and lights.

Office Furniture & Leaseholds

Office renovations and reconfigurations are driving AEC firms to seek flexible funding solutions. Leasing can cover up to 100% of renovation costs, including expenses above IT allowances, and be structured to support the firm’s unique tax and cash flow objectives.

Examples: Ergonomic furniture, high-tech A/V systems, sustainable lighting, advanced security systems, construction services

Client Success Stories

Select a story below to explore projects we’ve financed for AEC firms.

About First American

A Preferred Lender for AEC Firm Executives

Strength & Stability

Ranked #12 among the largest bank-owned equipment leasing companies in the U.S.1

Proven Track Record

6,000+ clients nationwide, including 250+ AEC firm clients

Global Scale Security

Heightened standards and requirements as part of one of the world's top 15 global banks2

Significant Financing Volume

$2.3B in equipment leases and loans funded in 2025

About First American

A Preferred Lender for AEC Firm Executives

Strength & Stability

Ranked #12 among the largest bank-owned equipment leasing companies in the U.S.1

Proven Track Record

6,000+ clients nationwide, including 250+ AEC firm clients

Global Scale Security

Heightened standards and requirements as part of one of the world's top 15 global banks2

Significant Financing Volume

$2.3B in equipment leases and loans funded in 2025

Check out our upcoming webinar!

Join First American and Chartwell Financial Advisory for a complimentary, CPE-eligible webinar discussing present reality AE market insights, 2025 valuation recap/predictors, and 2026 market expectations through the lens of the capital markets.  

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Commercial Card Program

First American presents City National Bank's Visa® Commercial Card that allows businesses to customize their program to meet their specific needs. Used as a business credit card for everyday expenses or a purchasing card for travel and entertainment, this card program offers convenient buying power along with the ability to easily monitor and manage employee expenses online. 

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Interested in Learning More?

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Tap into the expertise of one of the country’s largest equipment finance companies.1 Tell me your business needs and we can start exploring funding options today.

1Source: 2025 Monitor 100

2Source: RBC, RBC at a Glance – Q4/2025

This has been prepared for informational purposes only and is subject to change at any time without notice. It is not intended to be used as tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult with a tax, legal, or accounting professional for guidance.