Posts Tagged ‘Loan’
What is an SBA Business Loan?
An SBA business loan is a debt instrument provided by you to by a lending institution that has been guaranteed by the United States government through the Small Business Administration. Many entrepreneurs wrongly think that it is the federal government that grants the loan. This is not the case. With an SBA loan, the government essentially acts as your cosigner for the loan. In the event that you default on the business loan, the US government will provide the bank with a reimbursement for the loan. As such, banks love to make SBA loans as they present very little risk to the bank, provide small business owners with the capital that they need, and increase activity in community bank branches – all while making a nice profit for themselves.
Applying for an SBA business loan is a difficult process despite the fact that the only limitations regarding who can apply is that you must be of good moral character (ie. no criminal record) and an American citizen. You should be immediately aware that receiving approval from the SBA to receive a loan is a difficult process and can take anywhere from 45 to 180 days depending on how well you have prepared the appropriate documentation and business plan for the business loan.
The documentation required to obtain a business loan that is backed by the SBA is significantly larger than that of a conventional business loan. Additionally, there are several different SBA loan programs that are available to you depending on your borrowing needs. These loan programs include, but are not limited to:
SBA 504 Loan
SBA 7(a) Loan
Express Program Loans
Military Veteran Business Loans
Rural Business Loans
Micro Business Loans
When determining which SBA loan is right for you, you should always consult with a properly trained accountant or financial advisor that can take into account your entire business and personal financial situation.
LookingforBusinessLoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking start up business loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking a for business loan.
Businesses Turn to Merchant Cash Advances as Business Loan Alternatives
Even as the economy begins to turn around, banks remain hesitant to extend credit to small businesses. After a lengthy application process and rigorous audit of the business’s financial documents, many business owners are coming up short in finding the capital they need to grow their business. Without stellar credit and healthy financials, your chances of getting access to capital from traditional funding sources are slim.
Many retail business and restaurant owners have turned to the business cash advance as an alternative. The cost of the funds is typically higher than what banks would charge, but it comes with certain benefits:
- The application process is very simple. There is minimal paperwork required. Pre-approvals can be provided within 24 hours, and funding often takes place within 5 – 7 business days.
- Approval rates for qualified applicants are as high as 90%.
- Good personal and business credit isn’t required.
- There is no need to pledge any assets or collateral (business or personal) in order to secure funding.
- The methods by which advances are paid back make repayment very flexible. A percentage of the business’s future credit card sales, typically between 10% and 20%) are withheld by the merchants credit card processor and applied towards the balance of the advance. A slow month in credit card sales results in a lower amount paid back towards the advance. This makes it easier to cope if business slows down a bit.
- Businesses typically qualify to receive an additional advance before the first advance is entirely paid off. This varies case by case, but once the balance is down to about 50%, many merchants qualify for additional funds.
There are many merchant cash advance providers out there. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Companies like Sure Payment Solutions are able to find the right match for each business based on each owner’s particular situation and needs. Visit www.surepaymentsolutions.com. to learn more.
Our management team has a combined 20 years of experience in the merchant funding and credit card processing space.
Business Line of Credit Versus Business Loan
The primary difference between a Business LOC and a business loan is that with a credit line you can draw down the principal as needed rather than taking on a debt obligation as one lump sum. You only pay interest on the portion of the credit line that you have drawn down. Additionally, with a Business LOC you are able to repay the principal of the credit facility and reuse it again at a later time. A business line of credit works very similar to that of a credit card with the exception that it is to be used for business purposes rather than personal purchases.
Additionally, Business LOC facilities typically do not have a plastic card associated with their usage. In most situations, the borrower (you) are given a series of checks as if the credit line were a checking out with a finite balance. Each time that you need to drawn down the Business LOC you can write a check to a supplier, vendor, or to yourself (to be deposited into your operating account). This allows you tremendous flexibility when using a Business LOC.
In the case of a business loan, you are granted the full amount of the applied for credit once approved. In this case, you are required to pay interest on the full borrowed amount even if you are still waiting to use some of the debt proceeds. This is the benefit to a business line of credit versus a business loan. However, much like business loans, Business LOC can be applied for in a similar manner. The SBA has a number of programs that allow small business borrowers to acquire business lines of credit as if they were business loans.
If you do not intend to use all of the capital you require for one major purchase then using a Business LOC may be in your best interest. As we advise everyone, you should always speak to a qualified business accountant (who has a CPA designation) to determine which credit facility is most appropriate for you.
Business LOC is a specially designed website for entrepreneurs that are seeking to raise capital for their startups, small businesses, and expanding existing businesses. The focus of the site is on Business Lines of Credit.
When Bad Credit Spoils Your Chances At A Small Business Loan
Bad credit is one of the main reasons for bank loan denial. A credit score lower than 580 will most likely ruin your chances for a business loan. Multiple credit checks also lessens your chances for approval. And of course, a recent file for bankruptcy will ensure denial on your request.
Fortunately, there is no reason for despair if you belong to this group of people. There are now available alternatives for getting a small business loan, regardless of your bad credit. It is important, however, that you understand your circumstances before jumping into these alternative means for a business loan.
You can opt for an unsecured personal loan in such cases. But before you do, consider these factors first. One, how much do you need as a business loan? Factor in the numbers and come to a close estimate of how much you really need. Two, how much can pay each month. You have to note that personal business loans often have higher interest rates per month and if you’re not careful, you might become more in debt than you actually were, before the business loan. And three, will you be making minimum payments? Avoid making minimum payments because it actually costs more in the long run.
A business cash advance is also one way of securing the money you need. A small business loan through cash advance is relatively an easy process to go through as compared to borrowing money from a bank. Most small business, even if they do have good credit, have often little asset and property. This is what makes business cash advances a good alternative for small entrepreneurs in need of immediate money. The only important thing your business should have is access to credit card services (i.e. you accept credit cards for transactions). You just need to have your business’ credit scores established. The best way to do this is to separate your personal credit from your business credit. It is recommended that you control most, if not all, of your business credit needs from only one of two credit card service providers so you have better chances at getting approved quickly. Lastly, your business will need to have gained $2,500 to $4,000 as minimum credit card sales per month.
Most cash advance providers base the amount of business loans by average monthly credit card sales, and of course, your actual need for capital. A business cash advance as a business loan is recommendable because the processing time for approval of your business loan can be as short as 3 days. Since newly opened small businesses encounter a lot of time constraints with suppliers and clients, easy and immediate access to additional funding is always a plus. Furthermore, cash advance as a small business loan now comes easy with the help of the internet. You can apply for a business cash advance online and have it approved the next day. The business loan will be directly deposited into your account once it is approved.
Use your small business loan to purchase new equipment, marketing, pay debt or taxes, or pay the payroll. Banks and big lending companies are now not the only way of getting a small business loan for your immediate business needs. Fast, online cash advance is now the new means of making your business grow and compete in whatever market you are thriving on.
Advanced Merchant Services
Contact Name: Roger Inman
P.O. Box 1475 Safety Harbor, FL 34691
Bus: 727-642-3606
Bus Fax: 877-413-6067
E-mail: rinman3@tampabay.rr.com
Website: www.bankcardprocess.com
What is a Small Business as per 7a SBA Loan Rules?
According to the Small Business Administration, companies that can qualify for the 7a SBA loan must meet certain small business size standards. These standards vary greatly by industry, but the general rules of thumb are as follows:
Farming businesses must not have revenues exceeding $750,000
Building contractors can have a maximum revenue of $14,000,000
Retail and service businesses can have maximum revenue of $7,000,000
Heavy construction trades and industries have maximum revenues of $33,500,000.
Additionally, there are headcount tests regarding the number of people that work for your business. For wholesale trade industries, the maximum number of employees is 100 while manufacturing firms can have a maximum of 500 employees. However, these rules are not hard and steadfast. The SBA and its associated lenders understand that revenues can fluctuate as can the personnel summary of your firm. As such, it is imperative that you speak to you 7a SBA loan representative to determine whether or not your meet the standards discussed above. However, as many entrepreneurs seek to use this type of credit facility for starting a new business then the standards discussed above typically do not apply to your business. If your business becomes highly successful and requires additional capital then you may start to require traditional business loan financing rather than debt through programs like the SBA 7a Loan.
It should also be noted that based on inflation and industry trends, the Small Business Administration regularly reviews and updates its business eligibility standards based on revenues and personnel numbers of businesses across a number of different industries. If you are having trouble determining whether or not your existing business qualifies for a 7a SBA loan then you should speak directly to a SBA representative, your banker, or your accountant.
7aSBALoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking SBA 7a Loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking for a
Business Loan Brokerages: Pros and Cons
You may be aware of this, but there a number of firms that can actively assist you as you looking for business loan. These firms are commonly known as loan brokerages. They work in a very similar capacity to that of a mortgage brokerage firm but with a specific focus on business loans. However, before engaging a business loan brokerage you should be aware of a few things. Like with any industry, there are a number of unscrupulous firms and individuals that seek to take advantage of people that are not privy to how the industry works. In regards to loan brokerages, you should be wary of any firm that requires substantial upfront fees before assisting you with obtaining a business loan. However, some of the fees presented by a loan brokerage can be reasonable. For instance, fees for business plan development and credit reports should be reasonable while several thousand dollar retainers for simply taking on a project are not. When working with a business loan brokerage you should always perform your own due diligence. Does this firm have references? Are they are member of the Better Business Bureau? What is their success rate?
Once you find a firm that you want to work with when looking for business loan then it is time to begin negotiating the fees. Typically, most business loan brokerages charge a fee ranging from 2% to 10% of the successfully raised capital. Again, this is subject to negotiation. If you have a substantial amount of collateral, an excellent credit score, and a solid business plan then the fees should be lower as your chances of obtaining a business loan are much higher than people that do not have the same qualities.
One of the pros of working with a business loan brokerage is that you can quickly receive a number of loan offers from a number of banks and lenders within days of submitting your formal application. Additionally, the business loan brokerage can assist you immensely with developing the appropriate application and business plan so that your business loan request can be processed faster than if you did it on your own.
One of the primary negatives to working with a loan brokerage is that they can charge substantial fees for their services. However, these fees can be justified if the loan brokerage is legitimate and able to secure a business loan on your behalf.
LookingforBusinessLoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking start up business loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking a for business loan.
How Does a Business Loan Work?
A business loan is an agreement between your business and a lender in which you agree to pay an interest rate on a specific amount of capital borrowed over a specified period of time. As we have discussed earlier, a business loan works very much in a similar fashion to a mortgage. You are lent money and required to pay back the principal and interest. However, there are a number of differences between business loans and other types of loans. As we saw earlier, business loans often come with a substantial number of covenants. These covenants act as a guide of factors that your business must adhere to throughout the life of the loan. Sample covenants include, but are not limited to:
Maintaining profitability
Maintaining a positive cash flow that exceeds the interest and principal repayment by a certain factor.
Maintaining the value of collateral
A stringent use of how the business loan is to be used.
Maintaining a strong credit score (both for the business and personally).
Banks and finance companies have a wide range of latitude when determining whether or not to make a business loan, how the loan proceeds can be used, the interest rate, and the repayment period. Of course, like with anything in this world, you are free to reject an offer proposed by a lending bank. The only factor that cannot be taken into account when making a credit decision is someone’s race, religion, or other similar characteristics.
In regards to the mechanics of the business loan, a bank or finance company can issue the funds in a number of different ways. First, they could simply write you a check to be deposited into your bank account. However, this is become less frequent as banks want to ensure that the usage of debt funds is in accordance with how you said you would use them. In a different scenario, you could have the bank make purchases of items on your behalf. For instance, if you took out a $50,000 loan to buy a piece of business machinery, then the bank very may well directly pay the vendor for the equipment rather than you paying the vendor. This ensures the bank that the funds have been used appropriately and that the proper collateral is in place.
LookingforBusinessLoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking start up business loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking a for business loan.
Credit Scores and Looking for A Business Loan
As has been one of the topics discussed throughout these articles, credit scores are extremely important when applying for business loans. With lending standards tightening among all banks and financial institutions, it is imperative that you have a credit score that implies that you are a worthy credit risk. A credit score is calculated based on a number of factors including your past payment history, your current debts, how long you have had credit, and whether or not you have any delinquent accounts. Today, most lenders want to see a credit score above 680 if they are going to grant you a business loan.
When looking for business loan, you should pull all three of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian). Each bureau maintains its own records so it is important to ensure that the information on each of your reports is correct. Most banks now look at all three different reports to make sure that there are no discrepancies.
If your current credit is not in a good state then you may want to talk to your accountant or a properly licensed credit counselor before applying for a business loan. They will be able to assist you in making appropriate decisions regarding how you can improve your credit score so that when you do apply for a business loan – you will have no issues pertaining to your credit.
As we have discussed earlier, if you have an outstanding business project that needs financing but you do not have an appropriate credit score then you may want to seek alternative methods of finance. This can include bootstrapping your business or seeking equity investments from private investors. You may also want to go to familiar sources such as family and friends as potential lenders/investors in your business venture.
Using the SBA 7a Loan for a Business Acquisition
One of easier ways of becoming an entrepreneur is to acquire a business that has already been established by someone else. The risks related to acquiring a business are significantly lower than starting a business from scratch. Established businesses already have customers, an operating history, and hopefully profits as well. Additionally, obtaining a business loan for the acquisition of a business (while more paperwork) is usually easier than obtaining financing for a startup. This primarily due to the fact, again, that the risks are lower.
The 7a SBA loan can be used for business acquisition purposes. As we have discussed before, the flexibility of this loan can allow you to finance varying parts of the acquisition differently. Prior to applying for a SBA guarantee, you should see if the business for sale has been preapproved for a SBA loan. If a business broker is involved then the broker may have acquired pre-approval from the SBA so that the transaction can happen more quickly. Additionally, a business broker will have generally assembled much of the paperwork required by the bank and the SBA in order to render both a lending and a guarantee decision.
From time to time, business owners that are selling their businesses will already have a business plan in place showcasing the necessary components of the business and the owner’s anticipation of how the business will grow over the next three to five years. This business plan is generally modified by the incoming owner based on the ideas that the new owner will implement once the business has been acquired.
Whenever you intend to acquire a business, it is imperative that you complete your due diligence. Prior to applying for a 7a SBA loan, your accountant should thoroughly review the profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheet of the prospective business to ensure that they are factually correct and match the business’ tax returns.
7aSBALoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking SBA 7a Loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking for a
Business Plans for the 7a SBA Loan
In addition to filling out the 7a SBA loan application, you will also be required to present your lender with a business plan that explains what you intend to do with the loan funds, the anticipated financial results of your business, and what service/product your company offers. According to SBA lending professionals and experts, your business plan is about 33% of the ultimate decision of whether or not to lend to a small business.
As we have discussed in other articles, if you have having trouble developing your business plan then you may need to hire a business plan consultant that can assist you with this process. This is especially important if your small business operations on a more local basis as local demographic research, local competitive analyses, and local economic analyses will need to be completed. Banks and finance companies, given the current economic climate, now always verify the information in full on any given loan submission document including the business plan and formal loan application.
There is no wrong or right way to write a business plan. However, any business plan that you create should have the following components according to the SBA:
A detailed executive summary
An overview of the Owner(s) of the business.
The anticipated financial results for the business over a three year period.
Usage of 7a SBA loan funds.
Personnel overview and an overview of the corporate organization
A highly detailed marketing plan
A description of the products/services that are selling to the general public.
Previous operating history (if available)
In the even that you are seeking to acquire an already established company then you should have that business owner provide you with all of the necessary financial documentation related to the previous operations of the business so that it can be put into your business plan. A certified public accountant will be able to do this for you if you are unable to do so on your own.
7aSBALoan.com is a specialty website that provides content that focuses on the needs of small business owners and people seeking SBA 7a Loans. We encourage you to visit our website if you are looking for a