As a result of an increasing commercial financing crisis, commercial borrowers are evaluating new alternatives for business finance funding. Business cash advances and credit card financing are two working capital financing options which have proven to be effective and practical sources of operating cash for small business owners.
The use of credit card financing often refers to business cash advances in which working capital is obtained by business owners based upon future credit card processing activity. Alternatively the use of personal credit cards to obtain a cash advance is also referred to as a credit card loan. With business finance funding shortages, small business owners are increasingly using both approaches to obtain operating cash for their business. The two financing approaches are not equal in terms of how they are viewed by commercial financing experts although the strategies might be called by the same name occasionally.
Many commercial lenders have suddenly reduced or cancelled business lines of credit and other forms of working capital loans. In response, many business owners have been forced to rely on cash obtained via their personal credit cards to sustain their businesses. In order to prepare for several of the most undesirable actions being taken by many credit card loan lenders, we urge all commercial borrowers to review the predatory lending discussion in The Working Capital Journal.
For business owners using or about to use personal credit cards to secure operating capital, we want to make two important comments: (1) We consider this to be a last resort method of business financing and whenever possible it should be avoided. Before assuming that this is the only source of capital available, commercial borrowers should consult with a working capital finance expert. The possibility of business cash advances and working capital loans should be thoroughly explored. (2) This questionable method of obtaining commercial finance funding will prove to be increasingly more difficult because credit card issuers are already cutting back on their unsecured lending programs.
Most banks are doing with credit cards what they have already done with business line of credit programs. They are reducing or cancelling credit lines even when borrowers have a superb payment record. The current basis for bank reductions of both commercial lines of credit and credit card cash is based on similar rationale. With unsecured commercial loans or personal loans, banks fear that massive defaults are almost inevitable due to a very shaky economy and business lending climate. Unlike residential real estate financing in which real property is pledged as collateral, banks know that they have no collateral to fall back on with working capital loans and credit card loans because they are unsecured. Many small business owners use home equity lines of credit to obtain operating cash, and these funding sources are also diminishing in most areas of the United States. Although these lending programs are backed by collateral, the value of homes in many areas has decreased to the point that many outstanding loans exceed the current property value.
One of the most disturbing and frustrating occurrences in the current difficult commercial financing environment is the lack of clear information for many business owners about which funding options are realistic and possible. Thousands of borrowers might have obtained operating cash from personal credit cards when there were better options for this one factor alone (confusion and misinformation).
Due to the growing tendency of several major credit card issuers to exhibit predatory lending practices, the use of personal credit card loans should be avoided. At a minimum, each business owner should contact a business finance funding expert to determine if a business cash advance program or a working capital loan program can be used to obtain needed cash.
Posted on May 5th, 2010 in Business finance | Comments Off
Lately, the news has not been very encouraging for business owners. The country is amidst the biggest credit crunch in its history and the federal government is making major policy changes to try and contain the problems. But credit crunch or no credit crunch, business owners still need working capital to fund the businesses.
One conventional approach is to apply for a business loan. For a long time, institutions had access to cheap money and could provide small business loans to companies without being too stringent. Unfortunately, nowadays getting a business loan is very hard. Banks require substantial collateral before providing business financing. This leaves few options for the owners of small, new or growing companies.
One alternative that has been gaining traction is factoring invoices. This is a financing option that is available to companies that sell goods to other companies and offer 30 to 60 day terms.
Most companies that engage in commercial sales face a common problem. They have to wait 30 to 60 days after invoicing to get paid. Although more established companies have enough working capital to cover this wait, growing companies usually do not. They can’t afford to wait 60 days because they need the funds to pay employees and suppliers.
Going to a client and asking for a quick payment seldom helps. Good clients, like big corporations, have set schedules for payment. Waiting to get paid is part of the cost of doing business with them.
But what would happen if your clients started paying you immediately? Would your company be in a better position to leverage opportunities? Would it still have trouble making payments to suppliers and employees? Invoice factoring can help you accomplish this.
Invoice factoring is a business financing solution that provides you with an advance for your slow paying invoices. So, instead of waiting 40 days to get paid, the factoring company gives you an immediate working capital advance using the invoices as collateral. The key to this type of financing is your invoice. Factoring is an alternative for companies that invoice businesses that have good commercial credit records.
One of the biggest advantages of accounts receivable factoring is that it’s very flexible. Most companies can get it, provided they are free from problems and have good invoices. And, as opposed to conventional financing, invoice factoring grows with your sales.
Copyright (c) 2007 Thomas Husnik
One of the challenges of getting started in any type of business structure be it corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship is getting financing to start or to maintain daily operations. Typically you will have determined what you need for starting up and maintaining operations in your business plan and will go seek a loan from commercial lenders. And the lenders are all different too. They all have different requirements and some have perks to offer for your business. But before you shop for a lender you should know what is available in the way of corporate business financing.
When shopping around for commercial loans and trying to figure out this corporate financing game, the topic of cash flow will no doubt be referred to. Cash flow is the one aspect of a business that can make it work and lack of it can destroy it. If you have any experience with business at all, you know that there will be a delay from the time a business first starts to when the invoices start getting paid. Yet during this time, the corporation still has bills and salaries to pay. Expenses also include paying suppliers just so that they can fill their own purchase orders. Try explaining cash flow to your employees when they have not been paidnot a good scenario. Or, try explaining to your supplier why you have not paid its invoices. This is why you need corporate financing.
One corporate financing option you might be offered has to do with loaning you money based upon the number of outstanding purchase orders you have. They way it works is the suppliers you use to fill your purchase orders are paid directly by the lender. This type of commercial lending program gives you cash flow because your suppliers are taken care of and you can use money for other things. Plus, you can take advantage of any supplier early payment discounts.
Another popular form of corporate financing is known as receivables factoring. How this works is a receivables factoring company will loan your corporation money based upon the value of receivables still open. Your invoices are an asset and are basically collateral for the loan. Factoring is great if a corporation does not want to incur further debt but needs a portion of the money it is owed in order to conduct day-to-day business operations. The factoring company will verify the invoices you want to factor and then loan you a significant portion of the money and hold back a small percentage. The end customer you have invoiced will actually pay the factoring company (even though the check is still made out to your company). When the invoice is paid, the amount held back is returned to your company and the factoring company takes its fees from it.
And of course there are commercial loans for your corporation that is based upon your fixed assets. These loans are secured by equipment or commercial real estate your corporation holds so you will probably get longer payment terms and lower interest.
And commercial lenders may have other programs to help you keep your cash flow at a state that is good for the health of your business without incurring a lot of burdensome debt. Shop around and get all the details before making your decision and prepare a good business plan.