Insurance and Financing Blog

Almost everyone has experienced financial problems in their life both personal and business needs. For people with good credit history, they usually rely on banks for borrowing money. Nevertheless, what is about people with bad history? Banks do not want to take risks by giving money to people with credit problems. For people with credit problems and need financial assistance, they can find a trusted loan provider to ask regarding to the type of loan that with what they need. Personal loans and Payday loans are usually filed by people who need quick cash for personal needs such as the cost of hospital care, school fees, or water and electricity bills.

People who wish to develop their business governance can also get loans with certain types. Businesspersons can submit business loans to buy some equipment at the company or for additional office rental costs. Types of loans that are most asked question is unsecured loans. Although with a nominal amount is not so much, procedures for loan application that relatively more easily become one of the reasons people choose the type of loan. However, with the number of loan providers, being more selective and cautious is one of the steps correctly to get the best company.

When it comes to financing new equipment, leasing can be the solution.

Leasing Explained

Leasing consists on hiring an asset which remains the property of the lender but can be used by the borrower. The contract lasts for a certain time at the end of which the borrower has the option to buy the asset by paying a lump sum (usually a small percentage of the asset’s value). If he chooses not to do so, the contract ends or it can be renewed by replacing the leased asset with a new one. It’s widely used for cars and business equipment, watch rugrats.

Benefits of Leasing Equipment

Leasing equipment has many benefits; it combines the advantages of renting equipment with those of possession by means of loan financing. Furthermore, the main advantage leasing provides is flexibility. Due to it’s mixed nature, most terms are subject to negotiation.

No Money Down

When buying equipment you need either to put money down or request a loan in order to purchase the equipment. When you lease, you pay monthly installments and get immediate tenure. It’s just like if you were renting the equipment only you’ll be able to acquire it if you want to at a later occasion.

Tax Benefits

When you purchase equipment, it adds up to your taxable assets. If you requested a loan in order to pay for it, you can deduct the costs, but the equipment remains your property. When Leasing, you only hold possession of the equipment, it remains property of the lender and thus, you can deduct the monthly payments and it won’t add up to your taxable assets.

Flexibility

If the equipment becomes obsolete, you can always request it to be replaced with a new one. Thus, you won’t suffer the consequences of obsolescence. You can have up to date equipment just by paying a monthly fee for it. Once you have no more use of it, disposing of it becomes the lender’s problem and not yours.

Given all the technological changes that occur everyday, chances are that you will make an excellent use of this leasing characteristic. When it comes to starting businesses and businesses in the technological field or technology dependent, leasing is definitely the best financial alternative.

Fast Approval

Since the asset remains property of the lender, leasing doesn’t have many requirements. The contract usually includes insurance policies attached to it so the lender get’s rid of certain risks related to the equipment and concentrates on its concern (financing).

Nevertheless a good credit history contributes a lot to getting a good deal on a leasing transaction. Bad Credit can increase the costs of leasing operations and since leasing is not the cheapest financial option, if you have really bad credit, it might be wise to consider other alternatives first.

—-

One recent poll asked entrepreneurs what they personally believe affects the success or failure of a startup company. The 549 founders came from all kinds of industries: computing, electronics, health care, aerospace and defense.

The top most critical success factors included learning from their mistakes and their successes, previous work experience, a good strong management team and good luck. 98 percent said prior work experience was a very important factor.

Some of the most common questions asked on the government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) website are: How do I get a small business loan … or grant? How do I get started in a business? How do I find an investor for my business? What are the interest rates, and terms or fees that the SBA requires on its Guarantee Loan program?

As small business entrepreneurs head into 2010, following are some real tried and true financial aids that can help any business grow.

Do not waste money anymore. By using good financial strategies, you can stick to the plan to help lower operating expenses. Review your expenses to make sure you are not paying double for anything. Just like public companies, review the year in quarters (Q1: January through March)and then set aside time each quarter to review your financials. You will most certainly find areas to cut back.

For example: Do you rent or lease a car or truck? Did you know that a company vehicle is best purchased because they can be depreciated on your company tax returns. Plus you’ll get a higher return on your investment after the vehicle has been paid off, than leasing. However, think about leasing your computers, which is usually a tax deduction, so that you can always trade them in for newer technology when the time comes.

Now more popular than ever before, another financial business strategy is to begin factoring your outstanding invoices. An invoice that won’t be paid for 60 to 90 days isn’t doing your company any good today. However if you find a factoring company to factor one or more of your outstanding invoices, you can use the money wisely to invest in your business and grow faster. Many factors today do what is called “single invoice factoring” where they will spot one invoice at a time.

Accounts receivable factoring is particularly helpful if you need cash in a hurry because once a factor receives your application and reviews your invoices, you can receive payment within as little as 24 to 48 hours after they have pre-qualified the vendor that owes you the money. Remember your credit isn’t checked, but the vendor that owers you the money will be pre-qualified by the factor.

Factoring companies, just like a bank or any commercial financial institution, charges a fee for its services. A factoring company will first examine your invoices and check the creditworthiness of your customers. You should be prepared to show the factor these following: 1) A current financial statement; 2) An accounts receivable aging report; 3) A certificate of incorporation or partnership; agreement; 4) Proof of insurance; and 5) Your company’s outstanding invoices and other business documents.

A factor will take charge of collecting your receivables, so they will want to make sure your customers pay their invoices on time. Once you have selected which invoices the factor will purchase, they will typically pay you an advance; for example, the factor might pay you 80 percent of the total amount of your invoices and then reimburse you the other 20 percent once your customers pays the invoices.

Factors get anywhere from 3 percent to 7 percent or more of the total they collect. Factors’ fees vary depending on the size of your invoices, your customers’ creditworthiness and the number of days (30/60/90) until the invoice is due.

Small business owners have always had a tough time obtaining financing. Simply, most small businesses just can’t qualify for conventional business loans. The requirements are too onerous – the company must have sizable assets, multiple years of profitability and many times, it’s financial statements must be audited by a 3rd party.

Most business owners consider that a business loan is their only business financing alternative. When they get turned away, they give up any hope of obtaining financing. What most small business owners don’t know is that they do have alternatives – and – many times those alternatives can work better that conventional financing.

Let’s take a common cash flow challenge. Companies that sell products or services to other businesses usually have to wait between 30 and 60 days to get paid for their services. So, they incur the expenses of delivery immediately, but then wait a long time to recoup their investment. While this is fine for companies with adequate banking reserves, it is one of the major challenges that business owners face today. As a matter of fact, few startups plan for the fact that it takes 4 to 8 weeks to get paid, which not only limits their growth opportunities, but challenges their very survival as a business.

Now, most business owners would consider that the only solution to the previous problem is to get a loan or a line of credit. But there is another option – it’s called factoring financing. Few people have heard of it, so not many owners consider it if they fail to get a business loan.

Invoice factoring offers a very simple solution to the slow payments problem. Let’s say that you sold $10,000 worth of consulting services to a company. And let’s say that they’ll pay the $10,000 in about 45 days, which is the industry average. Now, what happens if you can’t wait because you need to meet payroll or make supplier payments? Well, you could sell the invoice to a factoring company. The factoring company would buy it from you in two installments. The first installment would be for 80% of the invoice, or $8000 in the case of our example. This is paid at invoicing.

The second installment, paid to you when your client actually pays the invoice, is the remaining 20%, less a fee. Using our example, it’d be $2000 minus the cost of the factoring service.

So factoring invoices offers you the following proposition: an immediate advance of about 80% at time of invoicing, and a second advance for the reminder (less fees) at the time of actual payment.

As you can see, factoring provides the needed working capital to meet business expenses without worrying about when your client will pay. It provides you with predictable cash flow, positioning your business for growth. And qualifying for factoring tends to be relatively easy. The biggest requirement (though not the only one) is that you must have a good roster of clients.

Does your business need money now? If you are a small or medium sized business, it’s likely you are looking in different places besides banks for quick cash. Besides small business loans and credit lines, venture capitalists also offer <a title=Business factoring at Innuity Funding! rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=http://innuityfunding.com/page/1ny5k/Resources/Business_Factoring.html>business factoring</a> options, so you can keep your business running smooth.

What is <a title=Business factoring at Innuity Funding! rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=http://innuityfunding.com/page/1ny5k/Resources/Business_Factoring.html>business factoring</a>?

Factoring and discounting, otherwise known as receivables finance, where small businesses sell their invoices upfront at a discount, is the most popular of all the quick cash alternatives out there.

Business factoring is not considered a loan. It is the purchase of a financial asset i.e. a receivable, a financial transaction whereby a business sells its accounts receivables, often their invoices at a discount. Factoring is the sale of receivables differing from invoice discounting-which is considered borrowing, and the receivable is used as collateral.

Business factoring differs from a bank loan because the emphasis is on the value of the receivables- the financial asset, not the firm’s credit worthiness. Also a bank loan involves two parties whereas factoring involves three. The three people are: The Seller of the receivables, the Debtor and the Factor. The factor usually charges the seller a service charge, as well as interest based on how long the factor must wait to receive payments from the debtor.

Different Types of Factoring

Accounts receivable factoring Invoice factoring Domestic factoring Trade factoring Purchase order factoring

Factoring refers to a practice whereby you sell your receivables for a discount before they are due. Today, entrepreneurial companies offering factoring options are willing to buy creditworthy receivables from a variety of resources. Factoring isn’t cheap, you are paying for the cost of the capital, the extra risk including bad debt, and the paperwork factoring requires. But often times for businesses looking for cash, it’s becoming more of an attractive option.

Small businesses are seeking alternative routes to funding for the first time, and entrepreneurs are ready to offer them.