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.
Credit Card And Cash
Business loan strategic solutions and credit card processing are more connected than most business owners realize, and changes to either are likely to have measurable impacts on business profitability. Merchants should take advantage of profitable business loan benefits by successfully coordinating credit card processing and credit card financing. The business financing benefits will be especially noticeable if several typical credit card processing and merchant cash advance difficulties can be precluded.
Even thriving small businesses frequently need more cash than they can borrow from a bank. One of the most important commercial financing needs for any business is ensuring that short-term cash requirements are successfully met. This is frequently a difficult task.
The use of a viable business cash advance strategy has become an increasingly important commercial financing tool for many businesses faced with a potential short-term cash shortfall. However, as noted below there are a number of potential problems to be anticipated and avoided when businesses use credit card processing to seek a business cash advance.
Using Credit Card Receivables and Credit Card Processing
Most businesses have a documented sales volume and documented credit card processing activity. It is this documented level of sales volume and credit card processing activity that becomes a financial asset to the business. Business cash advances up to $300,000 can be obtained based on a merchant's sales volume and future credit card sales.
Business Loan Recommendations for Credit Card Processing and Business Cash Advances
Merchants should be aware that there are at least ten serious difficulties that they need to be prepared for before obtaining a business cash advance. These problems are described below to help businesses avoid these common merchant cash advance and credit card processing obstacles. After each potential problem is described, a suggested credit card processing and credit card receivable factoring solution is provided.
(1) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: Closing costs. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: No closing costs.
(2) Credit Card Processing and Credit Card Financing Obstacle to Anticipate and Eliminate: Fees charged up-front. Recommended and preferred credit card factoring requirement: Zero up-front fees.
(3) Credit Card Processing and Credit Card Financing Obstacle to Anticipate and Eliminate: Collateral required. Recommended and preferred credit card factoring requirement: No collateral required.
(4) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: Financial statements required. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: Financial statements required only when a large business cash advance is desired.
(5) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: Fixed payments to pay off the business cash advance. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: No fixed payments.
(6) Credit Card Processing and Credit Card Financing Obstacle to Anticipate and Eliminate: Required to pay off the business cash advance over a fixed term. Recommended and preferred credit card factoring requirement: Fixed term for repayment not required.
(7) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: 2-3 years or more in business required to qualify. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: 1 year in business.
(8) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: high credit scores (680 to 700 or higher) required to qualify. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: Credit scores of 500 or better.
(9) Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Problem to Avoid: Maximum business cash advance of $10,000 To $50,000. Preferred and highly recommended business cash advance requirement: Maximum cash advance of $250,000 to $300,000.
(10) Credit Card Factoring and Credit Card Processing Difficulty: 12 to 24 months of credit card sales required. Suggested merchant cash advance and credit card receivables requirement: Most recent six months at $5,000 or more in sales.
Can the Business Cash Advance Problems Listed Above Really Be Avoided?
Yes. There are credit card factoring programs which bypass all ten of the obstacles listed. It is unwise to accept any of these difficulties when using credit card sales to qualify for a business cash advance.
It is not likely that all ten of the described obstacles will be pertinent for all business owners. Business borrowers are likely to experience several of these problems if they are considering a business cash advance that uses credit card factoring and credit card processing.
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