Many small businesses are falling apart and are looking for ways to keep it running. Some have considered applying for grants but it is just not reachable for the present economic times. But some banks and other institutions are considering small businesses for loans. There are items a business owner must know before applying for the loan and how to apply.
Before Hand
The owner should like up a business plan and have all financial statements readily available. A normal business plan includes the exact purpose, what is to come revenue and expense wise, and how the business will prosper with the use of the loan. All personal financial records need to be gathered. Even though personal credit and finances are separated from the business the lender needs to be ensured that have people with a good financial status to make payments. The purpose of the loan needs to be clear. A financial institution is not going to give out a loan for nothing. They need to know exactly what the loan will be used for. For most small business loans collateral is a must. Assets such as equipment or land are often used for collateral. The financial institution needs to be sure that if a loan is not paid there will be back to pay it off. Lastly, before applying for a loan the owner should be well aware of the costs and payment plan. The payment needs to fit the budget of the business or it will fall apart.
Instructions
Numerous business owners do not have a clue on how to apply for a small business loan but want to make sure it is done properly. Having the paperwork, such as financial statements, the cover letter with the purpose of the loan, accurate and organized is the first step. Reviewing and prioritizing the stacks of paperwork will show that the business owner is well organized and the financial institution will spend less time shuffling papers. The owner should not meet with only one financial institution. Financial institutions all have different loan rates and upfront costs. Researching several institutions is highly recommended. Once all the paperwork is together and several financial institutions have been selected, filling out the loan application completely should be priority. They do not want to see incomplete work and will just toss aside the application not even considering the business for a loan. Alongside the application, a cover sheet should be attached with all the company’s vital information.
Posts Tagged ‘ Personal Credit ’
Smart car buyers know the advantages of getting pre-approved for a car loan before entering a dealership. Because dealerships have shady practices that involve charging higher interest rates and fees, many people choose to secure private financing and compare various auto loan offers. One way to get a low rate on an instant car loan is to have good credit. Here are three tips on improving credit before applying for a car loan.
Auto Loan for People with Good Credit
Regardless of credit rating, almost everyone can get approved for a car loan. Auto loans are secured, thus lenders have easy lending requirements. In their mind, it’s a win-win situation. If a person with bad credit defaults on the loan, the lender simply repossess the vehicle and re-sells it. However, because individuals with bad credit are charged higher fees, lenders are able to recoup some of their loss.
Unfortunately, many auto finance companies also charge good credit borrowers higher rates and fees. Because the majority of car buyers are unfamiliar with the auto buying process, they fail to take the necessary steps to ensure a low rate.
Know Your Personal Credit Score
Many people do not know their credit score. They likely know their credit category: good, fair, bad, etc. When determining an interest rate on auto loans, lenders review credit scores. If your score is above 680, you are a prime borrower and entitled to a low rate.
However, deceitful lenders do not inform borrowers of the prime credit rating, and charge more interest. To avoid this scam, car buyers should obtain a copy of their credit report and score before applying for a loan. This way, you have an idea of the rates you may qualify for.
Boost Credit Rating
Try using one of ABC Loan Guide’s
Recommended Instant Approval Car Loan Companies.
Because instant car loan approvals are usually based on credit scores, maintaining a high or good credit rating is essential. Credit reports can be ordered and viewed online. If your score needs improvement, attempt to boost score by a few points before applying for a loan. This may entail paying bills on time, limiting number of credit inquiries, reducing debts, or settling past due accounts.
Before lenders will grant a small business loan, they want to be sure that the loan will be repaid. Every loan is a risk, but banks and brokers want to take as little risk as possible. They look for businesses that show promise, and they award loans to businesses that have solid personal and business backgrounds and are committed to the success of their businesses.
What are the first things the lender will look at? The following are the five basic items that all lenders look at before they will approve your business loan:
1. Credit history One of the primary factors lenders look at is the condition of your personal and business credit. This is generally reflected in your credit score that is obtained from the three credit reporting agencies. Your personal credit score is associated with your Social Security number, but business credit reports are tied to your tax ID number. Before you even start shopping for a loan, request a copy of your credit report from all three major reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Review it carefully and correct any mistakes before you start the application process.
2. Your investment Business loan applicants should have a reasonable amount of their own money invested in their business. Lenders want to know that you will be motivated to work hard to make your business a success. When they see that you have invested a substantial amount of your own money in your venture, they will assume that you will work hard to make it a success. The amount of your required investment may vary, but it should be at least 20% of the amount you need for the business venture.
3. Working capital Working capital consists of your current assets minus your current liabilities. Working capital can also be thought of as cash on hand or what is available to pay current debts and keep your business running. A lack of adequate working capital increases the risk that your business will fail and makes lenders much less likely to approve your loan.
4. Ability to repay Banks want to see two sources of repayment: cash flow from your business and a secondary source which is typically collateral. Lenders will look at your past and projected financial statements. They will want to see your personal financial statements, personal tax returns for the past two-three years, business financial statements for the past three years or for three projected years, and accounts receivables and payable aging. If your business has consistently made a profit or you can reasonably project a profit, you are more likely to get approved. If your business has not been consistently profitable, you can increase your chances of getting a loan by including detailed information of new opportunities, new contracts, or other information showing that your company’s future will be profitable.
Most lenders require collateral to secure the loan. Collateral is required for all SBA loans. Collateral can be business assets and personal assets. If you plan to purchase equipment and other assets with borrowed funds, these assets will be used as collateral for the loan. Lenders will also require you to personally guarantee the loan.
5. Experience and character Lenders will expect you to have experience in the type of business that you plan to run. If you do not have that experience, lenders will expect you to hire people who have experience. Even if you do not have experience in this type of business, you should at least be able to show experience in other businesses and managerial experience.
What documents will lenders require? In order to expedite the process, the following four documents should be available for the lender to review:
1. Business plan A business plan is particularly important for new businesses, as they lack a track record for lenders to review. Your plan should convey all important facts about your business in a concise manner. A professional business plan will be at least 20 pages long, plus financial projections. The business plan will include:
Balance sheets, Profit and loss statements, and Cash flow projections
from the last three years or for three years’ projections.
Accounts receivable and payables aging
breaking your receivables and payables into 30, 60, and 90-day categories.
Market data showing demand for your type of business
Research on competitors including their customer base and price points
2. Loan request This can be included with the business plan and should detail the amount of money requested, how the loan funds will be used, the type of loan, the amount of working capital you have, the collateral that will secure the loan, the personal guarantees of the loan, and how the loan will be repaid.
3. Personal financial statements You will need to provide personal financial statements for anyone who owns 20 percent or more of the business. The financial statements must include a complete schedule of assets, debts with balances due, payment schedules, maturity dates, and collateral used to secure other loans.
4. Other documents Lenders may also require articles of incorporation, taxpayer ID number, legal descriptions of real property, leases, equipment inventories with serial numbers, proof of insurance for collateralized items, and letters of intent showing that commercial accounts intend to do business with you.
What is the loan process? Some lenders like to prequalify potential borrowers to determine how much they can afford. This also gives you and your lender an opportunity to see which loan program would be most appropriate for your needs. After the lender gathers basic information and your application is received, a loan officer or processor will review your credit reports, the amount of available collateral, and your income.
The loan officer will determine if any additional documentation is required. If you are purchasing real estate, you may also need to submit preliminary environmental reports, area maps, title reports, property appraisals, and lease summaries. Next, your commercial loan package is submitted to the decision makers — either a loan committee or underwriter. During the underwriting process, you may need to furnish additional documentation.
After the underwriting process, you will receive a letter of intent or term sheet. A letter of intent or term sheet is a formal document intended to put all parties (the lender and your company) on the same page. The letter of intent will include the names of all parties, amount of financing, type of collateral, and other key terms. After all underwriting conditions are satisfied, the final loan package is resubmitted to the loan committee for final approval.
At this point, the lender will issue a final full loan commitment. If your loan is approved, you will receive closing documents and they may be handled by a title company. The title company will record deeds and mortgages, order title insurance, coordinate the exchange of funds, and arrange for you to sign the loan documents. At the closing, the lender funds the loan with a cashier’s check, draft, or electronic wire transfer.
Being prepared and organized can save time and help your loan get approved. Be prepared to have all required information ready to submit if your lender requests it.
Jo Ann Joy, Esq., MBA, CEO
The future of your business starts here!
You may contact Jo Ann by phone at (602) 663-7007, by fax at (602) 324-7582, by email at joannjoy@Indigo Business Solutions.net, and by mail at 2313 East Ocotillo Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016. I have many published articles, and I will send any article to you free of charge. Most consultations are free.
Bad credit personal loans are much easier to get today than ever. For many people they are the only way to get their credit back on the right track and get their monthly payments reduced. To get the right personal loan for you when you have bad credit, it is very important to apply to many lenders at one time. This will give you as many possible offers to look at when deciding what is best for you and your budget. These loans are very popular for those people looking to make home improvements, pay off old debt, pay off medical expenses, or just about any other reason one can think of. One of the better advantages about smaller bad credit personal loans is that you can easily rebuild your credit by paying it off quickly.
Reasons For Applying
The most common reason people apply for one of these loans is to consolidate their bills. It is very easy to get behind on credit card payments. This causes many to not be able to pay their credit cards off or at all and still keep up with monthly expenses. Bad credit can happen to anyone for any reason, death or injury to a family member, divorce, losing a job – these all can cause payments to fall behind. They are designed for people in these types of situations to help them pay off all their debt at once and have a lower monthly payment instead of many higher monthly payments.
Bad credit personal loans are perfect for those who are looking into home improvements. It is always wise to invest in your home’s equity over time. This will improve not only your house’s appearance but what it worth as well. Many homeowners will look to use one of these loans to do one or two renovations at a time. This allows for smaller amounts to be taken out and shorter repayment time. Once bad credit personal loans are paid off in fun the borrower’s credit rating can go up. This type of loan can be taken at 125% of your homes current equity, which can be very helpful for big renovations or emergency repairs or remodeling.
Another top reason for taking out bad credit loans is for medical expenses. There are many medical conditions or emergencies that insurance just will not or cannot cover. Taking out a bad credit loan to pay off these medical bills allows the borrower to make monthly payments. Often pre-existing conditions may not be covered under new insurance plans, nor are many infertility treatments. Bad credit personal loans can help people pay for these expenses without worry by using the value of their home as collateral.
No matter what the reasons people have for taking out one of these loans, they are extremely helpful for many reasons. It can help many get the things in life they otherwise could not afford up front with a low monthly payment.