However, more banks nowadays are enforcing stricter rules and guidelines for giving out business loans.  Policies on approval of small business loans are now less lenient and some banks have even demanded additional requirements.

A bad credit history is one important criterion for the approval of a business loan. Like every other bank or lending institution, risk factors have to be taken into consideration before they hand you their money. The credit card services you have availed and how you paid these services are very important information for these companies because it will be their basis on the approval (or disapproval) of your request, and the rate of interest they can give you. You need at least 700 points to securely get approved.

Fortunately, there is now an easier way to get a small business loan without the fear of your own credit card history. Getting a business cash advance is a faster and less stressful option for a business loan. A business cash advance is a lending service offered to business owners who accept credit cards as payment for their goods or services. This alternative form of business loan has a shorter processing time and has lesser requirements than a bank loan. This type of small business loan is quite perfect for those emergency situations where you need a large sum of money, fast. Approval of a business cash advance usually only takes 24 to 72 hours, depending on the company. Upon approval, the money is automatically transferred to your personal account. This fast-paced business loan is usually applied for online, which is very convenient.

The requirements are quite similar to those of most lending institutions, but your credit history would not be put under strict reviews. In fact, unlike business loans from the bank, bad credit history is not that big of a deal for cash advance providers. You only need to be of legal age, have a registered business in the US, have a small business that subscribes to credit card services for payment, and have been in business for at least a year.

The payment terms for a business cash advance are, of course, different from that of a business loan from the bank. But in general, the payment terms for this lending service will greatly depend on the amount of money you will be borrowing. The higher the amount, the longer time you’ll have to pay it off. But note that interests tend to be a bit higher for this type of business loan. For banks and other big lenders, payment terms for business loans can be paid off in longer terms, usually, over a year or more. Small business loans payment in banks usually does not exceed five years.

Payment for this type of business loan can be done in one single drop or monthly. It all depends on your capability to pay, and the amount of money you borrowed. The payment terms will usually require you to pay the cash advance company each month and you will get the payment structure with the amount that they expect you to pay every month. If you can afford to pay it off all at once, the better.

Get this special small business loan now.

Lenders will usually look at your gross annual sales and revenues, credit score, checking account balances, profitability, and length of time you’ve been in business. For newbies in the business world, expect to be asked intensively about your business plans.

Your history with credit card services is a main factor for lenders. Credit information they usually look for are personal credit card debt, personal loans, liquid assets, real estate holdings, tax returns, and personal financial statements. Your personal spending habits will also be an issue, including how you use credit card services and instalment debt. If you have a good track record of all of these, then you won’t have any problems with getting you business loan approved. But what if you have bad credit history? What alternatives do you have?

The answer is getting a business cash advance in place of a small business loan.

A business cash advance is the alterative option for business owners who need emergency funding. It is ideal for business owners subscribed to credit card services and/or charge cards. Monthly payment this type of business loan is done through batched credit card sales.

Approval for this type of small business loan takes a shorter amount of time and bad credit scores won’t be too much of an issue. The processing time for cash advance application is from 24 tp72 hours only. Some cash advance lenders can lend as much as $2500 to $300,000, depending on their evaluation.

Cash advance as a small business loan is very likely to get approved as long as you pass the basic requirements for the advance. First, you’re business should have been operational for at least a year. Your company should also at least have profits of $4000 in credit card processes per month.

The difference between a business cash advance and the usual small business loan are:

(1) A business cash advance does not require a detailed financial statement. Conventional business loans require 2-3 years worth of financial statements.

(2) Audited tax returns are not required for cash advances. Business loans from banks do.

(3) You only need to provide a guarantee against fraud or intervention.

(4) Application fees are not always required for this alternative business loan.

(5)No need for high credit scores. You only need to be subscribed to credit card services.

(6) Your collateral does not have to be all of your business assets.

(7) You can opt for a flexible monthly payment.

Cash advance as a business loan allows you to do almost anything for your business. You can pay taxes or debts, buy supplies, pay your employees, make repairs or remodelling, inventory, make new marketing and promotion materials, and expand your business establishment.

The idea behind cash advance repayment is not like the payment process for a small business loan. Repayment is made by automatically debiting an agreed percentage of your credit card sales every time you batch. There are no fixed payment schedules. You will only be able to pay when you’re customers pay.

Cash advance as a small business loan is very ideal for restaurant owners, retailers, medical clinics, and other new industries. Staying afloat for small business is harder, especially with the recession, and a cash advance is a quick solution for those emergency financial situations. After all, maintaining continuous cash flow for young establishments is difficult. With cash advance as an alternative business loan, you can get cash sooner and pay your loan easier.

Every business loan is a risk for both the lender and the borrower. A promising business gives you the best chances of having your business loan request granted. Lenders will usually look at your gross annual sales and revenues, credit score, checking account balances, profitability, and length of time you’ve been in business. For newbies in the business world, expect to be asked intensively about your business plans. Your history with credit card services is a main factor for lenders. Credit information they usually look for are personal credit card debt, personal loans, liquid assets, real estate holdings, tax returns, and personal financial statements. Your personal spending habits will also be an issue, including how you use credit card services and instalment debt. If you have a good track record of all of these, then you won’t have any problems with getting you business loan approved. But what if you have bad credit history? What alternatives do you have? The answer is getting a business cash advance in place of a small business loan. A business cash advance is the alterative option for business owners who need emergency funding. It is ideal for business owners subscribed to credit card services and/or charge cards. Monthly payment this type of business loan is done through batched credit card sales. Approval for this type of small business loan takes a shorter amount of time and bad credit scores won’t be too much of an issue. The processing time for cash advance application is from 24 tp72 hours only. Some cash advance lenders can lend as much as $2500 to $300,000, depending on their evaluation. Cash advance as a small business loan is very likely to get approved as long as you pass the basic requirements for the advance. First, you’re business should have been operational for at least a year. Your company should also at least have profits of $4000 in credit card processes per month. The difference between a business cash advance and the usual small business loan are: (1) A business cash advance does not require a detailed financial statement. Conventional business loans require 2-3 years worth of financial statements. (2) Audited tax returns are not required for cash advances. Business loans from banks do. (3) You only need to provide a guarantee against fraud or intervention. (4) Application fees are not always required for this alternative business loan. (5)No need for high credit scores. You only need to be subscribed to credit card services. (6) Your collateral does not have to be all of your business assets. (7) You can opt for a flexible monthly payment. Cash advance as a business loan allows you to do almost anything for your business. You can pay taxes or debts, buy supplies, pay your employees, make repairs or remodelling, inventory, make new marketing and promotion materials, and expand your business establishment. The idea behind cash advance repayment is not like the payment process for a small business loan. Repayment is made by automatically debiting an agreed percentage of your credit card sales every time you batch. There are no fixed payment schedules. You will only be able to pay when you’re customers pay. Cash advance as a small business loan is very ideal for restaurant owners, retailers, medical clinics, and other new industries. Staying afloat for small business is harder, especially with the recession, and a cash advance is a quick solution for those emergency financial situations. After all, maintaining continuous cash flow for young establishments is difficult. With cash advance as an alternative business loan, you can get cash sooner and pay your loan easier.

You can generally categorize banks into: 1) 10% that are actually making small business loans now and are serious about doing so, 2) 70% who will talk to you directly and indicate they are not making small business loans at this time because of the economy, and 3) 20% that slap you on the back, invite you in, and readily take your application. It is the latter group that gives us the most heartburn. It is not unusual after the initial review of your application papers for a bank represented to signal you have a good chance. Overjoyed, you begin to make plans, including executing contracts and receiving quotes for inventory, raw materials, or merchandise. Two months later, after the fourth loan committee review, you get a call that they have decided not to make the loan. The reason has little if anything to do with credit. It is typically something that was never been mentioned before and after reflection, it seems like an excuse not to make the loan in the first place.

Loan brokers such as myself are victims of the same misleading behavior. I cannot tell you how many banks have looked me in the eye and said: “Sure, we are making lots of loans. For unsecured loans of $75,000 to $150,000, we just need a credit score above 680, in business for over a year and a half, and decent financials. Real estate security is not required. We would love to entertain your applications.” Right.

What they really do is pour over the applications and pick 1 out of 100 that has the following fantasy credentials: a platinum credit score that Bill Gates would be proud of and which could support a small country, gushing positive cash flow, little competition, executed contracts stacked high on your desk, then a booming market niche. In other words, someone who doesn’t need the loan in the first place. You know the old adage: banks only give money to people who don’t need it.

It is simply psychology 101. Banks are filled up with loan officers and they have to show they are busy. If their boss walks into their office and sees nothing on their desk, they might be laid off. They have to show they are busy earning their salaries, which means receiving applications and going through the review process. It’s gotten so bad that the other day we had a client whose grandfather helped found the bank, whose father was best friends with the president, and who had received two successful loans before. Even he was turned down. Nor do they tell you the large SBA commercial loan department job layoffs of employees throughout the nation.

To prevent being too caught in this trap, look your banker in the eye and ask these questions:

1) “Tell me honestly. I don’t want to waste your time or mine. I know the credit crunch is quite depressing and there is really no secondary market. Are you actually entertaining small business loans at this time or should I wait.”

2) “How many small business loans have you personally made in the last 30 days?”

3) “What are the loan terms of the last three loans you made, including interest rate and monthly payments, for the amount of loan I am seeking?”

4) “How long will it take before I get a definitive answer?”

5) “Can you briefly describe to me the process I have to go through to get the final approval? Will you be the one making the final decision? What other people superior to you or committees will make that decision?”

But do not despair. There actually are real live prime lenders out there making small business loans. They just need to know where to look. In the next article I will discuss if such loans are available to startups.

A Majority of Banks Are Changing Their Small Business Lending Standards

Most small businesses agree that even in the last 6 months they have felt the affects of the credit crisis. The problem is the domino affect of this crisis: since banks don’t have money to lend, small businesses cannot borrow money to expand, pay bills or payroll- which then affects employees of small businesses.

Franchises of larger businesses are also feeling the pinch.

Rescuing Starts at the Top No Immediate Assistance for Small Businesses

Since the government is concerned with helping the big players first, small businesses can’t get the immediate help they need. The government can’t realistically help out every small business in the ways they are assisting big businesses right away. Time is money of course and small businesses lose more than larger businesses every day that they can’t get financial assistance.

Without Small Business Lending , Small Businesses Make Sacrifices

Because there isn’t the normal financial cushion helping businesses have a little wiggle room, all expenses must be taken into consideration. This may include cutting big expenses in a small company. This sadly, may include:

EmployeesHealth Insurance Moving Full Time Employees To Part Time Positions Cutting bonuses or severance pay

If you are like many, who wanted to start their own business and haven’t yet, it may be wise to hold out. Taken into the consideration that 98% of all brand new start up businesses fail, you may just want to hold onto that money a bit longer, until things sort them selves out. Otherwise, if you are ready to take the plunge and nothing is going to hold you back, take your friend’s advice, listen to other small business owners and seek out investors that you trust. Looking for small investors over banks me be intimidating, but the investor may see the potential that other banks who are skittish already may not.

You may also be spending more by accepting only cash and check payments in your business. The processing of cash and checks has been found to be more costly, requiring more manpower in handling. Studies have shown that the average processing cost of credit card payments is only 2.7% of a transaction while the average processing cost of checks is 4% of a transaction and the average processing cost of cash is 4.8% of a transaction. Once again, you are leaking profits by refusing to accept credit card payments.

So how do you accept credit card payments in your business? This is where credit card services come in. The old route is to apply for a merchant account in a bank. You will then have to lease the software and equipment necessary to actually process payments and send the data to your account. If you want to accept credit card payments online, you need to apply to a payment gateway that allows real time credit card authorization for online transactions. You should ensure that your payment gateway is compatible with the bank or financial institution where you have your merchant account, and with the software and equipment you have leased.

In choosing the bank or financial institution for your merchant account, consider their expertise in combating fraud and reducing chargebacks. Also make sure that they are experienced in handling merchant accounts with online transactions.

If you are a small business owner, stick to a bank or financial institution that caters to small businesses rather than large companies. You may be able to get better rates and packages designed for your specific niche.

There are options for credit card services that offer everything you need in one easy package. You will not have to deal with various entities or go through various procedures. Often, these options also have added benefits, among them, quick reporting on your credit card sales figures. They may also offer interest on your credit card sales income, even up to money market rates.

One very important feature of your credit card services that you may not know of is that it can automatically qualify you to avail of small business loans. Once you have established a record of sales through credit, most credit card services will allow you to make cash advances that are practically like getting previously approved small business loans without having to put up any required collateral. The credit card services consider your future income through credit card sales as your collateral. This can go a long way in further growing your business.

Payment will not be a problem, either. For as long as you have sales through credit payments, you automatically get to pay your small business loans. It does not matter how much your sales are. Your payments are automatically deducted as a percentage of your sales. You are always covered.

Now do you still need further convincing on the benefits of credit card services for your business?

PLAN A

Know yourself. Before approaching a bank or any other lender, be sure you know your own history in terms of personal credit. Is your credit history good or bad? Due to the current recession, you can be sure to see that banks have become more strict in reviewing records before making any decision for business loans. You can obtain your credit history from companies like TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax via fax, mail or online.  Also, be sure to check if the records are right. Companies with credit card services sometimes make errors in logging cancellations or adjustments to your credit limit. These misreported transactions in the past  may appear as available credit to the bank.

Prepare a competitive business presentation. A good presentation should initially be able to make the bank understand what you plan to do with the money and not simply WHY you need the money. Remain objective in your explanations and try not to attach too much personal reasons in your answer. The bank’s concern is not with you, but with the money they will give you. A cash flow projection will be of good help during your presentation because the bank can quickly assess the benefits and risks for them. However, a cash flow projection is different with a cash flow statement. The projection is an expectation on how money will come in and out, while a statement shows how money arrives and leaves the business. You can make a projection on a monthly basis over one year for a better outlook of your expectations for the business.

Prepare other documents. You may need to present other documents like a credit rating report. Though this is not an actual requirement, it will still be useful for the bank to know your loan payment history and other dealings with other credit card services. After all, most banks only approve businesses that are able to accept credit cards.

Get to know the bank. It is also important to do a little research on your lender’s point of view. Again, the first question in the bank’s mind is, “what are you going to do with our money?” The second question would be, “Why should we risk our money for your business?” Providing the bank with the right answer boosts your chances of getting that business loan by more than 50% of the time.

Bear important facts. You need to be honest to the bank on certain areas like, how much money are you willing to put in to the business, the collateral you currently have, and how much do you really know about the industry you’re planning to venture in. Enduring the bank that you’re not completely in the dark on your planned business will somehow put their minds at ease with regards to the loan they will be giving you.

PLAN B

If all else fails with the bank, do not despair. There are other means of acquiring small business loans for yourself. Many business cash advance companies are now available to serve you. Borrowing money from these companies are relatively easier than getting one from a bank. They will review your credit record but they are less strict in terms of seeing a few bad records on your history. With a business cash advance, you will be able to start your own small business, expand, pay off debt or taxes, and get emergency funding. However, make sure that the company you will be applying to is legitimate with negotiable terms with payment.

Good luck!

Fortunately, there is now an easier way to get a  small business loan without the fear of your own credit card history. Getting a business cash advance is a faster and less stressful way of getting and paying off a business loan. A business cash advance is a lending service offered to business owners who accept credit cards as payment for their goods or services. It has a shorter processing time and you can even do the transaction online. This is ideal for those time-dependent money problems you naturally experience with your business. It usually only takes a few days to a week to have your request processed and approved, with the money transferred to your own account. All you need to do is fill out their forms (available online) and qualify for their basic requirements.

The requirements are quite similar to those of most lending institutions, but your credit history would not be put under too strict reviews. In fact, unlike business loans from the bank, bad credit history is not that big of a deal for cash advance providers. You only need to be of legal age; have a registered business in the US; have a small business that processes credit cards for payment; and have been in business for at least a year. You can use the money to start or franchise your own business, refinance a business debt, buy new equipment or purchase goods, and pay of f debt or taxes.

The payment terms for a business cash advance is, of course, different from that of a business loan from the bank. But in general, the payment terms for this lending service will greatly depend on the amount of money you will be borrowing. The higher the amount, the longer the term period. For banks and other big lenders, payment terms for business loans can be paid off in long term or short term. Small business loan payment in banks usually does not exceed five years.

Payment terms for business cash advance canbe instant or can be done on a monthly basis, it all depends on your capability to pay, and the amount of money you borrowed. The payment terms will usually require you to pay the cash advance company each month and you will get the payment structure with the amount that they expect you to pay every month. If you can afford to pay it off all at once, then the better.

A business cash advance is a great way to fund your small business because it is convenient and easy to apply for. All you need now is to choose a legitimate cash advance lender to get started.

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.

First, you need to set up your home based business. Do your research on the type of business you want to establish. Find out what licensing and zoning requirements you need to meet and ensure that you meet them all. Do not attempt to cut corners here.

Get the services of an accountant, even if only on a consultancy basis, to help you set up your books and records correctly from the start. Ask for help in determining deductions so that you can plan on your business expenses. Establish a routine for keeping strict records of all income and expenses right from day one. Keep all business related receipts, invoices, client records, bank statements, bank deposit slips and canceled checks.

Being home-based, you need to set aside a particular place in your home just for your business. Make sure it can accommodate all the necessary equipment. Check that you have the appropriate electrical outlets and have them installed if needed to avoid overloading your system. Set up rules to keep the area insulated from household noise and disturbances.

Have a business phone installed that is separate from your residential line. Avoid having your children answer the business line. Install an answering machine to take calls when you are out or occupied.

Get a post office box so that you can use that address in your official stationery and other documents, keeping your business profile professional. Hold client meetings in rented conference rooms or set business meetings in good restaurants.

One of the most important steps in setting up your home-based business is to acquire credit card services that will enable you to accept credit card payments and debit card payments. These credit card services provide all the necessary software and hardware for you to be able to process payments in person, online or by phone. This step alone already expands the customer base that you can access.

Credit card services will also serve you well once your home-based business begins to feel the need for additional capital. When you need to get small business loans, you will not have to approach banks which are most likely not sympathetic to small home-based businesses.

The need for small business loans usually comes when the home-based business is already at least a year old. At such time, your home-based business would have created an average monthly credit card sales record with your credit card services company. You can refer to that when you approach your credit card services company for small business loans, sometimes called cash advances.

Credit card services do offer small business loans to their clients based on average monthly credit card sales, without the need for any collateral. The aforementioned average monthly credit card sales guarantee your company’s capability to pay the small business loans. Payments will be automatically deducted as a percentage of future credit card sales. This arrangement frees you from worrying about the amortization for your small business loans, too.

As soon as you pay up your small business loans completely, you are automatically eligible for new small business loans for as long as your home-based business is getting a good monthly average in credit card sales. With the help of credit card services, you can continue to expand and grow your home-based business.

To qualify, companies should be private enterprises that are for-profit. They should have up to five hundred employees only and should be at least two years old. Furthermore, they should be able to prove financial need with a twenty percent decrease in sales, revenue or working capital. On the other hand, they should be able to prove that one of their two years in business has been profitable, and that with the infusion of cash they will be able to meet their existing and future debt obligations. This means positive cash flow projections. The ARC small business loans are intended to be used to pay outstanding debt such as payables to vendors.

For this batch of small business loans, there are no fees or costs involved, except if the borrower defaults on the loan later. In that case the SBA-approved lender can charge costs for securing and liquidating collateral.

The ARC small business loans also do not charge interest. Actually, the SBA pays the interest for the borrowers. Disbursement of the loan can take as much as six months but payment of the principal is also deferred for the next 12 months. After that, the borrower has five years to repay the loan principal.

Each small business can only avail of one ARC loan. SBA-approved lenders will offer the loans until September 30, 2010 or until available funds run out, whichever comes first.

There are, however, an estimated 30 million small businesses in the United States and only 10,000 of them can avail of the government’s small business loans. What if you do not happen to be among the 10,000 lucky recipients? How will your small business survive?

There are even doubts being raised on whether as much as 10,000 businesses can indeed avail of the ARC loans. There are fears that there may not be enough lenders willing or able to participate in the program. Lenders will have to advance the full amount of the loan, will not receive payment on principal for a full year, and will not be able to charge any fees, thereby absorbing all administrative costs. This may be too steep for many lenders. They may not be able to afford to participate at all.

This is where you as a small business owner can and should maximize your credit card services. We are not talking about your personal credit card services here. Instead, we are referring to the merchant services that enable your small business to receive credit card  and debit card payments. Surely, any business these days avails of these types of credit card services. After all, more people pay by credit card or debit card rather than cash.

Most credit card services offer small business cash advances that can be as substantial as small business loans. These small business loans do not require any collateral because they are secured by your company’s future credit card receivables. This is even more convenient for your business because repayment is also built into those receivables. Credit card services automatically deduct a percentage from your income to go toward loan repayment. For as long as you have incoming sales, you can support your loan. Interest rates are often quite affordable considering how the loan can help your business.

Small businesses should therefore look into maximizing these credit card services for small business loans. The survival of your business could hinge on this.