Tag Archives: history
How to Borrow Money, Part 2
Debt Financing
Debt financing means borrowing money that must be paid back over a period of time, usually with interest. It can be a short-term: less than a year and a long-term more that a year. You do not relinquish any ownership rights by taking a loan and limited by obligation of paying a loan back with interest. This is why loan for new businesses usually secured by one or more of the following: owners personal guarantee, real estate, company assets, etc.
The disadvantage comparing to the equity financing is that you must make scheduled payments regardless of your companys financial situation.
Debt sources can be divided into two groups: non-professional such us relatives, friends, and employees, etc. and professional such as banks, credit unions, etc.
Financial Institutions, by themselves, traditionally provide short term financing for small and mid size businesses: line of credit, equipment loan, etc. Long term loans in many cases guaranteed by the Small Business Administration loan program that helps leverage out risk for financial institutions.
There are some pros and cons in both Equity and Debt Financing. The best capital structure will depend on many different factors. For more sophisticated cases I suggest to hire a seasoned Financial Consultant.
Points the borrower usually evaluates before you giving the money:
1. How good is your credit history
2. Do you a solid collateral
3. Will you be able to repay the loan
4. Does your management team have enough management experience
Your personal financial situation while starting a business
It is always a good idea to build your personal credit history. In the beginning your business does not have any credit history and lender will use your personal data to evaluate a loan terms. Order you personal report to see where you stand and check it for any unexpected errors.
Work with your personal budget. You need to understand that usually you will not be able to take any cash from new business for a while. Make sure that you have enough money to start you business venture and enough money to pay you bills until business will become cash producing.
Put together projections and classify your future business expenses. Some of the expenses will be one-time costs such as the fee for incorporating your business; some will be ongoing such as inventory, insurance, etc.
There are two types of expenses: variable such as inventory, sales commission, etc. and fixed such as rent, utilities, etc. If you feel that you do not have enough expertise to do budgeting and forecasting it might be a good idea to hire a professional to do that.
Yury Iofe, MBA
Universal Business Structured Solution
More educational resources by Yury Iofe:
www.ubssolution.com
Loans: 4 Keys To Better Loans and a Better Credit Score! (Page 1 of 2)
How you manage loans impacts your FICO score more than any other factor in your credit history. It’s true, you are scored heavily on the kinds of loans you have, how many months or years you have had those loans, how much you owe, and your repayment history, are key clues that credit bureaus use to arrive at your credit score. If you can wisely manage your loans, you will add points to your credit score quickly. Here are 4 key tips…
1. When the time is right you should try to refinance your high interest loans.
If you have high interest rate loans, especially on big ticket items like a motor vehicle or home mortgage and interest rates drop two points or more in the market, investigate refinancing some or all these loans. This is especially true if your credit score improves to above 700, even above 750 would be better. But, be wise about how you carry out this tactic.
First, shop loan sources other than the creditor that has your loan now. This way you may force your current lender to compete for your continued business by offering a more favorable interest rate. At the same time, do this only with those lenders who are obviously only interested in making money on you. Stick with lenders with whom you have a good long-term relationship but advise them that you are looking for a lower rate on your loan.
When shopping for credit give potential creditors only your credit score, not your Social Security number, for them to come up with a quote. Giving your S.S. number results in inquiries on your credit report which can damage your score. When they use only your score, no inquiries are recorded.
When seeking loans, you are looking for a lower interest rate or better repayment terms or both. By getting a better interest rate you will save hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars in interest. At the very least, getting more favorable monthly repayment terms that you can comfortably afford, will enhance your loan repayment history and automatically improve your score.
Refinancing is ideal for someone who is living from pay-to-pay and having a tough time making their monthly bills and who has been getting late notices or collections recorded in their credit history. It’s also a good idea for someone who has been paying bills on time with no recent negatives in their credit history and who has a good credit score. They will have an easier time refinancing for a better interest rate and more favorable repayment terms.
2. This is not my favorite solution but, if you must, there are loans available for folks with a poor credit history.
If your credit score is really low and you need a loan, you should look into services that provide loans to people with poor credit scores. But, be very careful you do not go even deeper into interest rate debt. There are legitimate lenders who know that some folks with poor credit scores will still make their payments on time if given a second chance and they are willing to speak with anyone that other lenders have denied.