How Paying Off An Sba Loan Early Affects Cash Flow
If you are in a position to have enough cash flow to pay off an SBA loan early, you are fortunate. But you should also be aware of all of the potential consequences. For instance, consider what other obligations that you have and make sure that you will be able to meet them after shoveling off the loan. The year 2020 has proven that unexpected things can happen. So, make sure that you can do without that cash in a pinch.
Also, consider what paying off an SBA loan early means for tax season. One positive feature about the interest thats been accruing on your loan is that its fully deductible on your business taxes. This is an item that you are in jeopardy of losing once you prepay. We suggest you ask your accountant about your situation.
Paying Off An Sba Loan Early: Should You Do It
Lets say youve scored yourself one of the most coveted types of financing for a small business: an SBA 7 loan. No doubt you were drawn in by the generous maturity that stretches your payments over as long as a decade or even 25 years for real estate loans. Youre not alone, as the lengthy repayment period is one of the most attractive features of the product for business owners. But maybe you realize that you took out more than you actually need. Now, you are wondering if it would hurt to get rid of the interest payments sooner than later.
If you decide on paying off an SBA loan early whether its to free up more cash flow for the slow months or for some other reason it affects not only you but the bank or alternative lender, too. They were betting on those interest payments for the life of the loan. And while SBA-backed loans are unique in many ways, they are just like many other loans available in the market. What we mean is that they can carry a penalty for early repayment. Whether or not you should pay off an SBA loan early ultimately comes down to the math.
How To Pick The Right Loan For Your Business
There are many different types of business loans, and each works a little differently. To find out which one is best for you, start by considering where your business stands. If its a brand new startup, youll be limited to just a few options, such as business credit cards and invoice financing.
If, however, youve been in business for years and have strong financials, you may have your pick of any type of loan.
As you compare different options, think about what you need out of a loan. For example, do you want a revolving line of credit or a lump-sum payment? Would you prefer installment payments or a cash flow-based payment? How sensitive are you to interest rates, and is it worth it to wait to borrow until youre in a better financial position?
As you consider all of these factors, itll be easier to narrow down your choices. Once you decide which type of loan is right for you, take some more time to compare different lenders that offer that loan. Because each lender has different creditworthiness criteria and loan terms, shopping around will improve your chances of getting the lowest interest rate and best terms possible.
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Paying Back A Personal Loan
With a personal loan, you agree to make regular payments. Most lenders will ask for your banking information so they can take the payments directly out of your account. This is called a pre-authorized debit.
Some lenders will send information about your personal loan payments to the credit bureaus.
If your lender reports to the credit bureaus, you can improve your credit score by making your payments on time. If you dont make your payments on time, it may have a negative impact on your credit score.
You may be allowed to make extra payments or pay off your loan before the end of the term without a penalty. This will help you save on interest fees and pay off your loan earlier than planned. Some lenders may charge a fee if you pay off your loan early.
You may also be able to renegotiate the terms of your personal loan agreement with your lender. This can help you manage your budget if your financial situation changes. There may be a fee for this service.
How You Make Payments
Gone are the days when you have to remember to write and mail in a check . Now, most lenders opt for an automatic repayment system, in which your payments are deducted right out of your bank account via ACH. All you have to do is make sure the money is in the proper bank account.
Some still allow payment via checks. However, many charge a check processing fee, which can cost your business a significant cost of money over time.
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Eidl Could Help You Through Tough Times
The right answer to the question, Should I apply for the EIDL loan? is really up to you. But for many businesses, the EIDL can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get financing with loan terms they might not otherwise qualify for. Of course, a loan is still debt, no matter how long you have to pay it off or what interest it charges. When you apply for the EIDL loan, there will be a hard pull on your credit report, and your score may drop a few points.
Its something to be aware of if youre working on building your credit. However, if you make your monthly payments for the loan on time, that may help boost your credit over the longer term. If your business has struggled because of the pandemic, taking out an EIDL loan could provide the relief you need to make it through to better times. But there are also a lot of other options to choose from when youre looking for small business financing.
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This article originally appeared on SoFi.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Getting Your Loan From A Lender
Your lender will usually give you the money for your loan in one of the following ways:
- in cash
- deposited in your bank account
- sent to you as an e-transfer
- sent to other lenders directly, if you are consolidating other debts
- on a prepaid card
If you decide to take the loan on a prepaid card, there may be a cost to activate and use the card.
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Funding From Family And Friends
If your funding needs are relatively small, you may want to first pursue less formal means of financing. Family and friends who believe in your business can offer simple and advantageous repayment terms in exchange for setting up a lending model similar to some of the more formal models. For example, you could offer them stock in your company or pay them back just as you would a debt financing deal, in which you make regular payments with interest.
Federal Coronavirus Small Business Assistance
The stimulus package includes several programs aimed at assisting small businesses, such as:
- Paycheck Protection Program: The U.S. Small Business Administration will guarantee loans of up to $10 million to eligible businesses, and the loans will be provided by lenders including banks and credit unions. Paycheck Protection Program loans can be forgiven if businesses maintain payroll for eight weeks at employees normal salary levels and use the loan proceeds for qualifying expenses. Check out our list of banks providing Paycheck Protection Program loans.
- Expanded access to U.S. Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans: As part of its disaster assistance program, the SBA is providing working capital loans of up to $2 million to small businesses and nonprofits affected by the coronavirus. These loans carry an interest rate of 3.75% for small businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits. Loan repayment terms vary by applicant, up to a maximum of 30 years. The stimulus updated the program so that sole proprietors and businesses with fewer than 500 employees qualify, and applicants dont need to provide a personal guarantee on loans under $200,000. Payments can also be deferred for up to four years.
- Emergency grant of $10,000 to SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applicants: Even if your business is denied a loan, you can still access this grant, which can be used to provide employee sick leave, maintain payroll or meet other needs like paying rent.
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How Do You Project Your Finances
You need to be able to project your finances to make presentations to potential investors to get money to start your business. Being able to track and project your finances will also help you run and plan your business better.
Start by learning how to put together an income statement, also called a profit and loss statement for your business.
Then, learn how to assemble a balance sheet, which is a snapshot picture of the financial situation of a business at any one point in time, including all assets and liabilities.
Next, you should learn how to create pro-forma which simply means future income statements and balance sheets.
Finally, you should learn how to create cash flow projections, showing when cash will be flowing in and out of your business.
All of this financial stuff may sound difficult if you havent done it before. It may take a little while to get a handle on it, but its not that tricky! If you can add 2 plus 2 and get 4 most of the time, youve got what it takes to be able to master business finance!
INSIDER TIP – Doing your own accounting and projecting your finances might sound tricky, but it is very doable. It will help you run and plan your business better.
For help in projecting your finances and creating your financial statements see the BusinessTown courses, Start-a-Business 101 and Accounting and Financial Statements.
Failure To Shop Around
Finding a lender can feel so daunting that it might be tempting to sign up with the first one that comes along. But blindly pursuing one loan provider without exploring your other options is a mistake. Take the time to research a variety of traditional and alternative lenders to find the best fit for your business.
Financial institutions in the community where you plan to do business are an ideal place to start looking for a business loan, according to Logan Allec, a CPA and founder of the personal finance site Money Done Right. “Start with a community bank or credit union that is more invested locally, as they may have certain programs to be able to work with new local businesses.”
The SBA also provides federal backing for some businesses to receive loans through partner financial institutions. “This can be an excellent avenue to explore if you are having trouble finding a traditional lender for your business,” Allec said.
Other alternatives to traditional lenders are online lending platforms, peer-to-peer lending sites, and your own network of friends and relatives. If you pursue this last option, Allec suggests working up an official, notarized agreement to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts down the road between all the involved parties.
When shopping around, you can also request that each lender help you calculate the annual percentage rate of their loan offer.
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Whats The Usual Repayment Structure And When Do You Start Paying Back A Long
Along with your repayment period, your lender will also determine your repayment structure. Usually, you can expect to repay a long-term business loan monthly or bimonthly. So your payments could start in as little as a few weeks after taking the loan.
Thatâs one of the characteristics that make these loans more desirable. With a short-term loan, on the other hand, the answer to how long are business loans might be a daily repayment schedule over a period of less than a year. Repayment periods for short-term loans can be as short as three months.
Even if your business is able to score a long-term small business loan, that often mentioned 10-plus year repayment period might not apply to your loan. So, how long are business loans? In other words, what is the usual repayment period for long-term business loans?
Well, it depends. The short answer to the question, how long are business loans? Is anywhere from one to 25 years. But since itâs never that simple, repayment terms vary according to a few factors, including the lender you work with, the type of loan you receive, your intended use of funds, and what your business qualifies for.
How Bench Can Help
Remember: itâs perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed when youâre struggling with small business debt. Itâs a lot to think about, so start small. Pick your favorite 1-2 debt reduction ideas from this article and commit to a plan to make it happen.
To get a sense of your current financial standing, you need an up-to-date picture of your finances. And the only way to get accurate financial data, is through consistent bookkeeping.
With Bench, you get a dedicated bookkeeper to complete your monthly books and powerful reporting software for a crystal clear view of your finances. Having solid books allows you to easily track how you are progressing along your goal of reducing your business debt.
If you need help organizing your finances, get in touch with us. Bookkeeping isnât for everyone, especially when youâre trying to stay on top of a growing businessâbut at Bench, bookkeeping is what we do best. Start getting organized for debt reduction.
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Make Sure You Understand The Agreement
Before you sign a personal loan agreement, make sure you understand the terms and conditions. Ask the lender about anything you dont understand.
Federally regulated lenders like banks have to give you the following information when you take out a personal loan:
- amount of the loan
There are two types of personal loans.
Small Businesses Can Get $2 Million Disaster Loans With More Time To Pay Them Back
By Stacy Cowley
Small businesses seeking cash to help them weather the pandemic can now borrow up to $2 million from the federal government, after the Biden administration said on Thursday that it would lift a $500,000 cap on disaster relief loans.
Those that took smaller Economic Injury Disaster Loans will be able to apply for increases, although the Small Business Administration said it will not start approving requests for more than $500,000 until Oct. 8.
Any loans taken out this year will also come with a two-year deferral on repayments, allowing struggling businesses some time to catch up on their bills, the agency said. Loans can also now be used to refinance existing debt.
The loan program offers a lifeline to millions of small businesses who are still being impacted by the pandemic, Isabella Casillas Guzman, the agencys administrator, said in a statement.
So far under the program, the Small Business Administration has made 3.8 million loans, totaling $263 billion. The amount that small companies and nonprofit organizations can borrow is based on their revenue and expenses they are now eligible for loans equivalent to roughly two years of their operating costs, up to the $2 million limit.
Fearing that a flood of borrowers would quickly deplete the program, Small Business Administration officials quietly limited the size of loans to $150,000 early in the pandemic. The cap was raised to $500,000 after President Biden took office.
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Faqs About Business Loan Repayment
The amount you have to repay is a calculation that includes the amount you borrowed, the interest rate, the loan term length, and sometimes additional fees.
No, business loan repayments arent tax deductible.
Business loan repayment periods are usually not flexible. However, some lenders will make exceptions if you are experiencing hardship. If you cant make your loan payments, call your lender as soon as possible to discuss potential solutions.
Loan Amount Borrower And Lender
The most important characteristic of any loan is the amount of money being borrowed, therefore the first thing you want to write on your document is the amount, which can be located on the first line. Follow by entering the name and address of the Borrower and next the Lender. In this example, the Borrower is located in the State of New York and he is asking to borrow $10,000 from the lender.
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So What Do You Need To Succeed In Business
You need commitment. You need to be willing to keep on plugging at your business over a period of time. Some businesses require much more effort than other businesses. Some can be started and operated part time. But all businesses will require some consistent effort over a period of time.
Do you need anything else beyond commitment and working hard to succeed in business?
You also need some basic knowledge. You need to know what are the critical issues when starting a business and how to approach them. This is very important. If you make good decisions at the beginning, your business will be highly likely to succeed for years to come.
Commitment and hard work may not be enough to ensure success. Because if you work on the wrong things, or do them the wrong way, then your business may still not succeed. You also need the knowledge to make good decisions.
What are some of the key issues that you need to understand before starting a business?
- How to choose a great business idea
- How your business will be different from competitors
- Creating your business plan
- Doing your marketing
How can you get the knowledge to make the best decisions when starting your business?
Watch the short video courses on BusinessTown and you will quickly learn everything you need to know.
Commitment and hard work isn’t always enough. There a few critical things that you need to know if you want your business to succeed. You can learn all of them on BusinessTown.
