Business Cash Advances

Business Cash Advance and Credit Card Processing Executive Summary:
AEX Commercial Financing Group has prepared a practical and concise executive summary about business cash advances (also referred to as credit card receivables financing, credit card factoring and working capital advances). Topics include (1) five reasons for obtaining a business cash advance based upon credit card processing activity; (2) ten problems to avoid with a working capital advance; (3) six criteria for credit card receivables financing up to $300,000 (and higher as appropriate); and (4) why AEX strongly advises that business owners avoid the use of online commercial finance applications for both merchant cash advances and other business financing.

Commercial Construction Financing

Recent commercial loan uncertainties have resulted in an apparent shortage of business financing for construction of new commercial property. The current financial circumstances coupled with a shrinkage of capital for commercial real estate loans in general and commercial construction funding in particular mean that commercial borrowers should look beyond their local market area for commercial financing help.

In today’s challenging business borrowing climate, it is important for small business owners needing commercial construction loans to seek out a commercial finance expert who can discuss the feasibility of obtaining funding help. AEX Commercial Financing Group can arrange construction financing for financially-sound commercial projects in most areas of the country.

Business Opportunity Investing - How Bad News Can be Good News

In the world of commercial financing for small business owners, these are certainly not the best of times for most businesses. However, it is precisely the less-than-ideal financial conditions that are likely to result in an attractive price when purchasing either a business opportunity or supplies. For those unfamiliar with “contrarian investing”, the best buying opportunities often occur during times dominated by excessive pessimism. This is due in large part to sellers feeling that times will get much worse before they get better, which results in a willingness to accept a lower selling price than they would otherwise. In these challenging times, AEX Commercial Financing Group has several working capital financing strategies to assist commercial borrowers obtain funding for circumstances such as the two following scenarios.

First, for inventory acquisition, many suppliers are offering unusual discounts when they are paid in cash. In most cases they are primarily influenced by (1) the possibility that they will not be paid in a timely manner and (2) their own cash shortfall for funding payroll and other basic expenses.

Second, poor business conditions have similarly produced some difficulty for business owners currently trying to sell their business. In most of these situations, the selling price has been reduced and/or the seller is willing to include financial help in the form of seller financing for a portion of the selling price.

Business Cash Advance Changes

The current chaos in commercial financing has changed how business cash advances are being used by most businesses. While there are still other working capital management choices which should be considered, the harsh reality for most business owners is that effective options to get operating cash quickly have changed.

Three of the factors behind the rapidly-changing commercial funding environment for small businesses:

(1) A growing number of banks (especially local and regional banks) have chosen to sit on the sidelines for a while with their business lending activities.

(2) Unsecured lines of credit seem to have vanished for most small businesses.

(3) Banks are demanding more collateral for business financing.

On balance, the three changes noted above have significantly INCREASED the positive arguments in favor of the AEX Business Cash Advance Program.

Business Finance Misinformation

In the current commercial financing crisis, small business owners need expert advice about working capital financing and commercial loans. The recent chaos in financial and credit markets has included misleading information about the availability of business financing. In order to obtain an accurate commercial finance assessment, businesses should have a candid discussion with a small business loans expert.

One harsh reality that is true for commercial mortgages and other commercial financing: many regional and local banks (and also some banks operating throughout the United States) have discontinued all or most of their commercial lending activities. However, there continue to be to reliable funding sources for commercial real estate loans, business cash advances and working capital financing. At the same time, the current business finance conditions will prove to be difficult for most businesses, and the practical problem-solving expertise of AEX Commercial Financing Group should be considered by commercial borrowers in need of obtaining new business funding or refinancing business debt.

Commercial Finance - Fake Articles

Fake or fictitious articles about commercial finance issues should be a serious concern for business owners. At a minimum, a fake article about commercial loan topics such as business cash advances and commercial mortgages can result in unnecessary confusion for commercial borrowers. A much bigger risk is that improper commercial financing decisions could be based on inaccurate articles. Because of the serious complications which fake articles can produce, I have written several reports describing trouble signs to be alert for and practical strategies for avoiding the publishers of fake articles about small business financing.

The use of reputable publication sites is one of the most effective ways to avoid fake business loan articles. The best of these responsible sites will require review of articles by an editor prior to publication, and most of these websites will provide detailed contact information for the author. Many of these sites have an author summary for a concise overview of work published by a specific author. The summary will quickly demonstrate if an author has published multiple articles about relevant topics. A commercial financing expert is likely to have published articles about a variety of complex subjects such as working capital funding, credit card financing and SBA loans.

Stated Income Business Financing

For commercial borrowers seeking stated income business financing and commercial mortgages, there have been dramatic changes during the past year. These changes have resulted in more restrictive availability and terms for commercial loans based upon stated income underwriting. Very few lenders are now using a stated income process (no income verification, no tax returns, no IRS Form 4506) for their commercial real estate loans and other commercial financing. This development is related to problems which occurred with residential mortgage financing using a stated income approach for borrowers. The many loan defaults which occurred with stated income residential financing provide a practical rationale for lenders to reduce or eliminate stated income commercial mortgages.

The primary business financing approach where we have not yet seen changes in stated income commercial financing underwriting involves business cash advance programs based on future credit card factoring. For most working capital advances using credit card processing, tax returns and financial statements are not required (although income documentation might be necessary for larger business cash advances). This does not represent a more restrictive lending practice as financial statements and tax returns were previously required for larger merchant cash advances.

In addition to revisions in stated income commercial loans, there are currently a number of rapidly-changing issues impacting most business financing throughout the United States. Many of these developments involve commercial finance strategies which are probably unfamiliar to most small business owners.

Small Business Loans - Why Banks Say No

A critical question that business owners should ask when exploring options for small business loans is “What should I do if my bank says no?”. Even if such a rejection has not yet been received, it is worthwhile to consider what to do if this happens. There are several key reasons for most rejected commercial loans. Probably the most common current reason for banks to say no is because many local and regional banks have reduced their exposure to business financing. I have published a relevant article which discusses five practical strategies for overcoming situations in which banks often say no regarding commercial real estate loans.

I have also written a commercial financing article, “Why Do Some Banks Say Yes When They Mean No?” This discussion focuses on the unfortunate practice of some banks to offer working capital loans and small business mortgages with terms that they do not actually expect commercial borrowers to accept. This is often worse than the bank saying no because you will think that they said yes! In most cases this questionable approach is a public relations ploy based on a belief that the bank will be viewed more favorably in their local community if they provide positive reinforcement for commercial finance requests (presumably whether they provide actual financing or not).

Commercial Loans - Plan B Contingency Planning

Contingency planning (having a “Plan B”) can frequently help small business owners avoid problems. But for commercial loans, there is often inadequate attention paid to working capital contingency plans and what can go wrong with business financing.

For example, a substantial number of local banks have already pulled the plug on future commercial financing. In most instances, very little advance notice was provided. If a business has commercial funding with a regional lender, a Plan B should be formulated for the contingency that alternative financial arrangements could be needed in the near future.

There are other examples like the one noted above which will also demonstrate the critical value of why commercial borrowers should “Always have a Plan B”. Two of these situations involve business cash advance programs and SBA loans. Please contact AEX Commercial Financing Group for a personalized conversation about how these or other possibilities might apply to your business.

Commercial Financing - Avoid Online Applications

By submitting an online business financing application, business owners will generally be providing confidential information to a lender before it is appropriate. There are numerous business cash advance and commercial loan sites that urge borrowers to fill out an application before a business owner even has a conversation with a potential lender. AEX does not make such an application available on our websites, and there are many reasons that we have adopted this policy: “A business owner will not be asked to submit any application until they have completed a thorough discussion with AEX Commercial Financing Group confirming that working capital financing is feasible for their unique business situation.”

There are several key problems associated with an online commercial finance application, and we have written extensively about them. One issue is that most commercial loans are simply too complex to initiate by an oversimplified automated process. Beginning the business loan process with an automated application is like the kickoff of a football game occurring without any coaching pep talks, pre-game warmups or even a coin toss. The apparently easy approach omits too many preliminary steps that are essential.