Merchant Cash Advance Guide

What Is a Merchant Cash Advance

Pros and Cons of a Merchant Cash Advance

Traditional business loans need extensive and complicated documentation, whereas merchant cash advances do not. Business owners receive their funding exceptionally quickly once they have been approved. Merchant cash loans can be appealing to business owners who need extra cash quickly to cover an unexpected expense due to their speed and convenience.

Unlike many other types of business loans, merchant cash advances do not necessitate using different assets as collateral. This can be advantageous for small firms that do not have large assets to offer as collateral, such as real estate or vehicles.

Many merchant cash advance providers don’t put as much focus on credit scores, making them a viable choice for businesses that can’t be approved for a traditional business loan due to their credit score.

Your financial obligations adjust immediately in response to your income levels, which is a unique benefit of merchant cash advances. (With Credibly, this isn’t done automatically; it must be requested after the month.) If you have a particularly slow day with few consumers, the advance provider collects less money on that particular day. Businesses that deal with a high volume of credit card transactions may be able to get their advance paid back promptly.

Unlike a regular business loan, there is no financial benefit to paying off a merchant cash advance early. In addition, you don’t benefit from paying less interest over time like you would with a standard business loan because you commit to paying a specific amount every day.

Because merchant cash advances are a sort of short-term financing, their interest rates are typically higher than those of longer-term business loans.

In some situations, merchant cash advance applicants are needed to purchase new credit card terminals to be authorized for the loan.

Uses for a Merchant Cash Advance

Merchant cash advances can be used for various things, but because they’re a sort of short-term financing, they’re best for filling temporary cash flow gaps. For example, buying merchandise, paying staff, making emergency repairs, marketing charges, purchasing equipment, and other short-term expansion projects are all common uses for merchant cash advances.

Applying for a Merchant Cash Advance

A merchant cash advance application is easier to complete than a traditional business loan or working capital application. You’ll be requested to supply some basic company information and paperwork, including:

• Past bank and credit card statements
• A copy of your business lease
• Your business tax ID number
• Your social security number
• References
• A copy of your driver’s license or another type of government-issued photo ID
• A copy of your business tax returns

Although merchant cash advances are frequently available to firms with credit ratings that preclude them from obtaining traditional business loans, your credit score is still considered. In addition, although each merchant cash advance service has its requirements, they all examine your credit score before authorizing an application.

Merchant cash advances are authorized promptly, and business owners receive their money a few days after approval. Please fill out our online prequalification form to determine how much you qualify for. It’s free and straightforward to apply, and it won’t hurt your credit score.

Equity Financing

When you use equity financing, you give investors a piece of your company in exchange for money. You share a portion of your company’s profits with the investor rather than repaying the money plus interest (s). Many individuals and angel investors are especially interested in assisting veteran-owned enterprises. While you will relinquish some control, these investors will be more interested in your company strategy than your credit score.

Online Business Loans

Many types of alternative funding are more readily available to organizations that have trouble obtaining standard business loans. For example, short-term financing options such as merchant cash advances, working capital loans, invoice financing, and invoice factoring can help you improve your cash flow or expand your business without the stringent conditions that come with traditional business loans.

Furthermore, equipment financing allows business owners to obtain the equipment they require without incurring a big upfront cost. Microloans could be another possibility, as microloan providers may have a vested interest in assisting veterans.

Business Line of Credit or Credit Card

A business line of credit or business credit card, unlike a term loan, might be an excellent financing alternative if you need flexibility. You only have to pay back the amount you actually use (plus interest) on a line of credit, and the same principles apply to corporate credit cards. If you know you’ll need business capital but aren’t sure how much you’ll need or don’t want to commit to a certain loan amount.

Business Grants for Veterans

There are national and local grants available for veterans and active serving service people in addition to business loans. The following is a list of some of the most popular grants for veterans.

The VetFran Business Grant Fund

The VetFran Program is a valuable resource for anyone interested in starting a franchise. This organization assists veterans in becoming franchisees and works directly with franchisors to educate them about veterans’ talent to franchisees. In addition, veterans who have been awarded franchises under the IFA VetFran program are eligible for grants of up to $10,000.

Hivers and Strivers

Hivers and Strivers is a venture capital firm that invests in companies founded by graduates of any of the United States’ military colleges. Because many of the Hivers and Strivers group’s investors are veterans, they are more likely to appreciate the significance of your military experience in starting and running a new firm. In addition, having an investor who is invested in you and your company rather than just looking for a quick profit might help you thrive and expand your company.

StreetShares Small Business Award

The StreetShares Foundation is a non-profit that promotes military entrepreneurship by providing mentoring, resources, and other services. The StreetShares Small Business Award, a funding program for veteran entrepreneurs, is a crucial program for the organization. This grant can assist veterans and their families in making starting a business financially possible.

Veteran-Owned Businesses: Government Programs and Organizations

Many federal agencies and non-profit organizations have a vested interest in seeing veteran entrepreneurs flourish. Some of these organizations provide grants or loans to veterans, while others offer resources to assist veterans in obtaining funding. These are some of the programs available:

Veteran Entrepreneur Portal

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains a website with many services and information for veterans who want to establish, grow, or fund a business. In addition to commercial tools, this site contains useful information about doing business with federal agencies (or government contract work) and the VA and training programs offered by the VA for veterans.

Boots to Business

The Boots to Business program is a Small Business Administration effort that provides training and information to help veterans transition from active duty to civilian life through the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP). If you’re thinking about starting a business, this program can help you get the necessary skills to succeed. You are qualified for this program if you are an active duty service member, a veteran of any era, or a military spouse.

SBA Resources for Veteran-Owned Businesses

The Small Business Administration (SBA) includes various tools for veterans, including resources for women veterans and service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs. Through the Office of Veterans Business Development, the SBA offers training programs and online resources to help entrepreneurs start or grow their firms.

In addition, the SBA operates Veteran Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs) in several locations across the country. You may get business advice and learn about local grants and funding initiatives for veterans at these local sites. The SBA can help you locate the nearest VBOC.