Business Credit Builder Programs are Fantastic! 

Are you an effective business credit builder? Being a small business credit builder means your small business gets opportunities you never thought you would. You can get all-new equipment, bid on real property, and cover the company payroll. And you can do so even when times are a bit lean.

This is specifically helpful in holiday business enterprises, where you can go for several months with only minimal sales.

Given this, you ought to focus on developing your business credit. Boost and maintain your scores and you will have these possibilities. Do not, and either you do not get these chances, or they will cost you a lot more. And no business owner wants that. You have to recognize what affects your business credit before you can make it better.

Business Credit Builder 101: Your Payment History is Important

Late monthly payments will affect your small business credit score for a good seven years. If you pay your business (and personal) financial obligations off, as fast as possible and as fully as possible, that’s great.

Then you can make a very real difference when it concerns your credit scores.

See to it to pay without delay and you will enjoy the benefits of promptness.

Business Credit Builder 101: Credit History Length Matters

This is in a nutshell the length of time your small business has been using business credit. Needless to say newer small businesses will have brief credit histories. Although there is not a lot you can specifically do about that, do not stress. Credit reporting agencies will also consider your personal credit score and your own history of payments.

If your personal credit is good, and in particular if you have a reasonably long credit history, then personal credit can come to the rescue of your business.

Normally the converse is also true. So, if your individual credit history is bad, then it will affect your business credit scores until your small business and personal credit can be split.

Business Credit Builder 101: Your Personal Credit Can Influence Your Business Credit

Are you having a bad business year? Then it could land on your consumer credit score. And in the event your business has not been around for too long, it will directly have an effect on your business credit.

But you can unlink both by taking steps to split up them. For example, you can get credit cards just for your firm, or open business checking accounts and other bank accounts. So, then credit reporting agencies will start to address your consumer and business credit separately.

Also, make sure to incorporate. Or at least file a DBA (doing business as) status. You can also take care of your expenses with your business credit card or checking account. And make sure it is the small business’s full name on the bill and not yours.

Business Credit Builder 101: Do not Let Your Credit Utilization Rate Hurt Your Business

Credit utilization rate just shows the amount of money you have on credit. So it is then divided by your total available credit. Lenders generally speaking do not wish to see this exceed 30%. So, for every $100 in credit, do not borrow on in excess of $30 of that.

If this percent is increasing, you’ll have to spend down. And pay off your financial debts before borrowing more.

Business Credit Builder 101: The Credit Reporting Agencies Can Get it Wrong

Just like every single organization around, credit reporting agencies just like Equifax and Experian are only as good as their information. If your business’s name is like another’s, or your name is a lot like another entrepreneur’s, there can potentially be some errors.

So, monitor those reports, and your business report at Dun & Bradstreet, PAYDEX.

Stay on top of these reports and contest charges with records and clear-cut communications. Do not just allow them to stay wrong! You can fix this!

And while you’re at, it you should also be keeping an eye on the credit reporting agency which only handles personal credit. That is TransUnion. If you do not know exactly how to pull a credit report, do not worry. It is easy. Just use the above links.

Business Credit Builder 101: Using Unsecured Business Credit

Let’s look at unsecured business credit as a way to build business credit. These will report to business CRAs, not personal CRAs. You do not need proof of cash flow or collateral. There is no time in business requirement. Only pay on what you owe, not like a loan.

You can often get a 0% introductory rate (usually 6 – 18 months). This is ideal for startups and high-risk industries. It is how business credit builder programs work.

The General Idea

A lending source works on your behalf to secure credit cards for you. The company is neither a lender nor a card issuer. Instead they function as experts in getting credit cards. And they work to apply to get you the most credit they can secure.

Nearly always, their tactics to get you credit result in much more than you could get on your own. This is because they go for multiple cards for you.

Get Fabulous Credit Cards

They work to get you 5 – 8 cards, often the best and highest-limit cards you can get. They apply all at once, so they get 5 to 8 cards where if you applied on your own you’d only get 1 – 2 at the most. They usually get you five times the amount of your current highest limit account.

Contrast this with your bank, which can only get you one of these types of accounts which often doesn’t report to the business CRAs.

You get two sorts of cards. The first is personal cards, which report to consumer credit reporting agencies. And the second is business credit cards, which don’t report to consumer CRAs.

Rates

Which one you get, and how much money you get all hinges on just one thing – personal credit quality. The lender can also get you low introductory rates, often 0% for 6 – 18 months. You will pay normal rates after that.

This is usually 5 – 21% APR with 20 – 25% APR for cash advances. They also get you the best cards for points. So you get the best rewards.

Details

Credit is obtained with no security, assets, or collateral. Lender has no collateral to collect in case of default. Since there is no collateral, and they don’t look or care about your cash flow, all that matters is your personal credit.

With a 650 you will get only personal cards. But with a 680 credit score, you will get both business and personal cards.

Advantages

Having several cards creates competition; get your limits raised typically within six months or fewer from initial approval. You can get approvals to $150,000 per entity, such as a corporation. Most lenders do not offer or advertise this. You will get money, and build business credit, too. Within 3 – 4 months, use your newly established business credit to get even more money.

Qualifications

Here’s how to qualify for unsecured business credit. You need quality credit with no derogatory reporting. This means: No bankruptcies, ever, on the report, but you might get an approval with bankruptcy, if not on report.

Any judgments and tax liens must be paid off. You can have no credit counseling, and no late payments in the last 12 months. You can have no active outstanding collections in unpaid status, less than $500 might be okay. And you can have no foreclosures or late mortgage payments.

You need to have at least one bank card with a three-year history or $3,000 limit. If there is no car loan or mortgage, then you will need two bank cards.

Balance/Limit Ratios

They look at your balance/ limit ratios on existing revolving accounts. The lower the ratio, the higher the amount approved. A 30% ratio is a requirement. This looks at overall percentage, and individual percentage on each account.

Credit inquiries are a big factor tying into approval. More than six inquires in six months will be too much. Lenders do not want to see the person is applying for new credit, especially no other revolving accounts.

Guarantors Welcome

Use a guarantor or a credit partner to up the numbers; often these people want a piece of the business in trade for their help. Creditors want to know you’ll pay them back. Most sources will charge 9 – 12% success-based fees. Only pay the fee off what you secure.

Fees

Pay an average of 10% on the amount you borrow. Lenders on all loan programs charge fees; you easily pay 5% or higher even on an SBA loan. But this program, like most others including the SBA, “roll-in” your fee. So you don’t pay up front. Once you get your cards, the fee is invoiced; this is one invoice per card.

A Word to the Wise

Responsible credit management is a must. Always use credit responsibly! Don’t borrow more than you can pay off. Keep track of balances and deadlines for payments. Paying on time and in full does more to raise scores than nearly anything else.

You Can Be a Great Business Credit Builder

Once you find out what has an effect on your business credit score, you are that much nearer to developing improved business credit. Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your business’s EIN and not your SSN.