Do You Need a Company Credit Card?

Get a company credit card. It’s not out of reach. We can show you how to get a business credit card even if you think you can’t and even if the banks say no. But first, let’s take about lines of credit.

Lines of Credit

A credit line, or line of credit (LOC), is an agreement between a borrower and a financial institution or private investor which sets a maximum loan balance that a borrower can access.

A borrower can gain access to funds from their line of credit at any time, as long as they don’t go over the maximum set in the arrangement, and as long as they meet any other conditions of the bank or investor for instance, making timely payments.

Advantages

Credit lines provide many unique advantages to borrowers such as convenience. Borrowers can apply their line of credit and just pay interest on what they use, in contrast to loans where they pay interest on the full amount borrowed.

Credit lines can be reused, so as you acquire a balance and pay that balance off, you can use that accessible credit again, and again.

Credit lines are revolving accounts similar to credit cards, and are comparable to other kinds of financing like installment loans. Frequently, lines of credit are unsecured, much the same as credit cards are.

There are some credit lines that are secured, and consequently easier to get approval for.

Popularity

Credit lines are the most routinely sought after loan type in the business world even though they are preferred, legitimate credit lines are unusual, and tricky to find. Many are also very hard to qualify for calling for good credit, good time in business, and good financials.

But there are various other credit cards and lines which few know about that are attainable for startups, poor credit, and even if you have absolutely no financials.

The SBA

The majority of credit line varieties that most entrepreneurs think of come from standard banks and standard banks use SBA loans as their foremost loan product for small business owners. This is due to the fact that SBA assures as much as 90% of the loan in the case of default. These credit lines are the hardest to qualify for because you must qualify with SBA and the bank.

CAPLines

There are two primary sorts of SBA loans you can normally secure. One type is called CAPLines. There are actually five forms of CAPLines that can work for your small business.

You can also get a smaller loan amount more rapidly using the SBA Express program. Many of these programs offer BOTH loans and revolving lines of credit. Per the SBA: “CAPLines is the umbrella program under which SBA helps business owners meet short-term and cyclical working capital needs”.

Loan amounts are available up to $5 million. Loan qualification prerequisites are the same as for other SBA programs.

Seasonal Line

This one advances against foreseen inventory and accounts receivables. It was made in order to help seasonal businesses. Loan or revolving are on offer.

Contract Line

Finances the direct labor and material cost associated with performing assignable contracts. Loan or revolving terms are on offer.

Builders Line

Made for general contractors or builders constructing or renovating industrial or residential buildings. It is used to pay for direct labor-and material costs, where the building project functions as the collateral. Loan or revolving terms are available.

Standard Asset-Based Line

For businesses unable to meet credit standards connected with long-term credit. This is financing for cyclical growth, recurrent and/or short-term needs. Repayment stems from converting short-term assets into cash.

Businesses continually draw from the LOC, based on existing assets, and pay back as their cash cycle dictates. This line mainly is made use of by companies that offer credit to other companies.

Small Asset-Based Line

This is an asset-based revolving line of credit of right up to $200,000. This line functions like a standard asset-based line save that some of the more stringent servicing requirements are foregone, if the business can regularly show repayment ability from cash flow for the full amount.

SBA Express

You can get approval for as much as $350,000. Interest rates vary, with SBA allowing banks to charge as much as 6.5% over their base rate. Loans above $25,000 will require collateral.

Details

To get approval you’ll need good personal and company credit. Plus the SBA specifies you must not have any blemishes on your report. You will need good bank credit; an acceptable bank score requires you have at least $10,000 in your account over the very last 90 days.

Bring These With You

You’ll likewise need a resume showing you have industry experience and a well put together business plan. You will need three years of business and personal tax returns, and your business returns should show a profit. And, you’ll need a current balance sheet and income statement, therefore showing you have the money to pay back the loan.

The Books

To get approval you’ll need account receivables, but just if you have them. When it comes to the collateral to offset the risk, typically all business assets will be accepted as collateral, and some personal assets which also include your residence.

It’s not uncommon to need collateral equal to 50% or more of the loan amount. You also need articles of incorporation, business licenses, and contracts with all third parties, and your lease.

Private Investors and Alternative Lenders

Private investors and alternative lenders also offer credit lines. These are less complicated to qualify for than conventional SBA loans. They also call for much less documentation for approval. These alternative SBA credit lines generally call for good personal credit for approval.

Unlike with SBA, many of them don’t demand good bank or business credit approval. Many of these kinds of programs require two years’ of tax returns. Tax returns have to demonstrate a profit. Rates can vary from 7% or greater and loan amounts extend from $25,000 into the millions.

Loan amounts are generally based on the revenues and/or profits reflected on the tax returns. Sometimes lenders may ask for other financials including a profit and loss statement, balance sheets, and income statements.

Merchant Cash Advances

Merchant cash advances have quickly become the most popular way to get financing, in large part because of the simple qualification process. Businesses with $10,000 in earnings can get approval, with the business owner having scores as low as 500. Some sources have now even started to offer credit lines that accompany their loans.

Details

You will need to have at least $10,000 in revenue for approval. You ought to be in business for a minimum of one year, however three years is preferred. Lenders regularly want to see a credit score of 650 or better for approval.

Loan amounts are normally around $20,000. Lenders frequently do pull your business credit, so you should have some credit already established and at times lenders will want to see tax returns. Rates vary based on risk for this program, and there typically aren’t a lot of funding sources who offer it.

Collateral

You can get financing irrespective of personal credit if you have some sort of stocks or bonds. You can also get approval if you have somebody intending to use their stocks or bonds as collateral for your financing.

Personal credit quality doesn’t matter as there are no consumer credit criteria for approval. You can get approval for as much as 90% of the value of your stocks or bonds.

Rates are routinely lower than 2%, making this one of the lowest rate credit lines you’ll ever see. You can still earn interest as you normally do on your stocks and bonds.

Credit Cards and Lines are Very Similar to Each Other

Credit cards generally offer 0% intro rates for up to two years. This is extremely valuable for startups especially. And credit lines allow you to take out more cash at a much cheaper rate than do cards.

These are the principal two differences which will have an effect on you between credit cards and credit line. Investopedia even says that, “lines of credit are potentially useful hybrids of credit cards.”

Both cards and lines are revolving credit. Credit lines are harder to get approval for as card approvals are normally very quick, many times automated, while line require an in-depth underwriting review.

Lines usually offer lower rates, per Bankrate card rates average 13% while lines average 4%.

Unsecured Business Credit Cards

The majority of them report to the consumer credit reporting agencies. They all need a personal guarantee from you. You can get approval in general for one card at the most as they discontinue approving you when you have two or more inquiries on your report.

Most credit card providers furnish business credit cards including Capital One, Chase, and American Express. These have rates similar to consumer rates and limits are also similar.

Some report to the consumer reporting agencies, some report to the business bureaus. Approval requirements are similar to consumer credit card accounts.

Inquiries

Generally, when you apply for a credit card you put an inquiry on your consumer report. When other lenders see these, they won’t approve you for more credit because they have no idea how much other new credit you have recently obtained.

So they’ll only approve you if you have no more than two inquiries on your report within the most recent six months. Any more than that will get you a refusal.

Partnering

With unsecured business financing, you partner with a lender who concentrates on securing business credit cards. This is a very uncommon; hardly any know about program that few lending sources offer.

They can often get you three to five times the approvals that you can get on your own. This is because they know the sources to apply for. They also know the order to apply.

And they can time their applications so the card issuers won’t refuse you for the other card inquiries. Individual approvals normally range from $2,000 – 50,000.

Results

The end result of their services is that you generally get up to five cards that resemble the credit limits of your maximum limit accounts now. Multiple cards create competition, and this means you can get your limits raised usually within 6 months or less of your original approval.

Approvals can go up to $150,000 per entity for example, a corporation.

With UBF they actually get you three to five business credit cards that report only to the business credit reporting agencies. This is significant, something the majority of lenders don’t offer or advertise.

Not only will you get money, but you build your business credit as well so in three to four months, you can then use your recently established business credit to get even more money.

Rates

The lender can also get you very low introductory rates, often 0% for 6-18 months. You’ll then pay normal rates after that, typically 5-21% APR with 20-25% APR for cash advances. And they’ll also get you the very best cards for points, which means you get the best rewards.

Just like with just about anything, there are substantial benefits in working with a source who concentrates on this area; the results will be much better than if you attempt to go at it alone.

Requirements

You have to have excellent personal credit now, ideally 685 or higher scores, the same as with all business credit cards. And you shouldn’t have any derogatory credit reported to get approval.

You must also have open revolving credit on your consumer reports right now and you’ll have to have five inquiries or less in the most recent six months reported.

Fees

All lenders in this space charge a 9-15% success based fee and you only pay the fee off of what you secure. Remember, you get a number of extra advantages and about three to five times more cash in this program than you would get on your own.

This is why there’s a fee, the same as all other lending programs.

Guarantors Welcome

You can get approval making use of a guarantor and you can even use several guarantors to get even more money. There are also other cards you can get using this very same program.

But these cards only report to the consumer reporting agencies, not the business reporting agencies. They are consumer credit cards versus business credit cards.

They offer similar benefits which include 0% intro annual percentage rates and five times the amount of approval of a single card but they are much easier to qualify for. You can get approval with a 650 score and seven inquiries (or fewer) in the last six months.

And you can have a bankruptcy on your credit and other derogatory items. These are a lot easier to get approval for than UBF business cards.

What if You Have Bad Personal Credit?

With all preceding cards, you will need to have good consumer credit in order to get approval but what if your personal credit isn’t good, and you do not have a guarantor? This is the time when building business credit makes a great deal of sense.

Even if you have good personal credit, building your corporate credit helps you get even more money, and without having a personal guarantee.

Business Credit Details

Business credit is credit in a company name, that’s connected to the company’s EIN number, and not the owner’s Social Security Number.

When done right, business credit may be obtained with no personal credit check and without a personal guarantee. This is something all other cards above can’t provide. You can get three types of corporate credit cards.

Vendor accounts offer net 20 terms used to launch a business credit profile. With store credit, get credit cards with high limits at most stores.

With cash and fleet credit, get a company credit card. These are Visa, MasterCard, American Express cards you can use anywhere. You can get these without any credit check or guarantee. Limits are frequently $5-10 to begin, and can exceed $50,000.

Takeaways for How You Can Get a Company Credit Card Today

Your company can get credit cards and financing, if you know where to look. Learn more here and get started in how you can get a company credit card.