Bad Credit Business Loans Explained
Business owners will often need to get some financial help to keep going or expand their business further. The financing options available to owners can make or break a business, so it is crucial for owners to understand them.
Many quality lenders are available in the space today and can be pretty flexible with their offerings. If a business has bad credit, there is still hope. This guide will showcase how business owners can get business loans even with bad credit.
What is Bad Credit?
It is not just individuals that get a credit score. Businesses also have their own credit score that is built up over time, depending on their financial behavior. Much like our personal credit score, companies can get bad credit when they fail to pay their creditors on time. These creditors can range between utility companies, banks, and inventory suppliers.
If a business has a poor credit score, it might experience difficulty getting a loan at favorable rates. Lenders will look at other aspects of a business to judge if they are creditworthy and not just rely on the credit score.
Types of Bad Credit Loans
If a business is struggling to get a standard type of business loan, then there are a few options that they might then need to consider. A business might vitally need financing in order to continue operations, so this is something that is a necessity.
Merchant Cash Advance
This sees a business getting an upfront cash payment from a lender that will be based on the sales volume of the company.
Business Collateral Loan
One of the most effective ways a business can bypass a bad credit score will be to provide some sort of fixed asset as collateral. This means that if the borrower defaults, the lender will be able to recoup their money by selling the fixed asset.
Private Loan
A private loan is very similar to a traditional type of business loan. However, it sees repayments being made on a daily basis rather than on a monthly basis. It means that there will be a lower risk for the lender.
Equity Line of Credit
For those companies that might have a good level of equity in financial statements but poor credit, this could be a good option. The business will be using equity as collateral in order to get a cash advance.
The sum will then gradually be paid back over time in intervals. If there is a default on the loan, then the lender would be able to have a claim on this business and try to sell it to recoup its money.
How to Repair Bad Credit
If a business has bad credit and is looking to improve this situation, then a few different things can be done. It can take time, but some powerful strategies can be used to eventually repair a poor credit score.
The easiest thing is to ensure that you make all of your repayments on time. If this is not possible, then you should try to pay off the most significant invoices first. You might also be able to negotiate better terms with your creditors or negotiate payment terms on past-due accounts. Finally, you might be able to reduce the businesses’ utilization rate through various means.
Important Information to Provide When Seeking a Bad Credit Business Loan
When you are applying for many different types of loans, you will need to provide pertinent information to the prospective lender. This allows them to figure out if they want to extend credit and decide on what the terms should be.
Here are some common types of information you need to provide to lenders when trying to get a loan for your business:
- Financial statements
- Bank statements
- Business and personal tax returns
- Reasoning for the loan
- Personal background
- Business plan and projections
- Possible collateral
- Legal business documents
Applying for a Bad Credit Business Loan
You’ll see that there are plenty of viable lenders when you seek some bad credit loan. There are traditional types of lenders and then those companies that will be more online-focused. Once you decide on which lender is best for you, then you can proceed with getting a loan.
You will have to provide the relevant information and documents so the lender can figure out if the loan makes sense. As this is a bad credit loan, even more scrutiny will be put on the information that has been provided. Business owners might need to go above and beyond what a business would have to if they were getting a regular type of business loan.
The exact times it takes to get approval for a bad credit business loan depends on the lender. The same goes for the length of time you have to wait to get your hands on the funds.
Conclusion
Even if your business has bad credit, there are still ways that you can get financing. While it might be a bit more confined, you are not going to be short of choices. With many top-quality lenders out there catering to this niche type of loan, you’ll have plenty of great options.
*The required FICO score may be higher based on your relationship with American Express, credit history, and other factors.
**All businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review.