Any business requires money to operate. It needs money to invest in goods and equipment, salary for employees, rental fees, and marketing costs; the list goes on. One alternative for most business owners nowadays is to take and consider external funding. Loans offered by banks and other private lenders are great options for those who don’t want to combine their personal savings with their business investments. Before deciding whether it’s a good idea to proceed with this financial alternative, it would be best to dissect its merits and demerits. It’s essential to remove any biases regarding some misconceptions on small business loans, about which you can read the full info here. If you want to get ready to secure financing your business so that you can maintain its operations, take a look at the two sides of business loans.
Pros of Business Loans
Reasonable Interest Rates
Most business loans have a reasonable interest rate attached to them by banks and other loan companies. This is due to their active competition to acquire more clients, so they’re more likely to offer a deal similar to their competitors. Such rates are neutrally fair for the banks to earn good profit on their end. However, these rates are usually lower than other personal loan options. Also, what’s best about this choice of loan is that your interest fee is also tax-deductible. You may talk to your local tax office to know if this rule will also apply to your local business.
Maintaining Ownership
One of the common reasons business owners take out a loan is a planned expansion or innovative business approach. Plans are made to make it more profitable. This might negatively affect your loans as most borrowers will expect you to have higher returns. Thus, they also will charge you higher interest rates. These interests will depend on how your business will perform, which is most likely unfair for you. The best thing about bank loans is that the rates are fixed. You will be mandated to pay up the same amount of money back to the bank no matter how your business becomes profitable. As long as you pay up all the money you owe plus the interest fees, you’re all good. You get to keep all the extra money you earned through your investments, and you’re retained to be the sole owner of your own company. There’s no external interference on how your business should proceed.
Convenient and Easy
Most banks are reliably easy to contact. You can communicate with their representatives and discuss your options. Their ease of access and convenience makes it a probable reason many businesses opt for this financing alternative. Time is money for most companies, and they would instead go for applying for a financial loan that doesn’t take too much of their time and isn’t so much of a hassle to process. Waiting for your profit to grow could take quite a while, and recruiting for investors is even a more difficult task to do. Although applying for loans still takes up some time, it’s the shortest one compared with other financing options.
Enough Cash To Operate Your Business
The best advantage of taking out a business loan is to make your business liquid. With enough cash flow, you can move more flexibly and launch, expand, and grow your operations. You’ll have the liberty to decide how to use up your cash as you maximize your profit and returns. However, keep in mind to avoid crucial mistakes while financing your business.
Cons of Business Loans
Difficult To Qualify
Most banks are extra cautious about approving business loans. Unless you have a considerable track record of solid assets like properties, it might be challenging to support a business loan. This is because banks themselves also want to minimize the risk of not getting back the money owed to them. Borrowers are asked to provide some guarantee, like a collateral property. This way, the bank can seize these properties if the business fails and the borrower can’t pay back the money it owes.
Loan applications usually undergo a system of evaluation and credit history review. Banks follow through with a standard process. Strict rules and conditions are also kept in place to ensure all the borrowers are treated fairly. As a loan applicant, you must first inquire about their requirements and a list of criteria. If you know first-hand about such information, you can handle your applications better and choose which bank will be suitable for you in relation to requirements and qualifications.
High-Interest Rates
If you own a small business, it may not be a smart move to take out a business loan with a high-interest rate that you might struggle to pay up later on. Small businesses also struggle to get a viable amount of loan which can sustain their overall operations. Most of them only qualify for a minimum loan amount. Even if your interest rate might be tax deductible, you could compute if the interest fee is still high. It’ll be a null business option and will only result in more loss for your finances.
Limitation Of Money Approved For Loan
As mentioned, many banks don’t quickly approve your desired money for a loan. They’ll have to evaluate whether your business needs that amount of money for operations. Usually, banks approve about 70 to 80 percent of your desired loan amount. It could be frustrating for some businesses that might have planned out their financial activities. Thus, you should always have a plan B if your loan gets disapproved or a lower amount be approved.
Repayment
Initially, repayment is the most important thing to consider when taking out a business loan. This is the most significant risk as you must understand and agree to pay back the dues even if your business fails. Your lenders will have a claim for repayment even if you declare bankruptcy.
Business Loans Have Advantages & Disadvantages
In a nutshell, business loans have their advantages and disadvantages. The key is to understand how they work entirely. You must be careful about borrowing money to operate your business. Taking risks is good only when you know how your business will perform. Loans are said to be excellent solutions for companies with huge potentials yet don’t have the resources to expand and grow. However, you must establish a plan for repayment as the lender will keep your collateral if you fail to pay back your loan.