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Top Questions About the Business Loan Underwriting Process Answered

Loan underwriting is the process lenders use to determine the  risk that a borrower will not repay a loan. A higher risk of non-payment means higher interest rates or denial.

Business Loan Underwriting is a Little Different

When it comes to business loan underwriting, underwriters are looking at the owner’s information as well as information related to the business itself. This is more complicated and usually takes longer.

Here are some common questions about the process, and some tips to make things go as smoothly as possible.

Question #1: What Are Underwriters Looking For?

Loan underwriting is not a game of “gotcha. “ Lenders want to make good loans. After all, that’s how they make a profit. They need to see not only that your business can repay the loan, but that there is a high probability you will repay the loan. They also want to see how you will handle repayment if something unexpected happens. Do you have a plan for making payments if things don’t go as planned?

Learn business loan secrets and get money for your business.

Underwriters are asking themselves these questions when they review your application. If you know what they’re looking for, you can include all the information needed on the front end.

Each lender has different criteria when it comes to underwriting small business loans. There really isn’t a standard that applies to every lender. Still, generally lenders are looking at the same types of things when they look at your business. But be aware, they may not weigh all factors the same.

How to Answer Question #1 Most Effectively

  • Provide all requested information.
  • Have financials professionally prepared by an accountant and reviewed by a tax attorney.
  • Fill out the application thoroughly and carefully.

Question #2: What Will I Need to Provide to the Underwriter?

Generally, loan underwriting requires you to provide:

  • Basic personal information, such as your name, address, and Social Security number
  • Your business name or doing business as (DBA) name
  • Your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • A copy of your business plan
  • Information about collateral if you’re applying for a secured loan
  • Details about your business, including time in business, annual revenues, number of employees, and more
  • Financial records, including tax returns, bank statements, and/or pay stubs (both personal and business)

How to Answer Question #2 Most Effectively

Write your business plan long before you apply for a loan. Have a mentor or the local Small Business Development Center help you. Also, gather records requested and review the details for accuracy.

Question #3: How Will the Underwriter Use the Data I Provide?

The data you provide for loan underwriting will be used to do the following.

Verify Business Revenue

If there isn’t enough revenue to support debt payments, you aren’t getting the loan. Most lenders have a ratio that helps them calculate how much they are willing to lend to your business.  That is, if they approve the application.

Generally, approval for any amount over 10% of your annual revenues is not likely.  This is especially true for traditional lenders. Of course, it depends heavily on whether you have any other business debt.

Learn business loan secrets and get money for your business.

Verify Personal Credit Score

With traditional lenders, your personal credit score is going to be part of every loan decision. In fact, in some cases it will determine whether or not they will pursue your loan application at all.

Banks generally look for scores in the 700s, though some will go as low as 680. The SBA has a minimum threshold around 650. In contrast, online lenders will go as low as 600 or even 500 in some cases.

If you get approval, the lower your personal credit score, the more expensive the financing. You may also have to provide a personal guarantee or sign off on a UCC blanket lien if your personal credit scores are particularly low.

Verify Collateral

Not all lenders require collateral, but most banks and the SBA do. While the SBA doesn’t always require that you fully collateralize a loan, they will require any collateral you may have available.

Online lenders will often apply a general lien on business assets. Also, most will require a personal guarantee on small business loans.

Determine Personal Equity in the Business

Underwriters may want to see how much money you have invested in the business. Lenders want you to have some personal skin in the game. If the business defaults, you have something to lose too.

In addition, lenders may use the data to determine a number of ratios that can help them in the decision making process.

Debt Service Coverage Ratio

This is a calculation of your business’ income and the total amount of business financing you already have. It is calculated as Business Income/ Business Debt.  If your ratio is below 1.25, it will be difficult to get more financing.

Debt-to-asset Ratio (total debt/ total assets)

This is especially important to underwriting if there isn’t a collateral requirement. It shows whether you have enough assets to cover the loan in the event you default. For example, do you have enough equipment or property to liquidate and cover the loan if you can’t make payments. A ratio of more than 1:1 is favorable.

Loan-to-value Ratio

This only applies if there is a collateral requirement. Lenders really want to see that your collateral is worth at least 20% more than you want to borrow. That’s why you need a down payment of around 20% to buy a new car or purchase a new house.  The lender wants to make sure you meet this ratio.

How to Answer Question #3 Most Effectively

Since you now know the formulas often used in the loan underwriting process, you can have your accountant do the math. It doesn’t make any sense to apply if the numbers aren’t in your favor.  If you are close, it may be worth a shot.

Running the numbers can also give you an idea of what may be required in terms of a personal guarantee or collateral.  This is helpful information to have before you apply.

Question #4: What Are the Dealbreakers?

There are a number of issues that an underwriter may uncover that may can mean “end game” for your loan application.  If you know of any of these issues before you apply, definitely disclose them. Knowing ahead of time will allow the underwriters to take note of mitigating factors as they go. If they come across any of these on their own, it is probably game over.

Learn business loan secrets and get money for your business.

  • Recent business cash advances or loans that are discovered but not disclosed in the month to date bank activity
  • An excessive amount of negative days in the bank activity printout
  • A criminal background history
  • Undisclosed tax liens or those not in a payment plan
  • A recent bankruptcy (within the last 6 months) or any open bankruptcy
  • Unsatisfied excessive or large judgments
  • Less than 50% ownership (depending on the lender)
  • A major drop in revenue
  • Negative landlord references
  • An undisclosed default or a restructured business loan or cash advance

How to Answer Question #4 Most Effectively

Check the documents you’re providing and make sure they’re complete. Material omissions, such as new loans that are not yet on record, need to be disclosed.

That way, the loan manager has all of the information and won’t penalize you for omissions.

Data Drives Loan Decisions

You provide the data to lenders that the underwriters use to make the loan decisions. It is imperative that the data you provide is as complete and accurate as possible. If they find inconsistencies, it is very likely they will simply deny the loan.

Something as small as using an ampersand in your business name in one place, and the word “and” in another, can cause enough doubt to deny a loan.

This is why building fundability is so important. Underwriters want to see your business is established as a separate entity from you, the owner. They need to see accurate and consistent information. Consequently, providing this from the beginning will make their job easier and save you a lot of time and frustration.

The post Top Questions About the Business Loan Underwriting Process Answered appeared first on Credit Suite.

All You Need to Know About The 3 Credit Bureaus

What are the 3 Credit Bureaus for Business All About? Are they really different? The 3 credit bureaus all have reports – are any of them more valuable than the others? The 3 Credit Bureaus for Business There are three credit reporting agencies for business in the US: Dun & Bradstreet Experian Equifax Commercial These … Continue reading All You Need to Know About The 3 Credit Bureaus

All You Need to Know About The 3 Credit Bureaus

What are the 3 Credit Bureaus for Business All About?

Are they really different? The 3 credit bureaus all have reports – are any of them more valuable than the others?

The 3 Credit Bureaus for Business

There are three credit reporting agencies for business in the US:

  • Dun & Bradstreet
  • Experian
  • Equifax Commercial

These are the biggest and best-known bureaus reporting on your EIN credit. But they are not the only business credit bureaus.

The 3 Credit Bureaus and Their Data

The major credit bureaus get data from many different places. These may include:

  • Utility companies
  • Landlords
  • Companies that help set up new businesses
  • Insurance and benefit providers,
  • The internet, etc.

Dun & Bradstreet

They are the oldest and largest of the 3 credit bureaus. You need a D-U-N-S number to start building business credit. No D-U-N-S number? Then get one; they’re free. This number gets a business into their system. Check with D&B to see if they have a record set up for you now.

Get Set Up with D&B

If your search with D&B doesn’t show you have a D-U-N-S number, you’ll need one. This is a nine-digit number issued by Dun & Bradstreet. It’s assigned to each business location in the D&B database. Each business has a unique, separate, and distinct operation for the purpose. Every business must first have a D-U-N-S number before D&B will assign a PAYDEX business credit score.

Get a D-U-N-S number on the D&B site. During the D-U-N-S set up process you’ll be asked for a lot of information. If you select that you’re a government contractor, you’ll get a D-U-N-S in about 1-2 weeks. But if you don’t pay D&B anything and aren’t a contractor, it can take up to 30 days to get a D-U-N-S.

Your Initial D&B Record

But what if you find a record? If you pull up a record for your business with D&B, then consider pulling your actual business credit report. To do so, you’ll need to enroll for credit monitoring. In doing so, you’ll see if you have any credit reporting. You’ll also see if you have scores. If you have negative items on your report, then dispute those through Duns Manager.

Build Business Credit with D&B

One way to start building your business credit is by using D&B’s Credit Builder program. With this option, you are only setting up credit with D&B, and not Experian and Equifax. This runs $149 monthly (as of July 2021).

Dun & Bradstreet Scores

The main score is PAYDEX. But a business will not get a PAYDEX score, unless it has at least 3 trade lines reporting, and a D-U-N-S number. A business must have BOTH to get a D&B score or report.

Get our business credit building checklist and build business credit the fast and easy way.

D&B Reports

In general when D&B does not have all the information that they need, they will say so in their reports. But missing information does not necessarily mean a company is a poor credit risk. Instead, the risk is unknown. They favor objective and statistically derived data, rather than subjective and intuitive judgments. D&B’s database contains millions of companies around the world.

PAYDEX Score

This is Dun & Bradstreet’s dollar-weighted numerical rating of how a company has paid the bills over the past year. D&B bases this score on trade experiences reported by various vendors. The Score ranges from 1 to 100; higher scores mean a better payment performance. PAYDEX scores reflect how well a company pays its bills.

PAYDEX Yearly Trend

Reports also contain a PAYDEX Yearly Trend graph. It includes detailed payment history.  with payment habits and a payment summary. This helps show whether a business pays its bigger bills first or last.

D&B Rating

This rating helps companies quickly assess a business’s size and composite credit appraisal. D&B bases this rating on information in a company’s interim or fiscal balance sheet plus an overall evaluation of the firm’s creditworthiness.

The scale goes from 5A to HH. Rating Classifications show company size based on worth or equity. D&B assigns such a rating only if a company has supplied a current financial statement.

The rating contains a Financial Strength Indicator. It is calculated using the Net Worth or Issued Capital of a company. Preference is to use Net Worth. D&B will show if a business is new or if they never got this information.

This section also adds a Composition Credit Appraisal. This number runs 1 through 4, and it reflects D&B’s overall rating of a business’s creditworthiness. Lower numbers are better. A D&B rating might look like 3A4.

Financial Stress Class

Numbers range from 1 to 5. 1 is businesses least likely to fail. 5 is firms most likely to fail. The Financial Stress Class measures likelihood of failure.

Credit Score Class

The Credit Score Class measures how often a company is delinquent in paying its bills. Numbers range from 1 to 5. 1 is businesses least likely to be late. 5 is firms most likely to be late making payments. More granular scores run from 101 to 670. 670 is the highest risk.

Monitoring Your Business Credit with Dun & Bradstreet

D&B offers Credit Evaluator Plus™. According to them, it’s “A credit report for simple credit decisions.” It can help you quickly determine a company’s risk of late payment. And it can help you identify how much credit to extend based on a company’s D&B PAYDEX® Score, D&B Maximum Credit Recommendation, and past payment behavior. As of the third quarter of 2021, it costs $61.99 to get a report for one company.

D&B also offers:

  • Business Information Report™ Snapshot ($139.99 per report)
  • Business Information Report™ On Demand ($189.99 per report)
  • Credit Reporter ($799 for 5 reports)

All three offer what Credit Evaluator Plus™ does, with some extras. All prices are current as of the third quarter of 2021.

Monitoring Your Own Business at Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet also sells CreditSignal®. You can view four Dun & Bradstreet business credit scores and ratings for 14 days. Get unlimited access to inquiry, legal event, and trade payment summary data.

Receive email notifications when a change occurs in your business credit report. Free alerts to changes to these D&B® scores and ratings, including your D&B PAYDEX score. CreditSignal is free.

Experian

Experian focuses on providing data and analytics to help businesses better assess risk. They use both consumer and business credit information to gauge risk. They have found that blended data and reports work a lot better for them.

For troubled businesses, blended scores dropped an average of 30% over the four quarters leading up to a bad event. But the owner’s consumer scores showed no statistically significant decline during the same period.

Per Experian: “By combining personal and commercial credit information in one report, Experian provides a complete picture of the creditworthiness of small businesses.”

Get Set Up with Experian

Many credit issuers use Experian to see if you should get approval for a credit card, and how much you should get. Get started with Experian by using their BizVerify system. See if Experian has information about your company already. Verify the information they have.

If your initial search shows your business information, pull your Experian credit report. Do so even if you have no trade lines. This is because Experian will give you a low, failing credit score. And this is if they have even basic information about your business.

Experian says:

  • “Experian® requires minimum information to generate a score. If a business doesn’t meet these requirements, a score is not generated. Minimum information is at least one tradeline and/or one demographic element.
  • [these are] Demographics such as years on file, Standard Industrial Classification codes and business size.”

Working with Experian

It only takes one account reporting to change credit status from high risk to low risk. Even one reported trade line can change a score from 27-29 to 85-100. That is, once that account is on an Experian report. Get approval for an account from a vendor which reports. Buy something and pay the bill. It takes about 30-90 days after that for that account to report.

Per Experian, each business credit score report includes:

  • Business credit scores and credit summary
  • Summaries of collections and payments
  • Uniform Commercial Code filing information
  • Bankruptcy filings
  • Judgment filings
  • Tax lien filings

Experian Business Credit Score

Business Credit Scores range from 1 to 100. Higher scores show lower risk. This score predicts the likelihood of serious credit delinquencies in the next 12 months. It uses tradeline and collections information, public filings as well as other variables to predict future risk.

Experian Financial Stability Risk Rating

Scores range from 1 to 5. Lower ratings show lower risk. A Financial Stability Risk Rating of 1 shows a 0.55% potential risk of severe financial distress in the next 12 months. Experian categorizes all businesses to fit within one of the five risk segments.

This rating predicts the likelihood of payment default and/or bankruptcy within the next 12 months. It uses tradeline and collections data, public filings, and other variables to predict future risk.

Credit Summary

This section contains several counts of various data points

  • Current Days Beyond Terms (DBT)
  • Current total account balance
  • Highest credit amount extended
  • Number of payment tradelines
  • The number of business inquiries
  • Number of UCC Filings
  • A percentage of businesses scoring worse than the company outlined in the report
  • Number of bankruptcies and liens

Payment Trend Summary

This section has two graphs. They show the company in question versus its industry on:

  • Monthly payment trends
  • Quarterly payment trends

These are the percentages of on-time payments by month and quarter, respectively.

Score Improvement Tips

Experian offers suggestions on how to improve your reports, such as:

  • Getting net-30 terms, if possible, from existing and future tradeline suppliers
  • Paying accounts on time or working with the tradeline supplier to work out a payment plan so a business is not reported delinquent
  • Lowering credit use
  • Making sure all the information in the report is correct

Get our business credit building checklist and build business credit the fast and easy way.

Monitoring Your Business Credit with Experian

Available options provide varying levels of detail. One such report is the Experian CreditScore SM Report. Get an Experian Business Credit Score (Intelliscore). You also get the Experian Financial Stability Risk Rating. Get information on derogatories like judgments, tax liens, and bankruptcies. Learn about any fictitious business name information in the file. As of the third quarter of 2021, this report costs $39.95.

Experian ProfilePlus SM Report

In addition to the Experian CreditScore Report, get:

  • Trade payment detail
  • Inquiry detail
  • UCC detail
  • Corporate financial information

As of the third quarter of 2021, this report costs $49.95.

Experian Business Credit Advantage SM Subscription Plan

You get (among other information):

  • Trade payment detail
  • Inquiry detail
  • UCC detail
  • Corporate financial information

As of the third quarter of 2021, this annual subscription costs $189.

Experian Business CreditScore Pro SM Subscription Plans

This is Experian’s most comprehensive plan. Along with everything above, you also get credit limit recommendations. Get reports on 30 businesses per month. As of the third quarter of 2021, this subscription costs $1,495 per year.

Experian BizVerify Report

This is Experian’s snapshot view of a business credit file. Use this report to verify that a new business is in their National Business Database. This brief summary report provides any available information on a business’s registration information. This is even for businesses that don’t yet have an Experian business credit score.

It isn’t much of a monitoring product; it’s more to make sure a business is in Experian’s records. As of the third quarter of 2021, this report costs less than $20.

Equifax

Most credit issuers and trade vendors report to D&B and Experian, not Equifax. So when you find trades that report to Equifax, apply, get approval, use your credit, and pay your bills on time. That way, you’ll build your reports and scores.

Many lenders pull your Equifax credit report for lending decisions. Your Equifax profile and score can also be a part of your FICO SBSS score. SBA lenders use this score for SBA loans. Build credit with Equifax when you can because it’s vital to getting the loans you need to grow your business.

Get Set Up with Equifax

If your search shows that Equifax has a record of your business, pull your Equifax reports and scores. See if you have trades reporting. Equifax can have an established report and score for you even if you have no trade lines reporting.

This is especially true if you have some type of public record out there, like a bankruptcy, lien, or lawsuit. In this case, access your Equifax company report and score even with 0 trades reporting.

Equifax Data

The company gets data from a data sharing agreement with the Small Business Exchange. They also use net 30 type industry trade credit information. They also get data from various suppliers of products and services to businesses on an invoice basis. Equifax combines financial data with industry trade credit data.

They add utility and telephone data and public record information. These are bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens. Reports contain many calculated scores.

Get our business credit building checklist and build business credit the fast and easy way.

Equifax Reports

Equifax Business Credit Reports include:

  • Credit Summary – synopsis of credit accounts with banks, suppliers, and service providers
  • Public Records – Secretary of State business registration, judgments, liens, or bankruptcies
  • Risk Scores – Equifax Business Credit Risk Score™ and Equifax Business Failure Score™
  • Payment Index – a 12-month payment comparison to the industry norm
  • Additional Company Information – alternate business names, owner names, and guarantor names

It also includes business and credit grantor comments.

Credit Risk Score

This score runs from 101 to 992, and higher numbers are better. This section also shows key factors. These are positives and negatives about your business. Such as how old your oldest account is, and whether you have any charge-offs, and the size of your business.

Payment Index

A Payment Index score runs from 0 to 100, and higher numbers are better. It also shows Industry Median. Reports contain a table explaining the numbers:

  • 90+: Paid as Agreed
  • 80-89: 1-30 days overdue
  • 60-79: 31-60 days overdue
  • 40-59: 61-90 days overdue
  • 20-39: 91-120 days overdue
  • 1-19: 120+ days overdue

Monitoring and Disputing Issues with Your Equifax Report

Equifax will not change your scores without proof. They are starting to accept more and more online disputes. Include proofs of payment with it. These are documents like receipts and cancelled checks. Correct Equifax issues on their website. Be specific about the concerns with your report. As of the third quarter of 2021, you can order a single business credit report for $99.95. Or order a business credit report multi-pack (5 for the price of 4) for $399.95.

Monitor Business Credit at the 3 Credit Bureaus for Less

All these reports are expensive! But did you know that you can get business credit monitoring for all 3 credit bureaus, and all in one place – for less? Credit Suite offers monitoring through its Business Finance Suite (through Nav). See what credit issuers and lenders see. So you can improve your scores and get the business credit and funding you need.

Improving Your Reports

Whatever improves one report, is bound to improve your reports at the other two of the big 3 credit bureaus. Paying off accounts always pays dividends. So does avoiding bankruptcies, and correcting errors as you spot them.

The 3 Credit Bureaus: Takeaways

D&B is the largest of the 3 credit bureaus for business. Experian uses blended personal and business data. Lenders tend to use Equifax. Actions you take to improve one report tend to improve the other two. Let us help.

The post All You Need to Know About The 3 Credit Bureaus appeared first on Credit Suite.

What No One Will Tell You About Retail Credit Cards

When you get a credit card tied directly to a store, it’s called a retail credit card. Common examples include retail credit cards from Lowe’s and Office Depot. Generally, you can only use these accounts at the specific store that issues the card. Some stores offer credit accounts with net terms rather than retail credit cards. 

Retail Credit Cards and Accounts Can Push Business Credit Beyond the Beginning

There are a lot of steps to building a business credit profile that many business owners just don’t know.  We do our best to help out in that area, but once you get started, you have to keep going. Building a fundable foundation is important, of course. You cannot have business credit without that. 

Check out our best webinar with its trustworthy list of seven vendors to help you build business credit.

Then, you have to get initial accounts reporting. That’s where starter vendors come in. Yet, you can’t stop there. That is just the effort it takes to build the snowball and get it to the edge. You have to push it down the hill if it is ever going to grow. 

That is where you get to the next step after starter vendors. In the Business Credit Builder we call it Tier 2. This is where second step credit providers live. 

Retail Credit Cards and Accounts: AKA Tier 2 Credit Providers

There are various types of credit providers in the Tier 2 category. These are credit providers that will approve you with limited business credit history or a personal guarantee. What really sets them apart is that they will report your on-time payments to the business credit reporting agencies. 

Not all business credit providers do that. Many will only report late or missed payments, if they report anything at all. However, if you find those that report positive payment history, your business credit profile continues to grow. Your business credit score continues to grow as well. 

This is how your business credit score can really take off. 

Finding Tier 2 Retail Credit Providers

It can be a bit tricky to find these types of accounts. Despite the fact that most large retailers offer retail credit cards or net accounts, many do not make it easy to find out whether or not they will report. If you are working on building business credit, reporting on-time payments is vital. 

That’s part of the value of the Business Credit Builder.  There is a whole database full of Tier 2 vendors that report. We list them for you along with what it takes to get approval and which business credit agencies they report to. 

Some will still extend credit, and still report to the business credit reporting agencies, even if you do not meet the requirements or do not have enough business credit history. The catch is, they will require a personal guarantee.

Check out our best webinar with its trustworthy list of seven vendors to help you build business credit.

Retail Credit Cards or Net Accounts and a Personal Guarantee

Others will not require a PG, but it will make it much easier to get approved with minimal business credit history. This is why the first steps of the Business Credit Builder are so important. Without a strong business credit profile, you may be able to get approval with a PG.  In contrast, if you build a solid foundation and business credit score with starter vendors first, you can get approval without a PG.

That right there is the secret that no one wants to talk about when it comes to retail credit. You do not have to give a personal guarantee to get it. There is another way. You can build a strong business credit profile before you apply. 

It’s not that a personal guarantee is bad, per se. Sometimes you may need it to get started. Still, it does add more liability to you personally. So, if you can get away without it, why not?

Examples of Tier 2 Retail Credit

Here are just a few options from the Business Credit Builder. 

Home Depot

Home Depot requires: 

  • An EIN 
  • Business address- matching everywhere.
  • D & B number
  • Business License- if applicable
  • Business Bank account

They also  like to see a minimum of 2 accounts reporting.  But, they will  look at the merit of the overall application, so minimum accounts reporting isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. 

They also require a business phone number listed in the 411 directory and at least 3 years in business. The minimum PAYDEX required is 80, and you must also have a good Experian business score.  You can request Net 60 terms after the account is established. 

If there is not enough business credit history or you have been in business for less than 3 years, a Personal Guarantee(PG) is required.

Quill.com

Quill.com sells supplies any business can use in day-to-day operations, including office and cleaning supplies.  For approval, they want to see: 

  • Business address- matching everywhere
  • D & B number
  • Business License- if applicable
  • Business Bank account
  • At least 3 trade/credit references
  • A good D&B paydex score of 80 or higher
  • That the business has been established for at least 6 months

New businesses or businesses with no credit history with D&B may need to pre pay purchases for 3 consecutive months until Net 30 is approved. 

Office Depot

To get approval for Net 30 with Office Depot you must have: 

  • An EIN 
  • A business address- matching everywhere.
  • Your business License- if applicable
  • A business bank account
  • At least 3 years in business
  • A good D&B paydex score of 80 or higher and good Experian business credit score

If any above criteria is not met, a Personal Guarantee (PG) is recommended but not required.

Check out our best webinar with its trustworthy list of seven vendors to help you build business credit.

Once you’ve got your 5 (or more) starter vendors reporting, you should be eligible for credit from these retailers. That is, assuming you have handled your credit from starter vendors wisely. As you can see, exact requirements for approval vary by lender.

Retail Credit Cards or Net Accounts and Building Business Credit

Many of these credit providers have more than one option for business credit. For example, they may offer net terms as well as a revolving account. If you do not qualify for the revolving account, you may qualify for net terms. 

You can use the net account to help you build your business credit profile until you qualify for the revolving account. These examples can help you see what’s out there and what it takes to get approval.  They make it crystal clear why building a fundable foundation and getting initial accounts reporting using starter vendors is vital. 

Once you do so, you can get retail credit accounts from tier 2 reporting as well. This keeps the snowball rolling and growing allowing you to pick up bigger accounts with better terms.  If done properly, the need for a personal guarantee can be kept to a minimum.

The post What No One Will Tell You About Retail Credit Cards appeared first on Credit Suite.

In Just a Few Minutes of Your Time, Learn All About Avoiding Risky NAICS Codes

What are NAICS Codes?

And how can they affect if you can get funding? We tell you all about NAICS Codes. They could be the difference between getting business money or not getting any money.

NAICS Codes: Some Background

Federal statistical agencies use the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) . The idea is to classify business establishments. This is to collect, analyze, and publish statistical data, related to the U.S. business economy.

The NAICS was developed under the auspices of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Its adoption was in 1997. The intention is to replace the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC) developed it with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia. The intent was to make business stats easy to compare among North American countries.

What is the NAICS Structure and How Many Digits are in an NAICS Code?

NAICS is a 2- through 6-digit hierarchical classification system. It offers five levels of detail. Each digit in the code is part of a series of progressively narrower categories. The more digits in the code, the more classification detail.

Details on NAICS Code Structure

The first two digits are the economic sector. The third digit designates the subsector. And the fourth digit designates the industry group. The fifth digit designates the NAICS industry. The sixth digit designates the national industry.

A 5-digit NAICS code is comparable in code and definitions for most of the NAICS sectors. This is across the three countries participating in NAICS. They are the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The 6-digit level lets the U.S., Canada, and Mexico all have country-specific detail. A complete and valid NAICS code has six digits.

Codes and Industries

NAICS industry codes define businesses based on the primary activities they engage in. Recently, the NAICS changed many of its codes as it updated its philosophy. It no longer sets aside online businesses. Now the NAICS no longer distinguishes businesses by how they deliver goods or services.

High Risk NAICS Codes

There is an older NAICS list of high-risk and high-cash industries. Higher risk industries on the list include casinos, pawn shops, and liquor stores. But it also included automotive dealers and restaurants. But this list is from 2014 and does not appear to have ever gotten any updating.

Per the NAICS, various professionals in the banking industry compiled the list. The idea was to use it as a working guide. But it is not an officially sanctioned list. They do not guarantee the accuracy of this list.

Codes and Risk

When considering any aspects of a business, risk must be a major factor. There are inherent issues in every single industry. But some businesses are considered to be risky by their very nature. This is the case even if everything else goes off like a hitch and the business is prospering. Risk is inherent within these business types. Even if your business doesn’t feel risky, it could be anyway.

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Why Risk Matters

The biggest reason why risk matters has to do with funding. There are several industries where lending institutions are hesitant to do business. In those particular cases, there are stricter underwriting guidelines. But at least a company can get funding.

In some industries, no funding is available at all. As a result, those businesses will need to find other solutions for financing. These solutions can include:

  • Crowdfunding
  • Angel investors
  • Venture capital
  • Business credit building and more

Still, a lot of businesses would rather work with lenders. But where are lenders’ ideas of the degree of risk coming from? One clue comes from the CDC.

Real Injury Risks According to the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control looks at risks in small businesses. Part of the calculation of risk comes from occupational injuries. But the other side of the risk coin is occupations which are high in cash transactions. After all, a pawn shop might not have much of a specific risk of injury at all. But the large amounts of cash normally associated with one mean it can be a tempting target for thieves.

A Look at Some Restricted Industries

These industries (among many others) can get an automatic decline:

  • Ammunition or weapons manufacturing; wholesale and retail
  • Energy, oil trading, or petroleum extraction or production
  • Gaming or gambling activities
  • Loans for the speculative purchases of securities or goods
  • Political campaigns, candidates, or committees
  • Public administration
    1. City, county, state, and federal governmental agencies
  • X-rated products or entertainment

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

A Look at Some High-Risk Industries

These industries (among many others) can be subject to stricter underwriting guidelines:

  • Auto, RV or boat sales
  • Computer and software related services including programming
  • Dry cleaners
  • Gas stations or convenience stores
  • Limousine services
  • Long distance or “over-the-road” trucking
  • Mobile or manufactured home sales
  • Phone sales and direct selling establishments
  • Real estate agents/brokers
  • Real estate developers or land sub-dividers
  • Restaurants or drinking establishments
  • Taxi cabs
    1. This includes buying cab medallions
  • Travel agencies

A Look at Some High-Risk NAICS Codes

According to the older list, the following codes are among those considered to be high risk:

  • 445310 – Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
  • 424940 – Tobacco and Tobacco Product Merchant Wholesalers
  • 811113 – Automotive Transmission Repair

How do you choose a better code?

Using a Different NAICS Code

Of course you want to be 100% honest when it comes to selecting your NAICS code. But if more than one can apply, you don’t have to choose the one that’s higher risk. So it pays to check and be careful when making your selection.

Also, if only high risk codes apply, there’s nothing wrong with changing your business. Then you may be able to match a related but lower risk code. There is nothing underhanded or dishonest about doing this.

An Example of How to Switch an NAICS Code

Let’s say your business is automotive transmission repair (NAICS Code 811113). We know this is a high risk code. But 811191 is not on the NAICS list. It covers Automotive Oil Change and Lubrication Shops. So why not offer oil changes and use the lower risk code? It could be the difference between getting funding, or not.

Which Agencies Use NAICS Codes?

The Internal Revenue Service will use the NAICS code you select. This is to see if your business tax returns are comparable to other businesses in your industry. If your deductions do not reasonably resemble other businesses in your industry, your business could be subject to an audit.

The IRS may label some companies as high-risk when they do not choose the right NAICS code. But if you know how the system works, then you can choose the correct code on your first try.

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Which Agencies Other Than the IRS Use These Codes?

Lenders, banks, insurance companies, and business CRAs all use codes. They tend to use both NAICS and SIC Codes. SIC Codes are the older business classification system. D&B uses both SIC and NAICS Codes.

OSHA uses NAICS Codes for industry identification in its data. These agencies use them to determine if your business is in a high-risk industry. So you could get a loan or business credit card denial based on your business classification. Some SIC codes in particular can trigger automatic turn-downs. You could end up paying higher premiums, and get reduced credit limits for your business.

There Are No Guarantees in Life

Will a better NAICS code guarantee funding for your business venture? Of course it won’t. But at least your business will not be automatically turned down before you can make a case for funding.

NAICS Codes: Takeaways

Industries are defined by codes from the North American Industry Classification System. Codes go up to six digits for the most granular information. Some codes are always associated with high risk. This makes it harder to get business funding. So if more than one NAICS code can apply to your business, pick the one that’s less risky.

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In Just a Few Minutes of Your Time, Learn All About Avoiding Risky NAICS Codes

What are NAICS Codes?

And how can they affect if you can get funding? We tell you all about NAICS Codes. They could be the difference between getting business money or not getting any money.

NAICS Codes: Some Background

Federal statistical agencies use the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) . The idea is to classify business establishments. This is to collect, analyze, and publish statistical data, related to the U.S. business economy.

The NAICS was developed under the auspices of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Its adoption was in 1997. The intention is to replace the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC) developed it with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia. The intent was to make business stats easy to compare among North American countries.

What is the NAICS Structure and How Many Digits are in an NAICS Code?

NAICS is a 2- through 6-digit hierarchical classification system. It offers five levels of detail. Each digit in the code is part of a series of progressively narrower categories. The more digits in the code, the more classification detail.

Details on NAICS Code Structure

The first two digits are the economic sector. The third digit designates the subsector. And the fourth digit designates the industry group. The fifth digit designates the NAICS industry. The sixth digit designates the national industry.

A 5-digit NAICS code is comparable in code and definitions for most of the NAICS sectors. This is across the three countries participating in NAICS. They are the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The 6-digit level lets the U.S., Canada, and Mexico all have country-specific detail. A complete and valid NAICS code has six digits.

Codes and Industries

NAICS industry codes define businesses based on the primary activities they engage in. Recently, the NAICS changed many of its codes as it updated its philosophy. It no longer sets aside online businesses. Now the NAICS no longer distinguishes businesses by how they deliver goods or services.

High Risk NAICS Codes

There is an older NAICS list of high-risk and high-cash industries. Higher risk industries on the list include casinos, pawn shops, and liquor stores. But it also included automotive dealers and restaurants. But this list is from 2014 and does not appear to have ever gotten any updating.

Per the NAICS, various professionals in the banking industry compiled the list. The idea was to use it as a working guide. But it is not an officially sanctioned list. They do not guarantee the accuracy of this list.

Codes and Risk

When considering any aspects of a business, risk must be a major factor. There are inherent issues in every single industry. But some businesses are considered to be risky by their very nature. This is the case even if everything else goes off like a hitch and the business is prospering. Risk is inherent within these business types. Even if your business doesn’t feel risky, it could be anyway.

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Why Risk Matters

The biggest reason why risk matters has to do with funding. There are several industries where lending institutions are hesitant to do business. In those particular cases, there are stricter underwriting guidelines. But at least a company can get funding.

In some industries, no funding is available at all. As a result, those businesses will need to find other solutions for financing. These solutions can include:

  • Crowdfunding
  • Angel investors
  • Venture capital
  • Business credit building and more

Still, a lot of businesses would rather work with lenders. But where are lenders’ ideas of the degree of risk coming from? One clue comes from the CDC.

Real Injury Risks According to the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control looks at risks in small businesses. Part of the calculation of risk comes from occupational injuries. But the other side of the risk coin is occupations which are high in cash transactions. After all, a pawn shop might not have much of a specific risk of injury at all. But the large amounts of cash normally associated with one mean it can be a tempting target for thieves.

A Look at Some Restricted Industries

These industries (among many others) can get an automatic decline:

  • Ammunition or weapons manufacturing; wholesale and retail
  • Energy, oil trading, or petroleum extraction or production
  • Gaming or gambling activities
  • Loans for the speculative purchases of securities or goods
  • Political campaigns, candidates, or committees
  • Public administration
    1. City, county, state, and federal governmental agencies
  • X-rated products or entertainment

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

A Look at Some High-Risk Industries

These industries (among many others) can be subject to stricter underwriting guidelines:

  • Auto, RV or boat sales
  • Computer and software related services including programming
  • Dry cleaners
  • Gas stations or convenience stores
  • Limousine services
  • Long distance or “over-the-road” trucking
  • Mobile or manufactured home sales
  • Phone sales and direct selling establishments
  • Real estate agents/brokers
  • Real estate developers or land sub-dividers
  • Restaurants or drinking establishments
  • Taxi cabs
    1. This includes buying cab medallions
  • Travel agencies

A Look at Some High-Risk NAICS Codes

According to the older list, the following codes are among those considered to be high risk:

  • 445310 – Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores
  • 424940 – Tobacco and Tobacco Product Merchant Wholesalers
  • 811113 – Automotive Transmission Repair

How do you choose a better code?

Using a Different NAICS Code

Of course you want to be 100% honest when it comes to selecting your NAICS code. But if more than one can apply, you don’t have to choose the one that’s higher risk. So it pays to check and be careful when making your selection.

Also, if only high risk codes apply, there’s nothing wrong with changing your business. Then you may be able to match a related but lower risk code. There is nothing underhanded or dishonest about doing this.

An Example of How to Switch an NAICS Code

Let’s say your business is automotive transmission repair (NAICS Code 811113). We know this is a high risk code. But 811191 is not on the NAICS list. It covers Automotive Oil Change and Lubrication Shops. So why not offer oil changes and use the lower risk code? It could be the difference between getting funding, or not.

Which Agencies Use NAICS Codes?

The Internal Revenue Service will use the NAICS code you select. This is to see if your business tax returns are comparable to other businesses in your industry. If your deductions do not reasonably resemble other businesses in your industry, your business could be subject to an audit.

The IRS may label some companies as high-risk when they do not choose the right NAICS code. But if you know how the system works, then you can choose the correct code on your first try.

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Which Agencies Other Than the IRS Use These Codes?

Lenders, banks, insurance companies, and business CRAs all use codes. They tend to use both NAICS and SIC Codes. SIC Codes are the older business classification system. D&B uses both SIC and NAICS Codes.

OSHA uses NAICS Codes for industry identification in its data. These agencies use them to determine if your business is in a high-risk industry. So you could get a loan or business credit card denial based on your business classification. Some SIC codes in particular can trigger automatic turn-downs. You could end up paying higher premiums, and get reduced credit limits for your business.

There Are No Guarantees in Life

Will a better NAICS code guarantee funding for your business venture? Of course it won’t. But at least your business will not be automatically turned down before you can make a case for funding.

NAICS Codes: Takeaways

Industries are defined by codes from the North American Industry Classification System. Codes go up to six digits for the most granular information. Some codes are always associated with high risk. This makes it harder to get business funding. So if more than one NAICS code can apply to your business, pick the one that’s less risky.

The post In Just a Few Minutes of Your Time, Learn All About Avoiding Risky NAICS Codes appeared first on Credit Suite.

The Truth About Business Funding With No Personal Guarantee Credit

Does business funding with no personal guarantee credit exist? The simple answer is yes. How do you get it, and do you even need it? Those are harder questions to answer. 

What’s the Real Story Behind Business Business Funding With No Personal Guarantee Credit?

To some, it may seem like a mythical idea, a unicorn if you will.  Even if you have strong business credit, many lenders will ask for a personal guarantee on a business loan. So, what are companies talking about when they say you can fund a business with no personal guarantee credit?  Let’s find out. 

What is Business Credit?

Before we can talk about no personal guarantee credit for business funding,we need to define a few terms. 

First, we’ll define business credit. Business credit is credit, like a credit card or other type of credit account, in the name of your business rather than in your name personally. When you apply, you use your business name, your business contact information, and your EIN instead of your social security number. 

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help.

Then, the business is responsible for repayment. Sometimes, the account does not report to your personal credit report. Meaning, your personal credit scores will not be affected by your business credit accounts. 

Business Credit vs. Business Credit Report

Now, let’s talk about your business credit report. This is a report, like your personal credit report. Lenders use it to evaluate the creditworthiness of the business. It consists of the credit history of the business, the business credit score, and other data. The business credit score is made up of the payment history of those business credit accounts that actually report to the business credit reporting agencies. 

Not all business accounts will do that. But those that do, are the ones that make up the score on the business credit report. 

Personal Guarantee

To understand what no personal guarantee credit is, you have to know what a personal guarantee is. If you get a credit account with a personal guarantee, you are responsible for repayment. By definition, all personal credit accounts have a personal guarantee.

This could mean a hard pull on your personal credit, which can lower your personal credit score. However, in theory, if your business has an account in its own name and it is set up to be a separate entity from you, the owner, it is responsible for its own debt. 

Still, many companies require a personal guarantee from the business owner before extending business credit, especially small businesses. This is due to many factors, including data from the Bureau of Labor statistics that states 20% of new businesses fail within the first year, 45% within the first 5 years, and 65% in the first 10 years. In fact, only 25% of new businesses make it 15 years or more. 

It’s easy to see why lenders and credit card companies would ask for a personal guarantee from business owners when it comes to business credit.

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help.

Can You Get No Personal Guarantee Credit for Business Funding?

The short answer to this is yes, but it is not that simple. First, most business accounts that do not require a personal guarantee are designed for larger businesses or older businesses. 

There is very little out there when it comes to no personal guarantee credit for small, newer businesses. There are some vendors that will extend net terms without a personal guarantee if your business meets certain requirements.

Requirements may include a certain minimum time in business, a minimum average balance in a business bank account, specific annual revenue, and more. Other than that, there are a couple of business charge cards you can get without a personal guarantee.  For example, Brex and Divvy both offer this type of product.

The catch is, these are charge cards, not credit cards. So you have to pay the balance off each month. Basically, it’s like a card that you can use anywhere and you have net 3o terms on the balance. It’s similar to a vendor account, but more flexible.

There are also business credit cards available without a personal guarantee, but only if your business credit is strong enough. In general, your business needs to be earning millions in annual revenue to qualify for these cards.

What’s so Bad About a Personal Guarantee?

Why try to avoid a personal guarantee? No one likes risk. That’s why businesses require a personal guarantee and why business owners don’t love to give one. However, if you have true business credit that requires a personal guarantee, the business will have to pay first. You will be personally liable for anything that the business cannot cover. Still, you will not be first in line for all of it. 

A Personal Guarantee can Accelerate Your Business Growth

A better option is to realize that if your business is small and young, you are likely going to need a personal guarantee for much of the funding. Yet, you can work to reduce your liability in a number of ways. The first way to do that is to incorporate your business as a corporation, S-corp, or LLC. Your business attorney or accounting professional can help you with that. 

Next, you can look at funding options that do not require credit at all. Does this debt-free funding even exist? Sure it does.

Grants, Crowdfunding, Angel Investors, ROBS, and more can be used to get as much funding as possible without any repayment. 

Work on Building Business Credit

Then, you can work on building a strong business credit profile for your business, including a strong business credit score.  This will help you be able to get funding for your business without as much reliance on a personal guarantee. Basically, the stronger the business credit, the less the lender feels the need to rely on the owner’s creditworthiness.

The key to this is to look for creditors who will report positive payment history to your business credit profile. Even some lenders that require a personal guarantee may report payments to your business credit report and not your personal credit report.

Stop worrying about the personal guarantee and worry more about building business credit so you can reduce the amount of personal guarantee required to get the funding you need.

Get Funding While Building Business Credit

If you cannot get all of the funding you need for your business with non-debt options, and your business is young and small, you may very well have to use a personal guarantee to get the funding you need in the beginning. That is okay. 

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help.

The key is to know exactly what you are getting. Definitely make sure you apply with your business name, EIN, and contact information. Then find out what credit agencies they report to. If they report to the business credit agencies like Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, or Equifax (Business), that is a good thing.  It will help you reach your goal of building business credit faster.

If they report to personal credit, so be it. Just keep working through the process of building your business credit profile as quickly as possible.  Then, you can tip the scales away from your personal liability as much and as quickly as possible. 

Debt-Free Funding

If you really want to stay away from a personal guarantee, you can try one of these debt-free funding options. Just remember, debt-free doesn’t mean cost-free. There are always some costs associated with funding.

Rollover for Business Startups (ROBS)

This is a 401(k) Rollover for Working Capital program. It’s also known as a Rollover for Business Startups (ROBS).  Per the IRS, a ROBS qualified plan is a separate entity with its own set of requirements.  The plan owns the business through its company stock investments, rather than the individual. 

This type of financing isn’t a loan against your 401(k), so there’s no interest to pay. It does not use the 401(k) or stocks as collateral. Instead, this is simply a movement or change of custodian. The plan has to be a plan from an employer you no longer work for, and you can no longer be contributing. 

Crowdfunding 

Crowdfunding is a way of getting multiple smaller donations from a lot of individuals. Hence the term “crowd” in crowdfunding. There are many options for crowdfunding platforms, but be sure you know what you are getting into. Many crowdfunding platforms make you give all of the funding back if you do not make your goal by the end of the campaign.

They will take a percentage of the donations. That’s how they make their money. In addition, they may push to have you deliver on your promises. Crowdfunding tends to work best when donors can personally connect with a product or service . Straightforward businesses may not do so well. 

The kinds of businesses which do the best often associate with products not quite on the shelves yet or artistic endeavors.

Angel Investors

While there are “professional” angel investors out there, an angel investor can be pretty much anyone. It  could be a friend or family member sitting on home equity, or local professionals who are looking to invest. Consider people you know well and people you may not know so well. 

What frustrates you the most about funding your business? Check out how our free guide can help.

Grants

There are some grant options available, and of course those do not have to be repaid. However, they are highly competitive, and it is unlikely it will be enough to fully fund your business. Also, grants will require time on your part to prepare all necessary paperwork.  Some even require an application fee. 

Other Funding Options

No personal guarantee credit for business funding is great to have.  Still, chances are you are going to need a personal guarantee to get funding at some point. There are a lot of good options out there. In fact, SBA loans are a great option. You can also look into alternative lenders like Fundbox and OnDeck or Accion. 

Using a personal guarantee to get the ball rolling while you work on building your business credit profile is a valid option. It is what most business owners have to do. But, you need to build a strong business credit score so lenders can start to rely more on the credit worthiness of your business than you personally. Credit Suite has a whole program designed to help do just that. Find out more about the Business Credit Builder now. 

The post The Truth About Business Funding With No Personal Guarantee Credit appeared first on Credit Suite.