Prior COVID infection provides just as much protection as vaccines, new study finds

A new study found that a previous COVID-19 infection offers at least the same level of protection as two doses of high-quality mRNA vaccines, such as Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. Additionally, people who are infected with the virus may be protected from reinfection for 40 weeks or longer, the study found. It was published in The … Continue reading Prior COVID infection provides just as much protection as vaccines, new study finds

What’s This? The Paycheck Protection Program is out of Money Again?

What is Going on with the Paycheck Protection Program? According to the New York Times, “Four weeks before its scheduled end, the federal government’s signature aid effort for small business ravaged by the pandemic — the Paycheck Protection Program — ran out of funding on Tuesday afternoon and stopped accepting most new applications.” Unfortunately, this … Continue reading What’s This? The Paycheck Protection Program is out of Money Again?

What’s This? The Paycheck Protection Program is out of Money Again?

What is Going on with the Paycheck Protection Program?

According to the New York Times, “Four weeks before its scheduled end, the federal government’s signature aid effort for small business ravaged by the pandemic — the Paycheck Protection Program — ran out of funding on Tuesday afternoon and stopped accepting most new applications.”

Unfortunately, this is nothing new. The Paycheck Protection Program has run out of money before – almost exactly a year ago, to be precise, on April 16th.

And then in August of 2020, that round for the PPP ended with money left over.  So, in essence, the amount has gone up and down, regardless of who has been occupying the White House or which party is controlling Congress.

Paycheck Protection Program Fraud Does Not Help Matters

According to the National Law Review, by last month, the SBA, “provided a total of $934 billion in funding to companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of September 2020, Congress had already identified billions of dollars in suspect loans issued under the PPP; and, in the months since, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has continued to pursue fraud investigations targeting PPP loan recipients across the country.”

In fact, it turns out to be good employment news for lawyers. The Department of Justice is currently hiring trial attorneys to prosecute loan fraud cases. But there are more reasons why the Paycheck Protection Program may have burned through its funds more quickly than its expected end date of May 31st.

Paycheck  Protection Program Loans Going to Places That Do Not Need Them is Another Issue

In a paper published by NBER.org, that organization found, “funds were targeted towards areas less severely affected by the virus, at least initially.” While things have changed, and the distribution process has improved dramatically, there may still be some questionable places where PPP funds went but were not needed – at least not as desperately as they have been needed in other industries and other parts of the country.

PPP Set Aside Still Has Some $$ – For Now

Also per the New York Times, “Some money — around $8 billion — is still available through a set-aside for community financial institutions, which generally focus on lending to businesses run by women, minorities and other underserved communities. Those lenders will be allowed to process applications until that money runs out…”.

Hence if you are a member of a protected class, you may be in luck. If you want a Paycheck Protection Program loan, and you have not acted yet, then your best (and only) bet is to go through a community financial institution. And you had best hurry.

Will more money be released to bolster this program for yet another round of funding? It is hard to say. Given that there was an April hiring boom, it is entirely possible that Congress and the President will decide to wait and see. Or, maybe, forgo another round while the economic recovery stays strong. As always, that could change at any time.

As a result, it is probably a good idea to look at alternatives to the Paycheck Protection Program.

Demolish your funding problems with 27 killer ways to get cash for your business.

3 Great Alternatives to the Paycheck Protection Program

3. 401(k) Financing

This is not a loan. You will not have to pay an early withdrawal fee or a tax penalty. You put the money back by contributing, just like with any 401(k) program. This means you won’t lose your retirement funds. This is a 401(k) Rollover for Working Capital program. The IRS calls it 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, through its company stock investments, rather than the individual owns the trade or business. Therefore, some filing exceptions for individuals may not apply to such a plan. 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.

Credit Suite offers 401(k) financing.

401(k) Financing: Terms and Qualifying

The Credit Suite 401(k) financing offers a powerful and flexible way for new or existing businesses and franchises to leverage assets that are currently in a 401(k) plan or IRA. In as little as 2 weeks you can invest a portion of your retirement funds into your business, giving you more control over the performance of your retirement plan assets and the working capital you need for business growth.

401(k) financing is easy to qualify for as you won’t need financials or good credit to get approval.

To qualify for 401(k) financing all any lender will require is a copy of your two most recent 401(k) statements. If your 401(k) has a value more than $35,000 you can get approval, even with severely challenged personal credit.

Pay low rates, often less than 5%. Your 401(k) will need to have more than $35,000 in it.

Can usually get up to 100% of what’s “rollable” within your 401(k). The lender will want to see a copy of your two most recent 401(k) statements.

You can get 401(k) financing even with severely challenged personal credit. The 401(k) you use cannot be from a business where you are currently employed. So it will need to be from older employment. You cannot be currently contributing to it.

Do You Have Credit Issues Now?

Our 401(k) financing program is perfect for business owners who have credit issues. Lenders are not looking for, nor do they require good credit to qualify. You can even get approval for a low-interest credit line, even with severely challenged personal credit and low credit scores.

You can get approval for a credit line, regardless of personal credit quality, even if you have recent derogatory items and major collections on your credit report.

This is one of the best and easiest business financing programs in existence that you can qualify for and get really good terms even if you have severe personal credit problems. You will need to pay a lender fee; it will include 5 years’ worth of management and consulting.

Demolish your funding problems with 27 killer ways to get cash for your business.

2. Account Receivable Financing

Many businesses wait weeks, even months to get paid on their outstanding account receivables. This typically creates major cash-flow issues as they provide their goods and services and absorb those costs until they eventually get paid sometimes 90 days later.

Hence another funding option is to use outstanding account receivables as collateral for financing. Receivables should be with the government or another business. If you also have purchase orders, then you can get financing to have those filled. You won’t need to use your cash flow to do so. You can get an accounts receivable credit line with rates of less than 1% with no consumer credit requirement.

Account Receivables Financing: Terms and Qualifying

Use your outstanding account receivables for financing. Get as much as 80% of receivables advanced ongoing in less than 24 hours. Remainder of the accounts receivable are released once the invoice is paid in full. Factor rates as low as 1.33%. Get an accounts receivable credit line with rates of less than 1% with no consumer credit requirement.

Account Receivables Financing Through Credit Suite

With Credit Suite Account Receivable Financing you can get rates less than 2% and financing as high as $20,000,000 even with severely challenged personal credit.

Easy Qualification Process

To qualify for AR Financing your business must be open for at least 12 months. The lender will review your existing receivables or purchase orders and will look into the company that your receivables are with.

If the companies who owe you money have a good history of paying their debts, you can easily get approval regardless of your personal credit quality.

Do You Have Credit Issues Now?

The Credit Suite Account Receivable Financing program is perfect for business owners who have credit issues.  Lenders are not looking for, nor do they require good credit to qualify. You can even get approval and be advanced 80% of your receivables, even with severely challenged personal credit and low credit scores.

Get approval with a personal credit score lower than 500, even if you have recent derogatory items and major collections on your credit report. Lenders truly don’t care about your personal credit; they care more about the credit of the company where you have the receivables.

This is one of the best and easiest business financing programs in existence that you can qualify for and get really good terms even if you have severe personal credit problems.

You can get paid tomorrow instead of waiting weeks or months for payment. And you can do this for less than the cost of you accepting a credit card payment from your customers.

There are very few other programs in existence that can give you these low rates even if you have severe personal credit challenges.

Demolish your funding problems with 27 killer ways to get cash for your business.

1. The Credit Suite Credit Line Hybrid is a Terrific Alternative to a PPP Loan

A credit line hybrid is a form of unsecured funding.

Our Credit Line Hybrid program is extremely popular due in part to how easy it is to get approval. To qualify lenders will look solely at your or your credit partner’s personal credit quality. They are looking for very good personal credit with no derogatory items reporting.

Our credit line hybrid has an even better interest rate than a secured loan. Get some of the highest loan amounts and credit lines for businesses. You can get 0% business credit cards with stated income. These report to business CRAs. So you can build business credit at the same time.  This will get you access to even more cash with no personal guarantee.

Credit Line Hybrid: Terms and Qualifying

You need a good credit score or a guarantor with good credit to get an approval (a FICO score of at least 680). Your credit utilization on each of your revolving accounts has to be less than 40%. You can have no more than six inquiries per bureau in the past six months. Fewer inquiries are preferable. You cannot have more than four unsecured accounts opened within the past 12 months. And you cannot have any bankruptcies in the previous seven years.

Plus, there can be no open (unpaid) collections, liens, or judgments. And no late payments in the last 24 months. You will need to have a seasoned bank card trade line with a $2,000 limit or higher. A higher limit is preferred.

Plus, you must have at least two open revolving accounts with a good payment history spanning a year and a half to two years.

No financials are necessary. You can often get a loan of five times the amount of current highest revolving credit limit account. This is up to $150,000.

Do You Have Credit Issues Now?

If you have good credit there is a good chance you can get approval for our Credit Line Hybrid. But even if you have personal credit issues now and no established business credit, we still might be able to help.

You can qualify for our Credit Line Hybrid program with a personal guarantor. If you have someone such as a business partner who does have good personal credit, they can apply and qualify for unsecured financing for the business.

Our collateral-based financing programs are perfect for consumers with personal credit challenges. Get approval with great terms and get approval even with severe credit issues. You can also qualify for financing with us if you have been open more than a year and have active cash flow for your business now.

You can use our Business Credit Building Program to help quickly establish a business credit profile and score so you can qualify for unsecured financing based on your business credit. We even work with a powerful network of credit improvement specialists who can help you repair your personal credit damage.

Paycheck Protection Program and its Alternatives: Takeaways

The Paycheck Protection Program has been in flux ever since it was first announced over a year ago. And the fact that it’s again out of funds should come as no surprise.

But don’t despair if you feel you’ve missed out on business financing. Try any of our alternatives to the PPP – and these three just scratch the surface when it comes to all that Credit Suite has to offer.

You can get business funding and stay afloat – no matter what’s going on with the PPP. Why not reach out today to find out the details on what you can get for your business?

The post What’s This? The Paycheck Protection Program is out of Money Again? appeared first on Credit Suite.

Your Complete Guide to SBA Loan Requirements and the Paycheck Protection Program

The Federal government recently passed the CARES Act. CARES stand for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.  This bill addresses and responds to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. It authorizes emergency loans to distressed businesses by providing federal funding for forgivable bridge loans, as well as for grants and technical assistance.

Note: the PPP keeps changing, and money sometimes is held up in Congress. Fundability, on the other hand, is achievable and helpful no matter what Congress is doing.

Do You Meet the SBA Loan Requirements for the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program?

Paycheck Protection Program Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans are both included in the CARES Act as help for small business owners.  What are the SBA loan requirements for each of these business funding programs, and do you qualify?

Want to review your options with one of our consultants? Give us a call at 877-600-2487.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

The Paycheck Protection Program is a business lending program.   It is designed to help businesses keep paying employees even when they are shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Allowable uses of funds include:

  • Payroll Expenses
  • Employee Salaries
  • Mortgage Interest
  • Rent and Utilities
  • Interest on debt incurred before February 15, 2020

The annual percentage rate for these loans is 1%.  You do not make any payments for the first 6 months.  However, interest does accrue during this time. Loans issues before June 5 must be paid within 2 years. If your loan was issued after June 5, the loan matures in 5 years rather than 2.  These loans are up to 100% forgivable with approval.

SBA Loan Requirements: Forgiveness

To request forgiveness, you will submit a request to the lender that is servicing the loan. It should include documents that verify the number of full-time employees and pay rates.  Also, you will need to verify the payments on eligible mortgage, lease, and utility obligations. You have to certify that the documents are true. In addition, you will have to show that you used the forgiveness amount to keep employees.  If not, you will have to show the funds were used to make eligible mortgage interest, rent, or utility payments. The lender must make a decision on the forgiveness within 60 days.

What Else Do I Need to Know About the PPP and SBA Loan Requirements?

First, the program was recently extended to stay open through August 8, 2020.  Not only does that not give you a lot of time, but you need to apply as soon as possible anyway.  There is a cap on the funding, and processing applications will take time. Consequently, some lenders are limiting the number of applications they will accept in a single day.

SBA Loan Requirements: Who Can Apply, When Can they Apply, and Where Can They Apply?

Existing SBA lenders started accepting applications on April 3, 2020 from small businesses and sole proprietorships with less than 500 employees.   Beginning on April 10, independent contractors and individuals that are self- employees were able to apply through SBA lenders.

Other lenders besides those that are currently working with the SBA are able to get in on the fun as well.  In an effort to relieve some of the burden of processing, other lenders are able to enroll in the program and will be able to start accepting applications as soon as they get approval.  There is a list of participating lenders, by state, at SBA.gov.

SBA Loan Requirements: What Do You Need to Apply?

It’s pretty straight forward.  If you meet the SBA definition of a small business or contractor, you just have to make a few good faith certifications.  These include:

  •  Current economic uncertainty makes the loan necessary to support your ongoing operations.
  • You will use the funds to keep workers and maintain payroll or to make mortgage, lease, and utility payments.
  • This is the only loan you have or will have under the program.
  • You will provide all documentation necessary to verify the number of full-time employees on payroll and how much their payroll costs.  Also, you will provide any necessary documentation needed to verify mortgage interest payments, rent payments, and covered utilities for the eight weeks after getting this loan.
  • Loan forgiveness will be available for the sum of documented payroll costs, covered mortgage interest payments, covered rent payments, and covered utilities.
  • All the information you provide in your application and supporting documents and forms is true and accurate.
  • You realize that the lender will calculate the loan amount using the tax documents you submitted. You guarantee that the tax documents are identical to those you submitted to the IRS.

Want to review your options with one of our consultants? Give us a call at 877-600-2487.

SBA Loan Requirements: The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

These are funds you apply for directly from the SBA.  They can be used to cover the following expenses:

  • Payroll
  • Fixed Debts
  • Accounts Payable
  • Other expenses that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact.  In this case, the disaster being COVID-19.

These loans are available up to $2 million dollars at an annual percentage rate of 3.75%.  The terms go up to 30 years. These are not forgivable loans.

SBA Loan Requirements: How Do You Get Started?

Let’s start with what not to do.  Do not get in your car and drive to the bank.  While most lenders are back open for business inside, it is best to have an appointment to handle a PPP application. Even getting an appointment can take a while however.

The best option is to find someone, a middle man, to help you navigate these loan programs.  This way you ensure you get the best lender for you, and you get your SBA coronavirus relief funds as soon as possible.

What Else Does the CARES Act Do?

In addition to the above relief for businesses, the CARES Act also provided relief for individuals.  The bill also provided funding for $1,200 tax rebates to individuals, with additional $500 payments per qualifying child. The rebate phases out when incomes exceed $75,000,or $150,000 for joint filers. Most of these payments have already been distributed, but some are still waiting for theirs.  The bill also establishes limits on requirements for employers to provide paid leave.

With respect to taxes, the bill establishes special rules for certain tax-favored withdrawals from retirement plans.  It also delays due dates for employer payroll taxes and estimated tax payments for corporations.

The bill also authorizes the Department of the Treasury to temporarily guarantee money-market funds.

It’s a Mad World

Here are the facts.  The federal government does not want to see a collapse of the economy any more than we do.  They want to do what they can to help small businesses.  They are taking steps to do just that.

State governments are in the same boat.  They want to ensure their states are able to survive and thrive economically despite the coronavirus business impact.

Here’s the bad news, as if you didn’t already know.  Businesses lost tons of income during the shut downs caused by the virus.  Even opeinig back up, people aren’t going out as much as they did pre-pandemic. Even more, some states and cities are shutting down certain businesses again.  Spending is vastly curtailed. Without a steady flow of income, eventually businesses will not be able to make payments on existing debt.

The good news in light of all of this darkness is that no one wants this to happen.  That means measures are being taken to try and stop the spiral.  These include those mentioned above.  It’s not just the Federal and state governments that are coming to the rescue however. Local governments, along with many charitable and professional organizations, are tossing in life rafts as well.

SBA Loan Requirements: What Can You Do for Yourself?

SBA loan options Credit SuiteHowever, you have to do your part.  You aren’t helpless, though it likely very much seems this way.  First, do everything you can to access all the help you can now. Find someone that can walk you through the process to ensure you get all you can as fast as you can.

That’s not the end of the story however.  You need to do all you can to make certain you can get back to business as usual as fast as you can when this is all over. How do you do that?  You need to adapt your business to the current situation. The relief funds can help you. With those funds, you can do many things to not only keep your business afloat, but to make it stronger than ever.

Hard Times Breed Innovation and Adaptation

These are the times that breed creativity and innovation.  Use the funds to keep your employees on board, but don’t forget you can use them as well.  Is there some way you and your employees can provide products and services for your customers?  Can you do anything online or go to customers’ homes?

For example, some local bakeries and ice cream shops have been taking food trucks out to neighborhoods during this time to increase sales.  To aid in social distancing, they take orders online first, and of course take all protective precautions.

Beauticians and barbers that are even allowed to open are having to reduce the number of clients they can serve at one time.  Of course, they are taking all necessary safety measures to ensure that disease isn’t spreading.  Gyms are offering online fitness classes for their members since they cannot have as many people inside at one time. Pet groomers are going mobile even if they do not usually provide mobile services.  Speech therapists, counselors, and more are working via video chat. Small boutiques are doing giveaways online and offering curbside pickup to reach those that are not comfortable getting out yet. There are options, and these funds can help you take advantage!

Work on Fundability

The relief funds available through the CARES Act are available to both businesses and those that are self-employed.  However, beyond this, a business has to be fundable to get financing to build, grow, and thrive. This will still be the case long after COVID-19 has passed.  Now is a great time to assess the fundability of your business and make changes to improve it if need be.

The first part of this process includes making sure your business is set up to be fundable.  What does that mean? It means that your business:

Has Separate Contact Information

That doesn’t mean you have to get a separate phone line, or even a separate location.  You can still run your business from your home or on your computer if that is what you want.  You do not even have to have a fax machine.

Want to review your options with one of our consultants? Give us a call at 877-600-2487.

Applies for Credit Using an EIN Not Your SSN

The next thing you need to do is get an EIN for your business.  This is an identifying number for your business that works in a way similar to how your SSN works for you personally.  You can get one for free from the IRS.

Is Incorporated

Incorporating your business as an LLC, S-corp, or corporation is necessary to fundability.  It lends credence to your business as one that is legitimate. It also offers some protection from liability.

Uses a Separate Business Bank Account

You have to open a separate, dedicated business bank account.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it will help you keep track of business finances.  It will also help you keep them separate from personal finances for tax purposes.   In light of SBA loan requirements, it can help you prove how you used loan funds for the purpose of qualifying for loan forgiveness.

Has All Necessary Licenses

For a business to be legitimate it has to have all of the necessary licenses it needs to run.  If it doesn’t, red flags are going to fly up all over the place.  Do the research you need to do to ensure you have all of the licenses necessary to legitimately run your business at the federal, state, and local levels.

Has a Professional, Practical, User Friendly Website

What does this have to do with anything.  Well in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a website can help you stay operational despite social distancing standards. Not just any website will do however.  You need to make sure it is professional and that it is easy for your customers to use. Likely, this means you need to hire someone to help you with this. The cost is well worth it.

SBA Loan Requirements: This Isn’t the End

This doesn’t have to be the end of your business story.  Help is available and you do have options. At this point, the very first thing you need to do is find help to navigate the SBA resources available to you.  Next, be sure you use the resources in a way that your business comes out even stronger.  Lastly, use this downtime wisely. Take a look at the fundability of your business and see what you can do to improve it.  Then, when the time comes, you will be able to sail out of the storm and into the light.

The post Your Complete Guide to SBA Loan Requirements and the Paycheck Protection Program appeared first on Credit Suite.

Kid Internet Protection

On the net there are numerous sites that present offending material. Offending web content that is revealed on the web is taken into consideration to be damaging for youngsters.

Today web is conveniently obtainable to youngsters. Moms and dads require to maintain on what their kids are doing when they are surfing the web.

The youngster net security act is a regulation that is gone by Congress to limit youngsters from accessing offending material. This government legislation was come on December 2000 to resolve the issues that might develop as a result of perilous info that is readily available on the web.

According to this regulation colleges preferring web link via “E price” program are needed to please some problems. E price programs make net innovation readily available to qualified collections as well as institutions in an economical way.

Under this act a college will certainly obtain internet link with E program if it has a net safety and security plan and also a modern technology defense action such as web software application that obstructs or filterings system images that are dangerous as well as salacious to minors. The college is called for to apply an authorities for checking on the internet tasks of trainees. Colleges require to execute a plan that deals with problems associated with gain access to of unacceptable web mater.

When they are utilizing conversation areas or any kind of various other type of digital interaction, the plan likewise requires to resolve concerns regarding the safety and also security of kids. The plan ought to additionally understand unapproved accessibility in the kind of hacking as well as various other unlawful tasks. The plan additionally requires to limit accessibility of minors from any kind of type of dangerous product.

Schools desiring E price financing are needed to have a certification mentioning that they are having safety and security web plans. This act points out that there is no demand to maintain a track of web usage as long as the college has actually mounted the kid net security software program.

It is essential to execute kid net secure in every college so as to shield youngsters from undesirable web content. Kid web defense is feasible by utilizing kid net defense software application. You can constantly take the assistance of web to locate the internet sites that offer checklist of business supplying kid net security software application.

Youngster net security software application obstructs efficiently any kind of trash material. If you have kids in your residence as well as you do not desire your youngster to view any type of perilous details on the web after that this can be attained by mounting kid web defense software application. You can obstruct offending e-mails as well as instantaneous messages with the assistance of kid web defense software program.

You can likewise quit unapproved accessibility to your personal info utilizing this software application. Normally, cyberpunks attempt to access your personal card number with the web.

Under this act an institution will certainly obtain internet link via E program if it has a web safety and security plan and also a modern technology defense procedure such as web software application that obstructs or filterings system photos that are damaging as well as salacious to minors. It is required to execute youngster net safeguard in every college so as to safeguard kids from undesirable web content. Youngster net defense is feasible by utilizing youngster net defense software application. You can constantly take the assistance of web to locate the sites that offer checklist of business supplying youngster web defense software program.

If you have kids in your home and also you do not desire your child to see any type of perilous info on the net after that this can be accomplished by mounting kid net defense software application.

The post Kid Internet Protection appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.