4 Reasons Your Business Needs a Card to Build Small Business Credit History

What is Small Business Credit History and Why Do You Need It?

In the excitement of starting a business, and then the ensuing chaos of running a business, many business owners do not consider that they need to actively build small business credit history.  It is likely in fact, that if they stopped a minute to think about it, they would find that they imagine it is building on its own in the daily course of things.  After all, you do not have to do anything to establish a personal credit history.  You simply get credit, make payments (or not), and your personal credit history builds as a function of the financial choices you make.

This is not how it works with business credit.  In fact, unless you make some very active, purposeful choices, it is possible to own and run a business for years and never build business credit. It’s unfortunate as this can be a tragic mistake for your business.  The problem is, most business owners do not even realize it is something they need to be doing.  They do not know that to build small business credit history, they have to actively work toward it.  If they do know, they do not understand how important it is.

We are going to answer both questions.  First, why is it important? Next, how on earth do you do it?

 Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

4 Reasons Why You Need to Build Small Business Credit History

While it isn’t hard to imagine why credit history itself is important, it can be difficult to grasp why a business needs to build small business credit history separate from that of its owner.  Here are just four reasons why.

Protect Your Personal Finances

The greatest benefit to the business owner is that when a business has a credit history of its own, the owner’s personal finances are better protected.  You might think that if business debt is in the business name, you as the owner are not liable for it.  That is not the case, unless you follow some very specific steps.

The truth is, some lenders will hold you liable anyway.  There are a number of lenders however, especially credit card companies, that will extend debt to the  business alone if it is set up as a funable entity.  In these cases, the owner’s credit will not change in relation to what happens with that debt.  The account will only show up on the business credit report.

Allow for Better Rates and Terms

As I said before, some check personal credit no matter what.  However, if you do not have great personal credit, but your business credit is good, you may be able to negotiate for better terms and rates despite a lower personal credit score.  It will not protect your personal credit completely, but it can still do you some good.

build small business credit history Credit Suite2

Increased Borrowing Capacity

Businesses have a greater credit capacity than individuals for a number of reasons.  The main reason is the increased income from business activities.  This is important, as the credit needs of a business are significantly higher than those of individuals.

Trying to finance a business on personal credit capacity is dangerous.  Business spending is much higher than personal spending by nature, and personal credit limits are much lower than business credit limits.  Often, personal credit can’t hold up to business spending.  If it can, then balances hover at or near credit limits, causing a high debt-to-credit ratio and thus a lower personal credit score even if you make payments on time.

Increase the Value of Your Company

Even if you are not thinking of selling your company, ever, you never know what can happen.  If you build your  business credit score now, it will go with your company even if the business changes owners.  Anyone who buys your company will also get its credit history and benefit from the hard work you put into building it.

 Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

How Do You Build Small Business Credit History?

Now that you understand why you need to do it, you need to know how to build  business credit.  It takes time.  It’s a process.  The first step is to separate your business from yourself.  This will ensure your business accounts are reporting to your business credit history and not your personal credit history.

Business credit is credit in a business’s name. It doesn’t link to a business owner’s individual credit, not even when the owner is a sole proprietor and the only employee of the company.

Build Small Business Credit History: Incorporate Your Business

The best place to start is at the beginning.  However, if you are already up and running, it’s never too late.  The first thing you must do is formally incorporate your business.  This means organizing as a corporation, S-corp, or LLC.

The option you choose will depend on a number of variables specific to you and your business.  The two main questions to ask yourself are:

  • How much personal liability protection do you want or need?
  • How much do you want to spend to incorporate?

Each option offers different levels of protection and expense, so it just depends on which one works best for you and your business.  They each offer the separation you need to build small business credit history.

Build Small Business Credit History: Separate Contact Information

Your business absolutely must have an address, phone number, and email address that is different from yours as the owner. The phone number should be through a toll-free exchange and listed in the 411 directories.  Do that here. Your email address cannot be from a free service.  That will not work. You need to have an email address that has the same URL as the business website.

Speaking of websites, yes, you need one for your business.  Not only that, but it needs to be a good one.  If it looks sloppy or unprofessional, it could do more harm that good.  Hire a professional to ensure it is done properly, and spring for paid hosting with someone like GoDaddy.  Free hosting does not look professional.

Build Small Business Credit History:  Separate Bank Account

Your business needs a business bank account.  Running business income and expenses through your personal accounts can cause a host of problems.  Tax time can be especially daunting when you have to separate business expenses from personal ones.  Beyond that however, many vendors and credit card companies require a business bank account before they will extend business credit.

Build Small Business Credit History: Identifying Numbers

There are two identifying numbers that your business will need to build business credit history.  The first is an EIN.  This is an identifying number for your business similar to how social security numbers function for individuals.   Get it for free on the IRS website.

Next, your business needs a D-U-N-S number.  This one comes from Dun & Bradstreet.  It is free as well, but they will try to sell you a ton of other services while you on their site.  You do not need anything else.  Just get the free number.

Without this number you cannot have a credit file with Dun & Bradstreet.  Since they are the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency, you definitely need to have the number.

Build Small Business Credit History: Get Accounts Reporting

The next obstacle to overcome is how to get accounts reporting.  This one seems hard on the front end, but truly it isn’t once you know the secret.  That secret is the vendor credit tier.

Vendor Credit Tier

First you must build tradelines that report. This is also called the vendor credit tier. Then you’ll have an established credit profile, and you’ll get a business credit score. And with an established business credit profile and score you can start to acquire credit in the retail and cash credit tiers.

These vendors sell the things you already buy all the time, like marketing materials, shipping boxes, outdoor workwear, ink and toner, and office furniture. Many of them will extend net terms on invoices without a credit check, and then report those payments to the business credit reporting agencies.

These are merchants that grant an approval with very little effort. You want 5 to 8 of these to move onto the next step, which is the retail credit tier. But you may have to apply more than one time to these vendors. This is to prove you are responsible and pay on time. Here are some of the most commonly known and easiest  vendors to get started with  in the vendor credit tier.  They are known as starter vendors.

Uline

This is a true starter vendor that sells shipping, packing, and industrial supplies.  You have to have a D-U-N-S number. So Uline will ask for 2 references and a bank reference. The initial few orders may have to be prepaid to first get approval for Net 30 terms.

Quill

This is another starter vendor. They sell office, packaging, and cleaning supplies.  So they also report to D&B and Experian.

Since Quill reports to two separate credit reporting agencies, you get two credit experiences with them. Place an initial order first unless the D&B score is developed.  In most cases they put you on a 90-day prepayment schedule. If you order items monthly for 3 months, they usually approve you for a Net 30 Account.

Grainger Industrial Supply

Grainger sells safety equipment, plumbing supplies, and tools.  They report to D&B, and you need a business license, EIN, and a D-U-N-S number.

For less than a $1000 credit limit they approve almost anyone with a business license.

Retail Credit Tier

Once there are 5 to 8 or more vendor trade accounts reporting to at least one of the business credit agencies, then move onto the retail credit tier. These are credit cards connected to specific businesses like Office Depot and Lowes.

Fleet Credit Tier

After the retail credit tier comes the fleet credit tier. These are businesses such as BP and Conoco. Use this credit to buy fuel, as well as to fix and maintain vehicles.

 Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

Cash Credit Tier

After the fleet credit tier comes the cash credit tier.  These are service providers like Visa and MasterCard that are not attached to a specific store.

The thing about trade accounts in the vendor credit tier and the credit cards in the retail, fleet, and cash credit tiers is that they report to the business credit reporting agencies (CRAs).  Not all lenders will do that.  You definitely need to work through the tiers with the credit card companies if you are going to build small business credit history.  This is the only way to do it.

Keep an Eye on Your Credit History

You’ll want to watch both your business credit reports and your personal reports to make sure accounts are reporting on the right one.  While you are at it, keep an eye out for mistakes, and keep information updated.

We can help you monitor business credit at Experian and D&B for 90% less than it would cost you at the CRAs. So see: www.creditsuite.com/monitoring.

Your Business Needs a Card to Build Small Business Credit History

Now you understand what business credit is and why you need it.  Why though, do you need a credit card to build small business credit history?  Here’s why.  First, it will build faster with a credit card.  Building business credit with vendor accounts only would be extremely slow.

Term loans rarely help build business credit as most lenders do not report to business credit agencies.  They typically only pay attention to the owner’s personal credit, though they may take business credit into account if it can help secure the loan.

Some alternative lenders will report to the business credit agencies, but they will not extend credit unless you already have a solid business credit score.  That makes it hard to use them to build business credit.  The key to being able to build business credit history lies with the vendor credit tier and business credit cards.

The post 4 Reasons Your Business Needs a Card to Build Small Business Credit History appeared first on Credit Suite.

Hats Off To Technology: Five Reasons Why

Hats Off To Technology: Five Reasons Why

The following time you send out an email to your family members, intend a getaway online, or send out a picture of your newborn to your moms and dads, you might wish to tip your hat to innovation. Innovation, as well as its usage, is an indispensable component of our day-to-day lives. It is so prevalent, we would certainly be hard-pressed to stay in a globe without it.

Currently a Chief Technology Officer as well as Senior Technical Staff Member for IBM’s Systems & Technology Group, Dr. Johnson thinks it is essential for black households to integrate modern technology right into their day-to-day lives. “There are any type of number of factors blacks can not live without modern technology,” Dr. Johnson claims.

1) Technology Levels the Playing Field: From medium-size and also little organisations to aesthetic, literary as well as recording musicians, to details dissemination-technology brings the globe to our fingertips. This supplies an unique benefit to participants of the black neighborhood that have actually commonly come across challenges to success in these as well as various other locations. Innovation degrees the having fun area, to ensure that black voices can be listened to, black offerings can be marketed and also creative thinking as well as technology can prosper.

2) Economic Empowerment: Technology makes it possible for blacks to do some unbelievable points at the click of a computer mouse. They can look for almost anything, pay expenses, strategy trips, acquisition home entertainment, red wine and also eat at decreased expense and also utilize on-line solutions to locate the very best financial solutions.

3) Strengthens Family Ties: For lots of that are no more residing in physical distance to their closest family members, innovation allows them to interact often in an economical way. They can trade pictures, share video clips, send out e-cards, text and also call from one location to one more at a portion of what the expense was simply a couple of years back.

4) Careers in Technology Are Awesome: An occupation in a technology-related area can be exceptionally satisfying. It can likewise enhance your lifestyle. Innovation abilities are distinct as well as limited, the job is rewarding and also interesting as well as the monetary benefits are reasonably high.

5) Great Futures for Your Children: Through modern technology, the globe is essentially at your youngsters’s front door. Innovation boosts the education and learning of black kids.

According to Dr. Johnson, there are a variety of programs readily available, consisting of Black Family Technology Awareness Week, that supply innovation gain access to as well as training. “If America is to keep its affordable benefit,” she states, “we should urge our youngsters to sign up with the future generation of trendsetters, designers and also researchers, and also our grownups to construct as well as enhance their innovation abilities.”

The following time you send out an email to your household, prepare a getaway online, or send out a picture of your newborn to your moms and dads, you might desire to tip your hat to innovation. Currently a Chief Technology Officer as well as Senior Technical Staff Member for IBM’s Systems & Technology Group, Dr. Johnson thinks it is vital for black households to integrate innovation right into their everyday lives. “There are any kind of number of factors blacks can not live without modern technology,” Dr. Johnson states. Modern technology degrees the having fun area, so that black voices can be listened to, black offerings can be marketed as well as imagination and also advancement can prosper.

Modern technology improves the education and learning of black youngsters.

The post Hats Off To Technology: Five Reasons Why appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Time for a Change? 6 Reasons to Swap Your Old Card for a New Business Credit Card

…And How to Find the Best New Business Credit Card for Your Business

Just as Thor has his hammer and Captain America has his shield, every business super hero needs an ultimate tool.  You cannot really call them all weapons right?  I mean, a shield is not about destroying, but about protection.  Everyone knows a hammer is a tool.  So, in short, tools can be used as weapons, and superhero tools can serve a variety of purposes, all for the greater good.  So too, can your business credit cards.  Sometimes, however, it is necessary to pursue a new business credit card, also for the greater good.  How do you know when that time has come?  Read on and we’ll tell you.

How Do You Know It’s Time for a New Business Credit Card?

You might not think it’s a hard decision.  Most business owners fall into two camps.  Either they are happy with their card and there is no need for a new one, or you just get a new card whenever you feel like it.  Unbeknownst to most, there actually is a right time and a wrong time to get a new business credit card.  Not only that, but there is also a right and a wrong way to handle the old one.  We can help you with both.

It might be time to ditch the old business credit card and get a new one if:

1.      The Fee is More than the Benefits are Worth

Maybe you are paying a hefty annual fee, but you justify it by weighing it against the rewards and interest rate you receive with the card.  It’s always wise to review that however.  Next time you are about to fork over that fee, take a look at what your options are.  Do you actually use the rewards offered with that credit card?  Are the rewards based on fuel spending and maybe you don’t travel?  Perhaps the rewards are at dining establishments you do not frequent.

Is that interest rate really the best?  Maybe you had a great promotional rate when you first got the card but now it’s nothing special.  Maybe the interest rate was the best available at the time but you are not so sure any more.

If either or both of these situations sound familiar, it may be time to ditch the old card and look for a new business credit card.  There is no point in paying the annual fee if you are no longer reaping the benefits that made you willing to pay it in the beginning.

2.      Your Spending Habits Have Changed

Have you outgrown the credit limit on your own card?  Maybe you spend more now that your business has grown.  It could also be that you spend on different things now.  In the beginning you may have used your card mostly for business supplies and sales dinners, whereas now you may use the funds for travel expenses and inventory more often.

Things change, and those things include spending habits.  The card that worked for your spending habits before may not be the best option for your current spending habits. Take a look at what you have versus what’s available in light of this, and you may see its time to ditch your old card and get a new one.

3.      You Now Qualify for Better Perks

For most business owners, their first business credit card is the first one for which they qualify for approval.  As your business, and your credit score, grows, you can get so much more.  If it’s been awhile since you shopped around, or if you see that you are getting unsolicited offers for cards that offer better perks than your currently have, it may be time to check out what new business credit cards are out there and ditch your old one.

Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

4.      You Can Get a Better Interest Rate with a New Business Credit Card

Another thing that you can get stuck with in the beginning, simply because you qualify for nothing better, is a lousy interest rate.  After you spend some time managing your business, and your finances, wisely, you are likely eligible for much better.

You can start with calling your current credit card company, but if they won’t budge, it’s time to drop the old card and start looking for a new business credit card.

5.      There is Any Better Offer With No Fee

Aside from a lousy interest rate and non-existent or useless perks, you can get stuck with an annual fee.  Sometimes the fee it worth it for the perks.  However, it is important to keep watch for cards that have better perks, better rates, and no annual fee.  Even if you get the same perks and the same rates, if there is no fee you are better off. If you are getting offers that do not include an annual fee, it might be time to find a new business credit card.

6.      You Anticipate an Upcoming Large Purchase

Sometimes it is simply a matter of dollars.  If you foresee a larger purchase in the near future, you may need to start looking for a new card.  For example, if you need to buy a new industrial refrigerator or oven, or both, you might not want to put that on a card you use for regular purchases.  Not only can it mess with the amount of funds you have available, but often you can find great deals on interest rates from dealers that sell what you are looking to buy.  It can help to save money and manage finances, by keeping larger purchases separate, if you just go ahead and open a new business credit card.

Bonus: Your Old Card Is Connected to Your Personal Credit Score

You need your business cards to be based on and reporting to your business credit.  In the beginning however, most businesses do not have business credit.  They can get cards based on their personal credit score, so they never even think about business credit.

When it comes to running a business however, business credit is better.

If you have great personal credit, you may think business credit is a non-issue.  Regardless of what your personal credit looks like, as a business owner it is important that you begin to build business credit. Here’s why.

If you use business credit to handle business transactions, your personal finances will not be affected by those transactions.  This means that if your business fails, your personal credit score will stay intact.  Also, you will not be personally liable for your business debts.

In addition, paying business expenses with personal credit cards can keep balances near the credit limit.  This is true even if you pay everything off each month.  Business expenses are large, and personal credit cards usually have smaller limits than business credit cards.

Your debt-to-credit ratio is affected by this.  That will negatively affect your personal credit score even if you make payments on time.

How to Build Business Credit

You know the why, now here’s the how.

Get an EIN

It is a number for your business, kind of like your personal SSN. Apply on the IRS website.  It doesn’t cost anything, and you can use it on business credit applications instead of your SSN.  You may still need to provide your SSN for fraud prevention, but it will not be used to access your personal credit score.

Formally Incorporate

A business must be incorporated to have business credit. The idea is that your business needs to be established as an entity separate from yourself in every way.  Incorporation not only accomplishes that, but it also offers you some liability from business debts.

Dedicated Contact Information

You need a dedicated business address and telephone number.  The phone number should be toll free, and the business should be listed in the directories with its own contact information.

Professional Website and Email

All businesses these days need a professional, user friendly website to be able to compete.  You also need an email address that is specifically for the business.  Do not use a free email service such as Gmail or Yahoo.  The business email address should use the same URL as the business website.

Business Bank Accounts

A separate business banking account is a must.  You can pay yourself from this account, but do not run personal expenses through it.

You Need a D-U-N-S Number

Yes, another number. This time it comes from Dun & Bradstreet.  They are the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency, so having a credit report with them is necessary for getting business credit.  The number is free on the D&B website, but they will try to sell you other services.  You don’t need any of them.

A Quick Note on How to Start Building Business Credit

Once you accomplish this, it is time to work on building your business credit score.  There is a process, and you have to work your way through it patiently.  It takes time, but the payoff is big.

Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

The Vendor Credit Tier

This is your way in.  These are vendors that will extend net 30 terms on invoices and then report your payments to the credit reporting agencies.  Once they start doing that, your business credit score will be established and grow from there.

This tier includes vendors such as Quill.com, Granger, and Uline that sell items you can use in your business every day.  Make a few purchases with net 30 terms, make your payments on time, and watch your business credit score explode. Find more about vendors that can help you build business credit here.

Working Through the Credit Tiers

After you have 7 to 10 accounts reporting from the vendor credit tier, it should be possible to get approval in the retail credit tier.  These are credit cards attached to specific stores such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Office Depot.

After you have several accounts reporting from the retail credit tier, you will qualify for cards in the fleet credit tier.  These cards are issued by companies like Shell, Fuelman, and WEX to be used for fuel and vehicle repair and maintenance.

The last tier is the cash credit tier.   When you have enough accounts reporting from each tier, and if you are keeping current on all your payments, your score will be strong enough to get your approval for these cards.  They are general credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa that are not attached to a specific store.  Typically, they have higher limits and more rewards options.

 

What to Look for in a New Card

This part is easy. You want something, everything if possible, to be better than the old card.  Your old tool should by default be more powerful than the old one.

  • Annual Fee– Whether the fee is the actual reason for the change or not, if you are changing anyway look for the lowest annual fee possible that also fulfills all your other needs.
  • Interest Rate– Again, maybe you are changing specifically for the lower rate, and maybe you aren’t. Either way you need to find the lowest interest rate possible that still gives you everything else you need.
  • Perks– look for perks you will actually use. If it’s all travel miles and you never travel, there is no point.
  • Credit Limit– A limit that will not handle your spending habits or the amount of your new purchase isn’t going to do you any good. Look for the highest limit you are eligible for. Remember that if you do not use it all, it will only help your debt-to-credit ratio, which in turn helps your credit score.

Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

As with all things, you can do an analysis of the cost versus the benefit. If the annual fee means you get a super low interest rate or perks that will save you several hundred dollars a year, it may be worth it.  Before you make a decision, consider this in light of the reason why you are changing versus what is available to you at the moment.

Should You Shut Down the Old Card?

This is where it can get iffy.  You might think it obvious that you close the old account.  That is not always the best option however.  It can actually be beneficial to keep it open.

The average age of all of the accounts on your credit report affects your credit score.  The older your accounts are, the better it is for your score.  Opening a new account already lowers that average, so closing an older account is going to lower it even further.

If you have had the account for a while, it might be better to zero it out and keep it active.  Be sure to determine what level of activity is necessary to keep the account active.  If you have to make a small monthly purchase and pay it off every month or so it may be worth it to keep and older account open.

Is it Time for a New Business Credit Card?

The short answer is, maybe.  If your credit is at a point where you can get better rates and incentives with a lower annual fee, then it is time to get a new card.  If your credit limit on your old card can’t support your current or changing spending habits, it’s time for a new card.  Lastly, if your business credit cards are on your personal credit report, it’s time to build business credit and get a new business credit card.

 

 

 

The post Time for a Change? 6 Reasons to Swap Your Old Card for a New Business Credit Card appeared first on Credit Suite.

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Time for a Change? 6 Reasons to Swap Your Old Card for a New Business Credit Card

…And How to Find the Best New Business Credit Card for Your Business

Just as Thor has his hammer and Captain America has his shield, every business super hero needs an ultimate tool.  You cannot really call them all weapons right?  I mean, a shield is not about destroying, but about protection.  Everyone knows a hammer is a tool.  So, in short, tools can be used as weapons, and superhero tools can serve a variety of purposes, all for the greater good.  So too, can your business credit cards.  Sometimes, however, it is necessary to pursue a new business credit card, also for the greater good.  How do you know when that time has come?  Read on and we’ll tell you.

How Do You Know It’s Time for a New Business Credit Card?

You might not think it’s a hard decision.  Most business owners fall into two camps.  Either they are happy with their card and there is no need for a new one, or you just get a new card whenever you feel like it.  Unbeknownst to most, there actually is a right time and a wrong time to get a new business credit card.  Not only that, but there is also a right and a wrong way to handle the old one.  We can help you with both.

It might be time to ditch the old business credit card and get a new one if:

1.      The Fee is More than the Benefits are Worth

Maybe you are paying a hefty annual fee, but you justify it by weighing it against the rewards and interest rate you receive with the card.  It’s always wise to review that however.  Next time you are about to fork over that fee, take a look at what your options are.  Do you actually use the rewards offered with that credit card?  Are the rewards based on fuel spending and maybe you don’t travel?  Perhaps the rewards are at dining establishments you do not frequent.

Is that interest rate really the best?  Maybe you had a great promotional rate when you first got the card but now it’s nothing special.  Maybe the interest rate was the best available at the time but you are not so sure any more.

If either or both of these situations sound familiar, it may be time to ditch the old card and look for a new business credit card.  There is no point in paying the annual fee if you are no longer reaping the benefits that made you willing to pay it in the beginning.

2.      Your Spending Habits Have Changed

Have you outgrown the credit limit on your own card?  Maybe you spend more now that your business has grown.  It could also be that you spend on different things now.  In the beginning you may have used your card mostly for business supplies and sales dinners, whereas now you may use the funds for travel expenses and inventory more often.

Things change, and those things include spending habits.  The card that worked for your spending habits before may not be the best option for your current spending habits. Take a look at what you have versus what’s available in light of this, and you may see its time to ditch your old card and get a new one.

3.      You Now Qualify for Better Perks

For most business owners, their first business credit card is the first one for which they qualify for approval.  As your business, and your credit score, grows, you can get so much more.  If it’s been awhile since you shopped around, or if you see that you are getting unsolicited offers for cards that offer better perks than your currently have, it may be time to check out what new business credit cards are out there and ditch your old one.

Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

4.      You Can Get a Better Interest Rate with a New Business Credit Card

Another thing that you can get stuck with in the beginning, simply because you qualify for nothing better, is a lousy interest rate.  After you spend some time managing your business, and your finances, wisely, you are likely eligible for much better.

You can start with calling your current credit card company, but if they won’t budge, it’s time to drop the old card and start looking for a new business credit card.

5.      There is Any Better Offer With No Fee

Aside from a lousy interest rate and non-existent or useless perks, you can get stuck with an annual fee.  Sometimes the fee it worth it for the perks.  However, it is important to keep watch for cards that have better perks, better rates, and no annual fee.  Even if you get the same perks and the same rates, if there is no fee you are better off. If you are getting offers that do not include an annual fee, it might be time to find a new business credit card.

6.      You Anticipate an Upcoming Large Purchase

Sometimes it is simply a matter of dollars.  If you foresee a larger purchase in the near future, you may need to start looking for a new card.  For example, if you need to buy a new industrial refrigerator or oven, or both, you might not want to put that on a card you use for regular purchases.  Not only can it mess with the amount of funds you have available, but often you can find great deals on interest rates from dealers that sell what you are looking to buy.  It can help to save money and manage finances, by keeping larger purchases separate, if you just go ahead and open a new business credit card.

Bonus: Your Old Card Is Connected to Your Personal Credit Score

You need your business cards to be based on and reporting to your business credit.  In the beginning however, most businesses do not have business credit.  They can get cards based on their personal credit score, so they never even think about business credit.

When it comes to running a business however, business credit is better.

If you have great personal credit, you may think business credit is a non-issue.  Regardless of what your personal credit looks like, as a business owner it is important that you begin to build business credit. Here’s why.

If you use business credit to handle business transactions, your personal finances will not be affected by those transactions.  This means that if your business fails, your personal credit score will stay intact.  Also, you will not be personally liable for your business debts.

In addition, paying business expenses with personal credit cards can keep balances near the credit limit.  This is true even if you pay everything off each month.  Business expenses are large, and personal credit cards usually have smaller limits than business credit cards.

Your debt-to-credit ratio is affected by this.  That will negatively affect your personal credit score even if you make payments on time.

How to Build Business Credit

You know the why, now here’s the how.

Get an EIN

It is a number for your business, kind of like your personal SSN. Apply on the IRS website.  It doesn’t cost anything, and you can use it on business credit applications instead of your SSN.  You may still need to provide your SSN for fraud prevention, but it will not be used to access your personal credit score.

new business credit card Credit Suite2

Formally Incorporate

A business must be incorporated to have business credit. The idea is that your business needs to be established as an entity separate from yourself in every way.  Incorporation not only accomplishes that, but it also offers you some liability from business debts.

Dedicated Contact Information

You need a dedicated business address and telephone number.  The phone number should be toll free, and the business should be listed in the directories with its own contact information.

Professional Website and Email

All businesses these days need a professional, user friendly website to be able to compete.  You also need an email address that is specifically for the business.  Do not use a free email service such as Gmail or Yahoo.  The business email address should use the same URL as the business website.

Business Bank Accounts

A separate business banking account is a must.  You can pay yourself from this account, but do not run personal expenses through it.

You Need a D-U-N-S Number

Yes, another number. This time it comes from Dun & Bradstreet.  They are the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency, so having a credit report with them is necessary for getting business credit.  The number is free on the D&B website, but they will try to sell you other services.  You don’t need any of them.

A Quick Note on How to Start Building Business Credit

Once you accomplish this, it is time to work on building your business credit score.  There is a process, and you have to work your way through it patiently.  It takes time, but the payoff is big.

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The Vendor Credit Tier

This is your way in.  These are vendors that will extend net 30 terms on invoices and then report your payments to the credit reporting agencies.  Once they start doing that, your business credit score will be established and grow from there.

This tier includes vendors such as Quill.com, Granger, and Uline that sell items you can use in your business every day.  Make a few purchases with net 30 terms, make your payments on time, and watch your business credit score explode. Find more about vendors that can help you build business credit here.

Working Through the Credit Tiers

After you have 7 to 10 accounts reporting from the vendor credit tier, it should be possible to get approval in the retail credit tier.  These are credit cards attached to specific stores such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Office Depot.

After you have several accounts reporting from the retail credit tier, you will qualify for cards in the fleet credit tier.  These cards are issued by companies like Shell, Fuelman, and WEX to be used for fuel and vehicle repair and maintenance.

The last tier is the cash credit tier.   When you have enough accounts reporting from each tier, and if you are keeping current on all your payments, your score will be strong enough to get your approval for these cards.  They are general credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa that are not attached to a specific store.  Typically, they have higher limits and more rewards options.

 

What to Look for in a New Card

This part is easy. You want something, everything if possible, to be better than the old card.  Your old tool should by default be more powerful than the old one.

  • Annual Fee– Whether the fee is the actual reason for the change or not, if you are changing anyway look for the lowest annual fee possible that also fulfills all your other needs.
  • Interest Rate– Again, maybe you are changing specifically for the lower rate, and maybe you aren’t. Either way you need to find the lowest interest rate possible that still gives you everything else you need.
  • Perks– look for perks you will actually use. If it’s all travel miles and you never travel, there is no point.
  • Credit Limit– A limit that will not handle your spending habits or the amount of your new purchase isn’t going to do you any good. Look for the highest limit you are eligible for. Remember that if you do not use it all, it will only help your debt-to-credit ratio, which in turn helps your credit score.

Hit the jackpot with our best webinar and its trustworthy list of seven vendors who can help you build business credit.

As with all things, you can do an analysis of the cost versus the benefit. If the annual fee means you get a super low interest rate or perks that will save you several hundred dollars a year, it may be worth it.  Before you make a decision, consider this in light of the reason why you are changing versus what is available to you at the moment.

Should You Shut Down the Old Card?

This is where it can get iffy.  You might think it obvious that you close the old account.  That is not always the best option however.  It can actually be beneficial to keep it open.

The average age of all of the accounts on your credit report affects your credit score.  The older your accounts are, the better it is for your score.  Opening a new account already lowers that average, so closing an older account is going to lower it even further.

If you have had the account for a while, it might be better to zero it out and keep it active.  Be sure to determine what level of activity is necessary to keep the account active.  If you have to make a small monthly purchase and pay it off every month or so it may be worth it to keep and older account open.

Is it Time for a New Business Credit Card?

The short answer is, maybe.  If your credit is at a point where you can get better rates and incentives with a lower annual fee, then it is time to get a new card.  If your credit limit on your old card can’t support your current or changing spending habits, it’s time for a new card.  Lastly, if your business credit cards are on your personal credit report, it’s time to build business credit and get a new business credit card.

 

 

 

The post Time for a Change? 6 Reasons to Swap Your Old Card for a New Business Credit Card appeared first on Credit Suite.

Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit!

Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit!

Way too many entrepreneur are utilizing their individual credit history to fund the launch, development or development of their service A bulk of entrepreneur have no suggestion what organisation is or exactly how to develop it. By adhering to a couple of easy actions any kind of local business owner can developing organisation credit scores, for that reason, dividing their individual credit report from their organisation credit scores.

When local business owner make use of individual bank card to spend for overhead, the financial obligation of business reports back to their individual credit score records which reduces their ratings since their service financial debts harm their individual financial obligation to earnings proportion.

To aid avoid local business owner from harming their individual credit report, every entrepreneur ought to adhere to the easy actions of developing company credit rating. By developing company credit rating the financial debt of business will certainly report to business debt data as well as not the individual credit rating documents. Developing company credit history will certainly likewise aid business construct a solid company credit rating documents so fundings, credit lines wont call for business proprietor to authorize an individual warranty.

Below are simply a couple of reasons every entrepreneur must develop company debt.

You angle anticipate to stroll right into a financial institution as well as ask for an organisation financing with no service credit history or service background. By developing an excellent service credit score account you will certainly be able to safeguard the funding your service requirements.

2. You would certainly still be lawfully accountable if you utilized your individual credit score to fund your company if your company ought to fall short.

Thats right, service credit scores prices are generally reduced than individual credit rating prices. A couple of portion factors in rate of interest mean thousands of bucks in the lengthy run

Drift your service via hard times. By developing service credit rating you will certainly be prepared for the down time.

Allows face it, without the loan you require to fund the launch or growth of your service you actually wont be in company at all. Do not make the blunder of utilizing your individual financial resources to fund you organisation.

The are numerous, a lot more reasons you ought to develop service credit report. We have all listened to the claiming, “maintain organisation expenditures different from individual expenditures,”? The only method to do that is to establish your service appropriately to begin with by developing service debt.

If you want discovering …

-What civil liberties does an entrepreneur have if there is inaccurate details on a credit score record?
-How do I get an organisation credit report?
-What work lending institutions take a look at in order to expand organisation credit scores?
-Where do you locate firms that approve credit report?
-Which business report to business credit rating bureaus?
-What bank card business do not need individual assurances?

I recommend you begin the education and learning procedure of learing exactly how to develop service credit report!

By complying with a couple of straightforward actions any type of company proprietor can developing company credit scores, as a result, dividing their individual credit score from their service credit history.

To assist protect against service proprietors from harming their individual credit score, every service proprietor must adhere to the straightforward actions of developing company credit report. By developing company credit rating the financial obligation of the company will certainly report to the company credit score data as well as not the individual credit scores documents. Developing service credit rating will certainly additionally aid the organisation develop a solid service credit rating documents so fundings, lines of credit scores wont call for the company proprietor to authorize an individual warranty.

You angle anticipate to stroll right into a financial institution as well as ask for an organisation car loan with no company credit report or organisation background.

The post Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit!

Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit!

Way too many entrepreneur are utilizing their individual credit history to fund the launch, development or development of their service A bulk of entrepreneur have no suggestion what organisation is or exactly how to develop it. By adhering to a couple of easy actions any kind of local business owner can developing organisation credit scores, for that reason, dividing their individual credit report from their organisation credit scores.

When local business owner make use of individual bank card to spend for overhead, the financial obligation of business reports back to their individual credit score records which reduces their ratings since their service financial debts harm their individual financial obligation to earnings proportion.

To aid avoid local business owner from harming their individual credit report, every entrepreneur ought to adhere to the easy actions of developing company credit rating. By developing company credit rating the financial debt of business will certainly report to business debt data as well as not the individual credit rating documents. Developing company credit history will certainly likewise aid business construct a solid company credit rating documents so fundings, credit lines wont call for business proprietor to authorize an individual warranty.

Below are simply a couple of reasons every entrepreneur must develop company debt.

You angle anticipate to stroll right into a financial institution as well as ask for an organisation financing with no service credit history or service background. By developing an excellent service credit score account you will certainly be able to safeguard the funding your service requirements.

2. You would certainly still be lawfully accountable if you utilized your individual credit score to fund your company if your company ought to fall short.

Thats right, service credit scores prices are generally reduced than individual credit rating prices. A couple of portion factors in rate of interest mean thousands of bucks in the lengthy run

Drift your service via hard times. By developing service credit rating you will certainly be prepared for the down time.

Allows face it, without the loan you require to fund the launch or growth of your service you actually wont be in company at all. Do not make the blunder of utilizing your individual financial resources to fund you organisation.

The are numerous, a lot more reasons you ought to develop service credit report. We have all listened to the claiming, “maintain organisation expenditures different from individual expenditures,”? The only method to do that is to establish your service appropriately to begin with by developing service debt.

If you want discovering …

-What civil liberties does an entrepreneur have if there is inaccurate details on a credit score record?
-How do I get an organisation credit report?
-What work lending institutions take a look at in order to expand organisation credit scores?
-Where do you locate firms that approve credit report?
-Which business report to business credit rating bureaus?
-What bank card business do not need individual assurances?

I recommend you begin the education and learning procedure of learing exactly how to develop service credit report!

By complying with a couple of straightforward actions any type of company proprietor can developing company credit scores, as a result, dividing their individual credit score from their service credit history.

To assist protect against service proprietors from harming their individual credit score, every service proprietor must adhere to the straightforward actions of developing company credit report. By developing company credit rating the financial obligation of the company will certainly report to the company credit score data as well as not the individual credit scores documents. Developing service credit rating will certainly additionally aid the organisation develop a solid service credit rating documents so fundings, lines of credit scores wont call for the company proprietor to authorize an individual warranty.

You angle anticipate to stroll right into a financial institution as well as ask for an organisation car loan with no company credit report or organisation background.

The post Leading Five Reasons to Establish Business Credit! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.