subject: Building Your Business Credit - How To Build Business Credit [print this page] When you are trying to build your small business, it's important that you also build your business credit score. Small businesses always require infusions of cash to increase inventory, expand the business, or simply to meet the current needs of their customers.
If you are currently working on building your business credit, then you already know that it requires a ton of paperwork, as well as a great deal of time, effort, and inconvenience. Here are some tips that can help you improve your business credit rating and take some of the pain out of the application process.
Create a business identity.
You can not improve on what you don't already have. So the first step is to create some business credit. The first step is to get your business registered as either an LLC or a full corporation. The next step is to assemble all the paperwork that lenders will want to look at before issuing a loan. These include business permits, licenses, references, current contracts and the financial statements, as well as some others.
Be sure that you have a regular address for your business, and that your customers will have regular ways of communicating with you. You will need all this information when creating your businesses independent identity. (Please take note that P.O. Boxes are not considered acceptable addresses for businesses.)
You will also want to get your business registered with a credit agency. This will allow you to begin the process of having credit ratings and scores tracked. All of these actions will help you create the references needed when you go to apply for a financial loan.
Lenders will look at how stable your business is financially, as well as on the financial documents you provide during the process. It is also imperative that you make prompt payments on existing loans so that you can help increase your credit rating. If you do not pay as agreed, in the amounts agreed to and before the due date, you might find your credit score falling.
You will also want to take the time to monitor the credit card reports every month. This can help you catch fraudulent, incorrect, transactions early. When you find an error, you should immediately report it to the agency that is showing it. This will also help to improve your credit rating.
Boost Your Score With a Loan
Getting a loan is necessary to create the credit score that you are trying to improve. Credit cards are also a great option for small businesses to improve their credit scores. Credit cards often offer lower interest rates, making their payments more affordable. This can help you stay current on the payments, keeping that rating as high as possible.
And since there are no principal amounts to worry about, you can borrow only the exact amount you need and help to control that interest expense. This flexibility will also allow you to budget some expenses around higher profit time so you won't have to worry about the interest charges racking up when you can least afford it.
Credit lines are another great to improve your credit rating. Banks and other financial institutions are now offering small businesses short-term lines of credit. These LOC's feature attractive interest rates and payment terms.
And paying down the principle balance on your LOC will quickly reduce the interest amount you are faced with every month. Keeping in mind your payment terms on the loan, you can make the regular payments as required and keep your score high.
The key to keeping your business credit good, and increasing the score, is to always make the payments as agreed. Be sure that you don't over-extend yourself. Pay every single debt as agreed upon so that you can steadily increase your credit rating. By taking the time to do this right, you will improve your credit score, make it easier to get loans, and help secure the future of your business.
by: John Purfield
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