The process of applying for a business loan is a stringent one as compared to the standard procedures in obtaining a home mortgage loan or a personal loan. This is probably due to the fact that business loans contain a greater risk element as compared to other loans. Therefore, lenders need to exercise greater caution and emphasis when evaluating business loan applications in order to minimize their risk exposure.

With that, lenders evaluate their applicants based on the information that are provided as well as their judgment of the viability and profitability of the business being financed. Thus, business loan applicants will be required to submit a loan proposal along with their applications with the purpose of creating a positive impression upon the lender.

The first element of a loan proposal is an executive summary, providing short descriptions of the type of business and the industry, the purpose and usage of the loan, the proposed repayment conditions as well as the intended loan period. After that, the company information is provided, enriching the reader with the nature of the business, the location of the business, company history, the products or services provided, key differentiation factors of the company or the product, the general growth of the industry, competitive information, growth potential and target customers.

It would help if you could include your company marketing strategy, detailed product information, historical information as well as projected growth plans for the company. Apart from that, if you plan to incorporate product or service extensions in the future, you should provide these descriptions within your loan proposal. If possible, geographical expansion plans will help in the proposal.

The next area that needs to be showcased in the proposal would be the credentials and experience of each member of the management team. Impressive credentials will provide assurance to the lender that the company is managed by individuals who are responsible and capable. This is important as having the wrong people managing the company could be detrimental for the business.

In any loan application, historical records are essential to be used in evaluating the performance of a company. As new companies do not yet have these records, the financial records of the owners will be used as the basis of evaluation. Income tax returns forms are also required by lenders. All of these records provided should be the latest copies less than 90 days old, with the exception of the income tax returns form.

If the loan is applied for an existing company in active operations, company financial statements, including profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and the net worth reconciliation record should be included in the loan proposal. Again, all of this information should also be the latest and less than 90 days old. Additionally, a listing of accounts receivables and other short term and long term debt should be attached.

On the other hand, if the loan application is submitted for a new business, a pro-forma balance sheet and profit and loss account should be provided. Apart from that, a cash flow projection for the upcoming year is drafted to indicate the possibility of recovering the debt. This also means that projected revenue, profits, costs incurred and expenditure should be listed out with definite explanations provided as well as a list of assumptions.

If you possess assets that you wish to use as collateral for your loan, details for this should be provided to the lender as well. It is often common for lenders to request for dual sources of repayment in the event that one source is defaulted. This means that if the business owner defaults on his repayments, the collateral can be sold in order to recover debt.

Finally, other documents normally required for a loan application would be items like the article of incorporation, lease agreements, partnership agreements, license, references, etc. As the list of required documentation, information and attachments differs between lenders, it is best to check with the individual lender on their specific information and documents required to be attached with the loan proposal.

To get approval for your small business loan application, you must be able to meet the lending criteria set down. Some organisations are more risk averse than others, and will therefore have more stringent criteria.

To vastly increase your chances of a successful funding application, you will need to present the following information:

1. The reason for the loan. The lender will be looking for something that fits within the normal range and expertise of your business. The amount may cover a number of items, so you will need to cover each.

2. The amount required, and the repayment term of the small business loan you want. (e.g. $10,000 term 5 years, payable quarterly).

3. Details of how you will repay the amount borrowed. For example, “From the increase in profits of reduced running costs of the Whizzbang Go4It”

4. Details of security you will be able to offer to the lender. This will act as reassurance for the lender. If you’re not prepared to put up some aspect of security, then why should they?

5. You will need to include your business plan which will serve to answer essential questions relating to management capabilities, information about the market you operate in. What kind of business you are in etc.

6. 3 Years financial statements. You will need to present quality financial information from your accounting software, preferably signed off by your accountant or tax advisor.

7. Latest Set of Management accounts. Again produced from your accounting software.

8. Accounts receivables (debtors) and payables (creditors) ageing reports.

9. Principals financial statements. – Particularly required if some form of security is necessary.

If you are a new company, the emphasis is going to be on your business plan , and the security (also called collateral) you or your business can provide against the loan.

You must take the time to practice presenting your case to the bank or lender to iron out any glitches. Practice on your colleagues and family (you never know, they might be so impressed, they’ll invest or lend!). It may help to role play the lender and come up with as many pointy questions as possible. The more time you take the better your chances will be. (But remember, don’t fall into the analysis paralysis trap!)

Are you thinking about starting a business but have no money to do it with? Well, you’re not alone. This article will tell you the basics of borrowing money.
A loan is money that is borrowed, and has to be paid back along with interest. If the money is borrowed from an institution such as a bank, this is called a commercial loan. Money that is borrowed from a friend or a relative is called a personal loan.
The borrower, or debtor, is the business or individual that takes out the loan. The lender, or creditor, is the source from which the money was borrowed. The term, or period, is the time that is specified during which the borrower has to use the money borrowed before he has to repay the loan. The maturity of a loan is when a loan term reaches its end. The Principal is the amount that is borrowed from the lender. When you or your business borrows money, the lender wants to know when they will get their money back. Keep this in mind when you are looking for a lending source.
If the business is not able to repay the loan, the lending source has a right to legally come after assets to recoup it’s money. The extent to which you are personally liable depends on the business structure your business is operating under.
If you are approved for a loan, that you will have to make scheduled payments (typically on monthly basis) plus interest. A loan can sometimes be set up as a balloon loan. A balloon loan will typically require smaller initial payments and one lump sum of what was borrowed as the final payment at the end of the term.
Borrowing from Institutions
Business loans generally fall into two main categories: short term and long term loans. A short term loan is a loan that is to be payed back within one year. Examples of short term loans include:
Working capital loans
Accounts receivable loans
Lines of credit
Long term loans are loans that are to be payed back typically from one to seven years. Long term loans are typically used for:
an expansion of a business
the purchase of equipment
real estate
Most business loans that are used for starting a business are long term loans.

When you approach an institution for a business loan, it will be looking at you as the business owner as closely as it will be looking at the business itself. One of the ways lending institutions make money is by lending money and they want to be as sure as possible that they get back their money with the interest owed.

The time between applying for a loan and learning that you have been approved (or disapproved) can vary. If you are disapproved, you may be told almost instantly. If you are approved, it may take a few days though it usually takes longer. It may even take several months to learn whether you or your business has being approved for the loan.
Borrowing from Family and Friends
If you don’t want to, or can’t get a commercial loan, you can consider getting a private loan from family or friends. This is usually real informal. However, you need to be careful because this can lead to ruined relationships.
If you are getting a private loan, it is in the best interest of the lender to have an agreement put in writing. The written agreement should state the principal, the interest charged and the terms of repayment. This puts the lender in better position either write off the loan on his or her tax return or to legally come after you.
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If You are Starting a Business visit www.AGuideToStartingABusiness.com
Jose Valdez is the owner/operator of www.AGuideToStartingABusiness.com and www.AllHomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com

The process of applying for a business loan is a stringent one as compared to the standard procedures in obtaining a home mortgage loan or a personal loan. This is probably due to the fact that business loans contain a greater risk element as compared to other loans. Therefore, lenders need to exercise greater caution and emphasis when evaluating business loan applications in order to minimize their risk exposure.

With that, lenders evaluate their applicants based on the information that are provided as well as their judgment of the viability and profitability of the business being financed. Thus, business loan applicants will be required to submit a loan proposal along with their applications with the purpose of creating a positive impression upon the lender.

The first element of a loan proposal is an executive summary, providing short descriptions of the type of business and the industry, the purpose and usage of the loan, the proposed repayment conditions as well as the intended loan period. After that, the company information is provided, enriching the reader with the nature of the business, the location of the business, company history, the products or services provided, key differentiation factors of the company or the product, the general growth of the industry, competitive information, growth potential and target customers.

It would help if you could include your company marketing strategy, detailed product information, historical information as well as projected growth plans for the company. Apart from that, if you plan to incorporate product or service extensions in the future, you should provide these descriptions within your loan proposal. If possible, geographical expansion plans will help in the proposal.

The next area that needs to be showcased in the proposal would be the credentials and experience of each member of the management team. Impressive credentials will provide assurance to the lender that the company is managed by individuals who are responsible and capable. This is important as having the wrong people managing the company could be detrimental for the business.

In any loan application, historical records are essential to be used in evaluating the performance of a company. As new companies do not yet have these records, the financial records of the owners will be used as the basis of evaluation. Income tax returns forms are also required by lenders. All of these records provided should be the latest copies less than 90 days old, with the exception of the income tax returns form.

If the loan is applied for an existing company in active operations, company financial statements, including profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and the net worth reconciliation record should be included in the loan proposal. Again, all of this information should also be the latest and less than 90 days old. Additionally, a listing of accounts receivables and other short term and long term debt should be attached.

On the other hand, if the loan application is submitted for a new business, a pro-forma balance sheet and profit and loss account should be provided. Apart from that, a cash flow projection for the upcoming year is drafted to indicate the possibility of recovering the debt. This also means that projected revenue, profits, costs incurred and expenditure should be listed out with definite explanations provided as well as a list of assumptions.

If you possess assets that you wish to use as collateral for your loan, details for this should be provided to the lender as well. It is often common for lenders to request for dual sources of repayment in the event that one source is defaulted. This means that if the business owner defaults on his repayments, the collateral can be sold in order to recover debt.

Finally, other documents normally required for a loan application would be items like the article of incorporation, lease agreements, partnership agreements, license, references, etc. As the list of required documentation, information and attachments differs between lenders, it is best to check with the individual lender on their specific information and documents required to be attached with the loan proposal.

A good entrepreneur knows that the essence of striking gold in business is finding the right opportunity and going after it despite the risks. These opportunities keep on sprouting when you are doing business. Or you might have stumbled upon one and contemplating taking it. Your financial condition may not help you to translate your potential for financial success and independence. Business loans can facilitate this translation.

Obtaining finance is central for starting a new business or making business grow. Financing a business through business loans can be a formidable task. But a good preparation can easily sort out any matter detrimental to getting your business loans approved. Taking a loan for business is an important decision. A business loans borrower must understand that while taking loans can help a business grow, a wrong decision will mean debt and actually damage financial stability of a business. Determine how much loan amount you require as business loans. There are different business loans products to decide from.

A well thought out business plan is the most significant part of getting a business loans approved. The business plan should have projection. Don’t go into details, a concise to the point executive summary which answers all the queries of a business loans, will gain easy acceptance. If you have an established business – financial statement, cash flow for the past three years will be required.

When business loans application is reviewed, some of the following questions might come up in one version or the other.
• How much loan do you require?
• What about business profits, does it have enough cash flow, to service the debt?
• Is there collateral to cover the loan?
• Is there a reasonable balance between debt and equity?
Business loans lender would pay much emphasis on your repayment ability. He would like to know if you have invested your own money in the business. He would not be very interested in taking risk in a venture where the business owner has not.
For business loans it is important to know your credit history. The business loans lender will undeniably go through your credit history. Go through your recent credit history and find out faults and recent credit discrepancies. If there are inconsistencies, get them removed. A credit history that is questionable will most likely not get business loans. However, if you attach a letter explaining your credit conduct can evoke a favourable response. The worst mistake will be to hiding your faults. This will most certainly reject an otherwise encouraging business loans application.
Few people realize it but locating a good business loans lender is integral to finding business loans. It is not easy to find business loans lender that abides by your needs. In fact it is an investment in itself. Look for business loans lender who is willing to work with you and for you.
Business loans also depend on your character and your ability to be present yourself, your business details and your confidence. They also count in getting your business loans accepted. In case business loans application is rejected – make sure you know the reason why this happened. This will enable you to rectify mistakes next time you make attempt to get business loans.
Collateral is chief ingredient for business loans. Secured business loans will require collateral and greatly add to the business loans application. Business loans without collateral are unsecured business loans. They are usually difficult to find. But unsecured business loans will only satisfy small financing needs.
Business loans are available for most financing needs. Business loans can be used for starting a business, refinancing, expanding your business, purchase of equipments or any other commercial investment. Insufficient business funds are one of the leading causes of business failure.

Business loans can be defined as money lent for a specified amount of time at a specific interest rate to a specific person or people that operate a business or plan to operate a business. This definition is very broad, but so are the various types of loans available to business people. Deciding on which type of business loan that you and your company will benefit from the most is very important. Often times, a start-up business or someone that has never owned a business will find themselves more or less applying for a “personal” loan. This can be a very risky endeavor, mixing business loans with personal loans, however, often times it is the only available means for first time business owners.

One of the first things personal business owners need to do is establish business credit. Business credit can help you get a business only loan without using your personal credit. Establishing business credit can be done by:

1.) Opening up a business credit card account and paying it in full.

2.) Buying equipment and supplies from companies that will report good standing to the business credit bureaus.

3.) Having a good business plan with potential earnings, letters of intent, and any type of customer contracts already laid out.

All of these types of endeavors can help in receiving a business loan. Often times, financial institutions require in-depth business plans, be prepared to spend days working on just the certification paperwork prior to applying for a business loan. A business only loan can be obtained in the business name without use of personal credit as long as the business can justify the loan amount and the ability to pay it back.

There are several different types of business loans available, ranging from those secured with collateral, non-secure loans, which are based upon the credit worthiness of the applicant, and even government loans for small business ventures, women and minorities. Government loans are those loans secured by the government; in most instances these loans are available when the business or owner can prove that the community will prosper based upon the business at hand. For the most part, government loans are based upon personal credit.

The basis for which you may need or require a business loan may vary. Some of the most common business loans available to business owners are:

Acquisitions or a loan to acquire an existing business
Inventory loans
Account Receivable Loans
Working Capital Loans which converts a companies assets into working capital
Equipment Leasing
Commercial Property loans
Warehouse financing
International business loans
Franchise loans
One of the most important tools when deciding on what type of business loan your company needs is research. Researching the different types of loans available to you and your company can save you money. First, look into the different type of business loans available to you in your state. Many states have government loans available; some even offer grants, which is money available for specific purposes that do not require repayment. Research the different type of Federal loans available. You can do this at the following website: www.sba.gov. Call your local bank and investment companies regarding the business loans they have available for you. Many times, business loans are not that hard to acquire. With research and a good business plan, your dreams may come true.

At some point in your adult life, you are likely to purchase a house of your own. Whether you are sick of renting, or you have decided to settle down and start a family, purchasing your first home can be an exhilarating and nerve-wracking adventure. In researching the best practices for new home buying, we decided to give you three of the most important tips.

Our first suggestion is to save, save, and save some more. The idea behind this is to enable you to make the largest initial down payment on your new home as possible. We know how difficult it can be to save, but this could save you thousands of dollars in the long run. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to save thousands of dollars to use for your own ends, instead of paying it to some faceless bank in interest payments?

Secondly, try to educate yourself about the types of financing available. Shop around, or speak with a mortgage broker who can act on your behalf. In my opinion, your best bet is to lock into a fixed rate mortgage. A new home is very expensive, and you are likely to be short of cash for the first couple years. A fixed rate mortgage will provide you with the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what your mortgage payments will be each month. Remember, you can always renegotiate the terms of your mortgage at a later date. Ensure you have the stability you need to get off on the right start.

Lastly, be sure you have a proper home inspection done before you complete the transaction. If you feel the price of the house you are about to purchase is too good to pass up, it is probably is too good to be true. It is worth taking the time to ensure things are done properly. If you have to move fast for fear of missing out, make an offer, but ensure that your offer is conditional on upon a successful home inspection. Far too many first time home buyers have gone broke fixing repairs that should have taken care of by the previous owner. And, please, do yourself a favor and find an independent home inspector that doesn’t have a relationship with the real estate agent!

If you are interested in buying a home then you are certainly shopping for a mortgage quote from a variety of different lenders. This is important because when you have more than one mortgage quote you can compare the different lenders and find the one that is best for you. Frequently, the average mortgage quote online will be lower than the average mortgage quote from your neighborhood bank. Since every penny counts and you want to save as much money as possible, get a mortgage quote online as well as from your neighborhood lenders to find the best deal for you. The following suggestions will help you find a mortgage quote online as well.

Mortgage Quote Tip #1 Bid for Quotes
The best way to get a mortgage quote online is to visit the sites that ask for some general personal financial information and then submits it to various lenders. Then, all of the lenders respond with a mortgage quote for your personal financial situation. Once you receive the mortgage quote it is up to you to forget it or contact the lender that provided you with that particular mortgage quote.

Mortgage Quote Tip #2 Professionals
You want a professional and real mortgage quote, so make sure you are dealing with a professional company that will provide you with a legitimate mortgage quote online. If not, you will be wasting your time and risking your investment by dealing with a sketchy company.

Mortgage Quote Tip #3 Realistic
While you want the lowest mortgage quote possible, you need to make sure the mortgage quote is realistic within the scheme of things. If you receive a mortgage quote that is several percentage points lower than the lowest mortgage quote you have seen, you might want to question it. While there are many reputable online mortgage quote companies, there are those out there that are not professional.

You might think that deciding to refinance a mortgage requires only a quick comparison of loan interest rates. Unfortunately, that’s not really true. Refinancing is trickier than that! Fortunately, three useful rules of thumb can often help you make sense of refinancing opportunities.

Rule 1: Don’t Ignore Total Interest Costs

You really want to use refinancing as a way to reduce the total interest cost you pay. While that sounds simple in principle, it is sometimes difficult to do. The interest costs you pay are a function of the interest rate, the loan balance, and the loan term period.

When people refinance, they tend to focus solely on the loan interest rate. But they often don’t pay as much attention to the loan term or the loan balance.

When you use refinancing—even refinancing at a lower interest rate—to increase your borrowing or to extend the time over which you borrow, you often aren’t saving money.

Rule 2: Trade Expensive Money for Cheap Money

For refinancing to make economic sense, however, you do need to swap higher interest rate debt for lower interest rate debt. This calculation, however, is tricky. To make an apples-to-apples comparison, you must look at the annual percentage rate that will be charged on your new loan—this is the best measure of the new loan’s interest rate cost—and then compare this to the loan interest rate on your old loan.

You don’t want to compare interest rates on the two loans nor do you want to compare annual percentage rates on the two loans. Again, just to make this perfectly clear: You want to compare the loan interest rate on the old loan to the annual percentage rate on the new loan.

When the annual percentage rate on the new loan is lower than the loan interest rate on the old loan, then you are truly paying a lower interest rate.

Comparing annual percentage rates with loan interest rates seems confusing at first. But note that you would pay only interest on your old or current loan, so that’s all you need to look at in terms of its costs. With a new loan, however, you would pay both interest and any origination or closing cost fees. The annual percentage rate wraps the interest rate charges and setup charges, origination charges, and closing cost fees into one interest rate-like number.

Rule 3: Don’t Lengthen the Repayment Period

Be careful that you don’t extend the length of time you borrow by continually refinancing. For example, one common rule of thumb states that every time interest rates drop by two percentage points, you should refinance your mortgage. However, there have been times in recent history when following this rule would have had you refinancing your mortgage every few years. This could mean that you would never get your mortgage paid off. If you refinanced every few years, you would suddenly find yourself still 30 years away from having your mortgage paid.

It’s that time of year when we pack up our bags and head to the beach for the day to enjoy those warm sunrays and the refreshing sound of the lapping water.

So what constitutes a good beach wardrobe. Well there are certain essentials that none of us forget. On goes the swimsuit and bathing suit cover, flip flops on our feet. Beach bag has been packed with the essentials – sunglasses, floppy hat, towel and a good book. Great – got the basics covered but what about the rest.

So if we are so prepared for a day at the beach, why is it by the time we get home we look pretty worn. Here are some helpful tips to make your day at the beach fun and keep you looking fashion fresh all day and all the way home.

First before you leave home, if you’ve got long hair pull it into a high pony tail or fun knot. Use some funky hair accessories that will stay in place when you’re swimming. Try a fun colored bobble or some firm fastening clips in bright summer colors. If you pull your hair up your neck will stay cool and you’ll look fresh all day with your neat hairdo.

Second slather yourself in sunscreen before leaving the house, then toss the sunscreen in your bag so you can reapply after a swim or every few hours. A sunburn is not only unhealthy and painful, it’s unattractive, so don’t let yourself turn into the lobster of the day. Your sunscreen should be a SPF of 15. It doesn’t hurt to use a strong SPF on your face or your entire body if you burn easily.

Your beach bag should be large enough to hold your supplies for the day. Why not get something fun and fashionable to keep you looking fashion fresh. Make sure you’ve got all the daily essentials in your bag – sunglasses, sunscreen, a good book, a floppy hat, some lip gloss, and any other makeup touch ups you’ll want. If you plan to wear eye makeup make sure it’s waterproof. Stay away from heavy foundations. If you must apply something use a bronzer moisturizer. It’s also a good idea to bring lip balm with an SPF15 to protect your lips. It never hurts to put some moisturizer in the bag. Include a snack and plenty of fluids. It’s important not to get dehydrated.

Okay great we’ve got the basics covered now what about the wardrobe basics? If you’re planning to wear a swimsuit it’s usually easiest to put it on at home, that way you’re not chasing down change rooms. So great – first on goes the swimsuit. Now what to wear for a cover? Well you’ve got plenty of choices. A tank top and shorts, tank and skort, or a nice light cotton dress all work well over top. Choose something that’s easy to put on and take off, and choose fabrics that breathe to keep you cool. I also suggest including a long sleeved cotton blouse just incase you start to burn you can protect your shoulders and arms.

If you’re planning on heading out later in the day without returning home you might want to toss a pair of jeans or long skirt into your bag. If your outing is going to extend into the evening you’ll want to include a sweater for the cooler evening air. If you’re worried about your evening wear getting sandy or wet at the beach, then place them in a separate bag and leave them in the trunk of your car. That way you are guaranteed they’ll remain fresh.

My favorite beach look is this. And what’s perfect is it keeps me looking fashion fresh throughout the day and takes me right into the evening. First I like a swimsuit that’s got lots of support and is bright and cheerful. I throw a fitted tank on top and throw on a loose flouncy long skirt. The long skirt serves me through the evening and also works great to cover up if I’m starting to burn. I choose a lightweight material in a darker color with a pattern that accents the colors in my swimsuit. Flip flops are my footwear. Depending on where I’m heading after the beach I choose either a basic pair or one of my funky pair with rhinestones or crystals. Easy to walk in, feet breath, and terrific for an evening out. I keep a fitted light weight sweater in my car, and take a long sleeved cotton blouse down to the beach. I usually choose a long sleeved and long length blouse because it’s versatile. I can knot it to create a short blouse, wear it long as a beach cover, and put it on if I start to burn on my upper body. I usually choose white or a soft pastel depending on my other colors. I like white because it’s cool to wear and refreshing to look at. Every year I buy a fun new beach tote that’s big enough for the beach but not too big as to take it with me for an evening out. I like a fun bag that’s full of character.

Since I always feel naked without my jewelry I wear fashion jewelry to the beach. That way should I loose something I won’t be out a lot of money and I won’t feel so bad. I like to keep the earrings simple and elegant. I may or may not wear a necklace. Often I’ll toss a funky wood necklace in the bag to add to the evening outfit. I like to wear a couple of fashion rings just to add the finishing touches. Now if you’re fussy about tan lines you’ll probably want to forgo the rings. I toss my watch in the bottom of my bag so I can put it on later.

That’s it – simple is the key. Keep your beach wardrobe choices simple but fashionable. Think ahead so you can go from beach to an evening out without hassle. Remember to always make your fashion statement!