Category: Factoring Invoices

Factoring: How to Obtain Cash Without Debt

 By: Chris Lanchech

obtain cash without debt
factoring invoices will help your business obtain cash without debt

I’m sure that you know already that debt can be your worst enemy.

It comes down to this: Are you solvent? Or if you’re not, will you soon be? In other words, is your insolvency temporary? Can you turn things around quickly?

This is an issue that you must consider, the frequency of which will depend on your business and your circumstances. There are no hard and fast rules.

No doubt you have seen, in the past few years, many stories of companies that had been in business for decades, but that had to close down because they were no longer solvent.

It didn’t matter if their order books were full. When the ratio of debt to cash and accounts receivable passed a certain point, the banks closed them down.

There are a number of ratios that you can use to see just how healthy your company is, and your accountant will be the best person to discuss them with, but I just want to mention one of them. It’s called the Acid Test.

To calculate this key ratio, all you need to do is to add together your invoices and the cash you have on hand, and then divide that number by your current liabilities.

In other words compare what you can convert into cash quickly to what you owe in the time it takes you to make that conversion.

The number you get should be at least one. Anything less than that is a warning sign.

Although many creditors expect to be paid when they provide the service, others will give you a grace period of 30, 60 or even 90 days before contacting a collection agency. And if that’s the case, then you may be able to recover in time.

Another approach, however, would be to conduct the acid test for each of those periods. That is at the 30 and 60 day points, as well as the 90 day one.

And it’s here where you could come unstuck.

It may be comparatively easy to pay your own bills within 90 days and as a result, satisfy your creditors; but it’s just as likely that you will have bills to pay in the intervening period.

And when that happens, you can find yourself insolvent for 30 days or more.

Let me give you an example to show you what I mean. I’ll use small numbers to make it easier to follow.

Let’s imagine that you have $1000 cash on hand and that you have $4000 in outstanding invoices. That makes your total liquid assets $5000.

And let’s also say that your invoices are supposed to be paid within 60 days. So theoretically, you will have $5000 in hand in about two months.

What are your expenses during that time? How much do they add up to be? Is it more or less than $5000? What would happen if your largest customer decided to postpone payment for another month? Would you be temporarily insolvent?

It’s in such circumstances that factoring those invoices can be helpful.

When you fail the acid test, you don’t want to a loan. You probably don’t want to tell your bank that you’re temporarily insolvent, and you’d like their help. J

And even if you could get a loan, it would be the last thing you would want because the added debt would increase your liabilities, making the ratio worse; not better.

So by factoring some of your invoices at least, you could prevent the unthinkable from happening to you.

Factoring Business vs Bank Loans

By: Chris Lanchech

The factoring business has been around for centuries, starting all the way back to the Renaissance era in Europe. To this date it is one of the key essentials that any growing business should utilize if they intend on staying afloat and to eventually expand. So what is invoice factoring and why is it essential for a business’s survival? In order to help you understand and get a firm grasp of how this process can indeed help your business, here is a quick dive at the definition and individual aspects of factoring business

Is It a Loan?

First and foremost, factoring invoices are not a type of loan. A loan is where an individual or business borrows money and then pay it back with interest. In factoring, the company is simply buying your assets; in this case, they purchased the amount listed in your invoice.

 

For example, a client gave you a project, which takes 6 months to complete and your current invoice indicates that the fee they’ll pay you at the end of the term is roughly $100,000. Unfortunately, since your business is not paid at the onset, you could possibly face financial setbacks until such time the project is completed. To solve this problem, you may approach a factoring company.

 

How Does It Work?

The factoring company will assess your invoice and this can usually take three to five days until they approve and deposit the amount to your bank account. What happens is that the company will buy your assets (invoices). Usually the company will pay you 80% first and then the remaining 20% when the client pays the full amount.

 

This means that you have roughly $80,000 right at the very beginning. This is money that you can use for raw materials and funding the project to its completion. By the end of the term you won’t be getting the full $100,000; the factoring company will charge you certain fees (usually no more than 2%) in return.

 

Collecting the Invoice

Now there are two options. You can either notify your client about the factoring agreement and then when the job is complete they will directly pay the factoring company instead of handing the payment to you. Most companies do not choose this route. Instead, they usually just let the client pay them and then hand the money over to the factoring company. This makes their agreement private and kept only between the two parties involved.

 

Bank Loans

A factoring company purchases your accounts receivable and will then collect the actual payment from your client later on. A loan, on the other hand, is where you borrow money from a lender with the intention to pay them back, usually with interest. The problem is that a loan can carry high interest rates, high penalties, and the process can take too long. A factoring business is like getting paid cash and it is really necessary in order for a business to be able to fund its daily operational costs.

Should You Choose Factoring Companies Over Banks?

By: Chris Lanchech

Factoring companies purchase accounts receivable from various businesses and will enable you to get immediate cash on-end to serve as resource for your day to day operations. Of course each time they lend you an amount it will depend mostly on the quality of your assets. However there have been accounts of people getting duped by fraudulent factoring companies and there have been factoring institutions cheated by fraudulent borrowers as well. With banks offering business loans and other credit options, why would factoring invoices be a better option?


Reason #1: Bigger Cash Out
The problem with getting financial assistance from a bank is that they normally give you only up to 60% upon payout. Some banks and credit institutions do purchase invoices and assets but they won’t pay you enough to get your cash flow back on track. With a factoring company, however, you can get as much as 75-80% right on day one. That is pretty much the same as saying you got paid for the job right on the same day you started working on it. It becomes even better if you factor multiple invoices at the same time.

Reason #2: Lower Costs
Credit unions and banks can charge a pretty hefty fee. You’ll see charges that can go all the way up from 4% to a whopping 12%. They can literally rob you of your profits. A factoring company will generally charge you less than 2%. This means you get to use your money and they still get to earn a little profit along the way. One of the best things about factoring invoices with dedicated companies is that they sometimes offer factor insurance. This means you won’t have to pay them the money in case your client defaults on his payment. Instead, they’ll give you the rest of the loan and will then chase after your client to get the money back.

Reason #3: Faster Processing
Your business may not be able to function until you get some funds to start with and the problem with banks is that the application and assessment procedures could last for weeks. The good thing about a factoring company is that the entire procedure only takes a few days. Usually it only takes three to five days and you’ll have the amount deposited to you. To make the process even faster, factoring invoices usually only requires you to fill out two pages of information. This is quite the opposite of applying for a business loan or factoring invoices with a credit union because that would require piles of paperwork and information.

The Verdict: Factoring Companies versus Banks and Credit Unions
Banks and credit unions can be an option especially if your business has good standing with them but remember what your company’s main focus is: profit. Profit is derived from steady cash flow and lower overhead costs. You can only attain these by having stable resources, less costs, and less time wasted. With all of these taken into consideration, your company can benefit more if you choose factoring companies instead of banks.

Factoring Invoices Is A Solution To Get Your Business Out Of Trouble

It is okay to admit your business was affected by the ‘great’ recession. If are still in business after taking a hit in the Factoring Invoices Is A Solution To Get Your Business Out Of Troublerecession you can pat yourself on the back. This blog is about the financial strategy businesses are using called ‘factoring.’

Have you ever considered selling your outstanding invoices? Well if you have then you have thought about factoring. Factoring allows you to establish a monthly credit facility anywhere from $10k to $10 million monthly. This allows you to have a pool of capital you can pull from by selling your invoices as soon as they come in.

Quite a few invoice factoring companies focus on buying outstanding invoices from businesses. You can be sure that you can establish a credit facility offering your business help in a financial crisis. If you want to need cash on had and you have outstanding invoices we recommended you visit Neebo Capital.

Invoice factoring is a great solution to get your business out of cash flow problems.

Remember the fact that the knowledge of the invoice factoring company you select is very important. Financial specialists even advise business owners to avoid working with inexperienced factoring companies. Because inexperienced factoring companies do not have experience in working with business owners.

 

For example: maybe there is a regulation in your industry that a younger/inexperieced factoring company might not be aware of, and this mistake can cost you big money in the long run. Trust me we have seen it. We get prospects from time to time come to us looking to leave their current factoring relationship.

It is recommended to sell your outstanding invoices or your accounts receivable to an experienced invoice factoring company.

Factoring Is Faster Than Small Business Loans

Well for starters, if you have ever received a small business loan then you know small business loans require a lFactoring Is Fasterot of paper work. Small business loans also require you to submit paperwork out the wazooo…

This is why many business owners are turning to factoring invoices as a stronger solution. Simply put there is not as much red tape, and the contracts for lending can be as short as 30 days.

Factoring Invoices has always been a financial method to raise capital.  Cash on hand allows businesses to expand, market, put on new employees, take advantage of supplier discounts, or just manage overhead better.

Additionally, credit is becoming more difficult to get for small businesses without years of financials or vendor references. Therefore factoring is a way to quickly raise cash for working capital needs.

As mentioned above, getting a bank loan can be difficult and take months. As opposed to factoring in which you can have funds within 2-3 days.

Approval for bank loans for small businesses is difficult to come by, as loan requirements get stiffer and stiffer in the post- credit crisis world.  Bank loans also require application fees, lengthy application procedures, and lots of paperwork and preparation. And don’t forget the interest on a bank loan.

DEBT

That’s right, a large benefit of factoring vs. a bank loan is that with factoring you do not add debt to your company. Factoring established a credit line against your incoming sales. A bank line establishes a credit line against you, your business and its assets.

Invoice factoring gets your business cash fast, without the paperwork and debt, this is why it is a growing finical tool for small business.

Credit Insurance Policies on Receivables

So you have a business and you sell to clients on credit terms. Maybe you should consider credit insurance policies on your receivables. Why?
Credit Insurance Policies on Receivables
The simple answer is to reduce risk, and strengthen your businesses financially in order to establish a stronger bankline in the future.

However the deeper answer has to do with your business and its potential loss. The saddest stories in the factoring world come from businesses who lose their largest accounts overnight.

These accounts can be large fortune 500 companies with sound financials.However one bad press release or shock to the economy can have a trickle effect and bring their business to a halt. A perfect example of one of these unforeseen chain reactions, was the filing of bankruptcy of one of the largest food processing companies in the industry.

All it took was one massive press release about the “pink slime” found in processed hamburger meat and The King of Prussia,  a PA-based food processor was devastated. Prior to the release the company processed about 500 million pounds of beef annually!

Now imagine if you are a suppler for this company with over $50,000 or $100,000+ in outstanding A/R. Prior to the pink slime press release you may have not been worried. The King of Prussia may have been one of your largest and secure accounts. However you now can see how quickly things can change in today business environment.

why should you buy credit insurance?

Had suppliers had credit insurance policies for their large customer “the king of Prussia” they would have recovered $0.80 to $0.90 cents for every dollar they were owed.

Sometimes – and this is the reason for credit insurance – there are unforeseen factors that influence the performance and survival of your customers.  Whether those are the court of public opinion, mismanagement, or a bad acquisition, companies go bankrupt, leaving you and your company paddling up shits creek.

Visit Neebo Capital for Credit Insurance Policies on Receivables

APR vs Discount Fee’s

Every now and then we get a business owner looking for the difference between APR (Annualized PERCENTAGE RATES) and Factoring Discount fees.
APR vs Discount Fee’s
As an analyst these questions can still confuse me. Business owners juggle many different financial tasks and terms. However there is a huge difference between factoring discount fees and annualized percentage rates.

The difference is complicated:

– Annualized percentage rates are dependent on a businesses risk over the year.

-Factoring discounts fee’s lower the risk to net 90 terms at the most.

*keep in mind if you try and compare an annualized rate with a short term rate(factoring discount fee), you must ALSO compare a company that can qualify for a long term loan and one that cannot. Those two companies are not the same, neither is the cost of funds.

Above is the definition, and as you can see trying to compare the two is like saying ducks and eagles are the same because they both fly. I say this because if you attempt to multiple a 30-day invoice fee by 12 you will not get a accurate number of the annualized percentage rate.

For example: When a factoring company funds your  30-day invoice with net 90-day terms, your invoice will be repaid between 25-45 days on average. This means the risk of the outstanding invoice is only over a short period of time.

This short term reflects the risk your company brings into the equation. Factoring companies accept this risk and offer a factoring discount fee.

On the other hand a bank will make a loan that they expect will be paid over a year or more, because they make calculations whether or not your business will be better over a period of time. If banks see any risks that your business cannot pay back the loan, the you get no loan!

Factoring companies will give your business funds within 24 hours to 3 days. Their lending is dependent on the creditworthiness of your customers.

Hope this helped
Chirs L.

How To Select The Right Factoring Company

There are many variables besides just the “lowest” discount fee that will come into play when selecting the factoring company best suited to your company’s needs. This Article has the important things you should look for when picking a factoring company:
pick the right factoring company

You can find several key attributes you should search for before picking the right factoring company for your business. A reliable factoring company should have a high quality credit department, a professional collection staff, a long history, financial strength, and current systems for keeping their customers informed with real time information.


In contrast to a standard bank or perhaps a finance company, factoring companies have a day-in, day-out relationships with regards to their clients, so selecting the right factoring company boils down to who can you see your business aligned with?

Generally, the response for this question is most likely the factoring company with the lowest discount fee and quite often it is the factoring company that fits various other needs better than the comapany with the lowest fee. In the end, determining the overall cost can prove difficult, so you may want to consider additional critical variables. Heres points to consider in order to pick the most suitable factoring company for you:

Does the factoring company have a fully staffed credit department?
Any factoring company that has a good credit department, could be your choice if you’re searching for a factoring company which will help you make prudent credit limits for your customers. A factoring company which does not have a fully staffed credit department is likely to not approve ideal credit limits and because of this, may expose your company to incorrect levels of risk. However, a factoring company in which does not approve enough credit to have capacity for your needs might entirely restrain your companies capacity to grow.

Does the factoring company have a collection department?
You just might pick a factoring company with a fully-staffed collection department.Why? Because It might stun you to know that a large number of factoring companies don’t have a collection department. For anyone who is considering choosing a factoring company which takes their duty of collecting receivables seriously, the factoring company will assign your business with two contacts: an account representative + a collection specialist.

This is important because factoring companies WITHOUT a collection department are forced to assign the task of collections to one account representative.

Does the factoring company have a good track-record?
A factoring company in which has been in business greater than ten years likely comes with the expertise needed to supply an quality level of service. A factoring company that’s endured various business cycles demonstrates effectiveness. However If in doubt, ask the factoring company you’re talking to for bank references or information about their financial shape. Most of all, ask your factoring company for client testimonials if possible customers that are in your industry.

Does the factoring company have a specialist in your industry?
You most likely are searching for a factoring company that knows your industry. Industry specialists are extremely vital. If you happen to run a staffing company, you should seek out a factoring company with staffing specialists. For instance a staffing factoring company will be familiar with your regulations and payroll needs and provide unique services such as payroll checks, payroll deposits, payroll reporting, payroll software, invoicing and invoice mailing. since, a staffing factoring company will certainly have their own first hand experience in dealing with hundreds of other staffing companies. If a staffing factoring company already knows your customers, you will save money because you will not need to spend money on credit reports.

Is the factoring company the best size for your company?
Perhaps you may be interested in a large or small factoring company, based upon your philosophy. Your best bet could be a factoring company that is somewhere in between small enough to provide personalised service and the means to access top management, then again large enough to deliver financial stability, the capacity to accommodate your needs, as well as the skill to survive challenging economic times.

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