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How to Establish Business Credit with a Reporting Bank Loan

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Establish Business Credit with Bank LoanEstablish Business Credit with a Bank Loan

 

When you build business credit nothing looks more powerful on your business credit file than a business loan. The reason behind this is because lenders and creditors know how difficult it can be and the level of scrutiny your business undergoes in order to get a bank loan approval.

While the majority banks are declining loan applications you’re probably wondering how you can possibly get approved for a business loan.

Well I have good news for you because there is a sure fire way to establish business credit with a reporting bank loan even if you are Startup Company with less than perfect credit.

So what is this sure fire bank loan strategy?

It’s called the CD secured bank loan and provides a powerful way to establish corporate credit and bank credit for your business.

So how does it work?

Basically you are securing a loan with a certificate of deposit at the bank willing to offer this type of business loan. You make a deposit into a CD account at a bank that’s SBA approved and your business loan will match 100% of the value of the CD.

When you apply for these loans make sure the exact name of your company is on the application along with your Federal Tax ID. Banks will report your payment history on this loan to Small Business Equifax and Corporate Experian.

Now keep in mind not all banks offer these types of loans and the ones that do will require a minimum loan amount which is typically $5,000. When you have a bank loan that reports on your business credit files you can establish business credit scores and profiles that will enable your business to obtain the cash financing it needs.

Not too long ago I covered how to build a strong business credit file by having the right blend of credit. By adding a reporting bank loan along with vendor credit lines and revolving credit you can imagine how this will look in the eyes of lenders and creditors when they view your file.

Adding a bank loan on your file also helps categorize your file with other businesses with bank loans as well. This will help when creditors and lenders purchase lists from the business credit bureaus for marketing pre solicited credit offers.

This strategy works as long as your personal credit scores are in the mid 600 range. If your scores are low then you may want to consider speaking with a local banker or even use the transfer of ownership strategy.

Once you secure the $5,000 or more you can always deposit the money from the loan and use it exclusively to re-pay itself. Remember your money is in a CD earning interest so it’s best to keep making your loan payments for at least 12 months before paying it in full. If you pay your loan off in a couple of months you will not build enough payment history with the bank and your credit file.

This strategy will help your business establish corporate credit and qualify for offers like pre approved no pg business credit cards.

To access banking contacts that provide CD secured loans consider joining my Business Credit Insiders Circle and add a bank loan to your business credit file today!

To access business credit insider secrets, premium vendors, leasing companies, business credit cards, and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus become a member of my Business Credit Insiders Circle. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) =>

 

Marco CarbajoMarco Carbajo is a business credit specialist, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle. He is a weekly columnist for Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions, a business credit blogger for All Business & American Express Small Business and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in Business Week, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Tribune, Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.  

Experian Triple Score Business Report Product Review

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Experian Triple Score Business Report

 

sp_image-443351261-1243480836.gifIn a press release today Experian makes a strategic move by announcing the industry’s first online triple score business report available from three business credit bureaus in a single report. 

It’s no surprise that Experian is utilizing the first mover’s advantage by offering a service like this for business owners which is similar to the tri-merge credit score reports that consumers have been able to purchase for years.

While the scores in the triple score business report are provided in a simple letter graded format from A through E with A being the lowest possible risk to E being the highest risk the report itself provides more of a broad assessment rather than a detailed one.

For example, the D&B score provided in the Triple Score Business Report by Experian is not your actual paydex score but rather a predictive score which measures the risk of severe delinquency over the next 12 months. 

Another letter graded score in the report is based on the Oxxford Business Report which derives its information and risk assessment from broader issues and data but not from the business itself.  Instead it reviews the industry risk, classification, and the potential for a business like yours to have delinquent payments within the next couple of years.

While I can appreciate the idea of making it easier for business owners and creditors alike to review business credit scores in a single and easy to read format I would like to have seen the triple score business report include Small Business Equifax plus the actual scores rather than Experian’s letter graded system.

To take it a step further what I think would take the business credit reporting industry to another level would be introducing a tri merged business credit report with scores from all three major business credit bureaus – Corporate Experian, Equifax Small Business and Dun & Bradstreet.

Now that would be a report that business credit lenders and banks would take advantage of. This would also open up much more opportunities for businesses to obtain financing based on their company’s creditworthiness rather than their personal credit scores.

Today, lenders have limited access to tools that provide a complete overall risk assessment for a business. Instead they pull a single business credit report for the company and pull a merged file report with scores on the business owner.

Unfortunately business lending decisions are driven more by consumer credit reports than business reports which should not be the case.

Doesn’t it make sense that if lenders look to extend credit to you as a consumer they pull a tri merged credit report with all three scores to assess the risk. Why don’t lenders have the same type of tri merged reports and scores to assess the creditworthiness of a business?

While Experian is first to move into the right direction with its triple credit score business report I think it needs to go back to the drawing board and introduce a tri merged business credit report with actual scores from the three main business credit bureaus.

The Triple Score Business Report is available for $29.95 and you can also order a complete Experian smart business report for $49.95.

To your Business Credit Success!

To access business credit insider secrets, premium vendors, leasing companies, business credit cards with no pg, and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus become a member of my Business Credit Insiders Circle. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) =>

 

sp_image-435950341-1242740704.pjpegMarco Carbajo is a business credit specialist, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle. He is a corporate credit blogger for All Business.com, a subsidiary of Dun and Bradstreet and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in American Express Small Business, Business Week, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Tribune, Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.  

No Personal Guarantee Business Credit Cards

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No Personal Guarantee Business Credit Cards

No Personal Guarantee Business Credit Cards

 

Are you searching for no personal guarantee business credit cards?  Let me be the first one to tell you that the credit card issuers for these types of cards do not advertise! Only the most creditworthy small businesses qualify and receive a pre approval invitation.

Some credit cards like the Sam’s Club Discover Business account will waive a personal guarantee if your company has less than $5 million in annual sales or revenues or is less than 2 years old or has fewer than 10 employees.

Now if you’re designated as a sole proprietorship or partnership then you automatically disqualify and must provide a personal guarantee for this card. That should give you all the more reason to incorporate your business.

Keep in mind there are high limit business credit cards that will report only to your business credit reports. After establishing a positive record with these issuers you can apply for a second round of funding without supplying a personal guarantee depending on the issuer. But let me remind you that regardless of what you’ve read or heard it takes much more than simply generating a paydex score to qualify for these cards let alone be invited to apply.

Recently I shared with you the top 10 biggest myths surrounding business credit and the 80 paydex score was ranked #1.

The reason for this was that an 80 paydex score with Dun & Bradstreet is said to be like having a 720 personal credit score. While that may have some truth to it there are some key details that get left out. For example, you can have four positive trade lines reporting with only $200 being the highest credit limit on all four accounts and still generate an 80 paydex score.

This is because Dun & Bradstreet’s rating system requires only four positive trade references but if the four you have are small limits then this hardly qualifies your business as creditworthy in the eyes of these exclusive credit card issuers.

Business Credit Blog » Business Credit » No Personal Guarantee Business Credit Cards – business credit cards without a personal guarantee

As result of this misinformation it’s easy to get frustrated and just throw up your hands and say there is no such thing as business credit cards without a personal guarantee. Wrong!

While the Sam’s Club Discover Business card is just one example not a personal recommendation, I want you to see firsthand that these types of cards do exist.

It’s not locating the cards that are difficult when you have access to the right source; like my Business Credit Insiders Circle.  We provide these no personal guarantee business credit cards to our members in our business credit builder system.

The problem lies in getting business owners to understand what it takes to qualify. The other day I received an email from a business owner boasting about his 80 paydex score asking for a list of my no pg business credit cards. The first thing I asked was what types of credit has he established in the company’s name and what was the highest limits being reported.

It was no surprise to hear that he was only listed with Dun & Bradstreet and had 5 positive trade lines with the highest credit limit of $2,500. He was definitely not in a position to apply for a no pg card and it was apparent to me that he read from another source that all you need is a strong paydex score.

This brings me to another point in qualifying for business credit cards without a personal guarantee.  Having only a Dun & Bradstreet file is like having only one personal credit file with the credit reporting agencies. Let’s say all you have is a personal credit file with Equifax but have no file with Transunion or Experian. You would never be able to get approved for a mortgage because you don’t have a complete financial picture for lenders to review your creditworthiness.

Same thing applies to business credit lenders and credit card issuers. You can qualify for a business credit card with no personal guarantee but to be considered a credit worthy business you must establish a strong credit file with the three main business credit bureaus. This includes a good blend of credit like vendor credit lines, a business loan, lease credit and revolving credit.

Do you have the best small business credit cards for building a creditworthy company while protecting your personal credit?

Looking to obtain no personal guarantee business credit cards? Become a member of my Business Credit Insiders Circle and gain access to a proven step-by-step business credit building system. A system that provides you access to vendor lines of credit, fleet cards, business credit cards with and without a PG, funding sources and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) => =>

To Your Success In Business and in Life!

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About the author

Marco CarbajoMarco Carbajo is a business credit expert, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle. He is a business credit blogger for Dun and Bradstreet Credibility Corp, the SBA.gov Community, About.com and All Business.com. His articles and blog; Business Credit Blogger.com,  have been featured in ‘Fox Small Business’,’American Express Small Business’, ‘Business Week’, ‘The Washington Post’, ‘The New York Times’, ‘The San Francisco Tribune’,‘Alltop’, and ‘Entrepreneur Connect’.

How Instant Approval Business Credit Cards Compete for Business

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Instant Approval Business Credit CardsInstant Approval Business Credit Cards

The surge in applications for instant approval business credit cards has caused a dramatic increase in credit card usage among small business owners according to the 2009 Small Business Credit Card Survey.

Since April, the top TARP recipients cut their small business loan balances by $8 billion dollars. While traditional loans have dried up and small business credit lines get cut, banks have decided to funnel more of their small business lending with business credit cards.

Even though some leading credit card companies like Advanta left the card business entirely it’s refreshing to see that banks like J.P. Morgan Chase card services launched four more credit cards specifically targeted at small-business owners.

As these instant approval credit card offers enter the market to compete for your business it’s important for you to consider all the business credit card options and compare the costs to the benefits before you apply.

Here are just a few to take into consideration:

  • Cash Back – Many business credit cards now offer cash back rewards. For example Chase’s new InkSM Cash has unlimited cash back and accelerated earnings on its card. This is a great perk because it rewards you for spending on everyday business purchases that you do already. Make sure you understand what the card’s limitations are and read the fine print before you apply.
  • Frequent Flyer Mileage – Getting frequent flyer or airline miles cards is a very popular perk for business travelers. Once you accumulate enough points you can redeem them for airline discounts or free nights at participating hotels. Make sure you know if there are any limitations prior to applying.
  • No Annual Fees – Many business credit cards now waive the annual credit card fees. Keep in mind that your credit score needs to be strong to get these credit cards. However, if your business pays its balance in full every month then this is definitely the way to go if you can. In effect, if you pay your balances, you get the credit card for free.
  • Zero Percent Balance Transfers – This can help you reduce your high interest debt. Be sure to never miss a payment or you’ll immediately lose your interest free terms and have to pay the full rate.
  • Payment Reporting – Traditionally, the majority of the easy approval business credit cards in the marketplace report your payment history and revolving debt to your personal credit files and not to the business credit bureaus.

However, some companies have started to catch on to the new world of business credit cards like JP Morgan Chase and American Express. They understand that business credit cards are for business purchases and any debt incurred should only report to business credit reports not your personal one. These unsecured business lines of credit shelter your personal credit for personal necessities such as auto loans, mortgages, student loans, and personal credit cards.

When you apply for instant approval credit card offers they check your personal credit report, but your payment history and debt report to the business credit bureaus. This is what every small business owner like you should demand from a business credit card.

One important catch is if your accounts become delinquent then these leading credit card companies will report the delinquency to your consumer credit bureaus as well.

Finally, keeping liability strictly tied to your business can be accomplished with no personal guarantee business credit cards. There are less than forty of these types of cards available and you will need to have a strong business credit file in order to qualify.

With the growth in business credit bureaus, data suppliers, and business credit files across the country more and more leading credit card companies will have to supply an ever growing demand of new business credit cards with high credit limits that will have to measure up to the needs of today’s small business owner.

I encourage you to choose credit cards that will best serve the needs of your business while supporting the growth of your business credit file and limiting personal liability.

Business Credit Resources

» Start Business Credit

» Business Credit Builder

» Business Credit Blog

Looking for business credit? Become a member of my Business Credit Insiders Circle and gain access to a proven step-by-step business credit building system. A system that provides you access to vendor lines of credit, fleet cards, business credit cards with and without a PG, funding sources and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free business credit building audio seminar ($597 value) =>

Marco Carbajo

Marco Carbajo is a business credit expert, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle. He is a business credit blogger for AllBusiness, a subsidiary of Dun and Bradstreet and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in the SBA Community, American Express Small Business, Business Week, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Tribune, Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.

How GMAC helps Small Business Owners Establish Business Credit

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Establish Business Credit GMAC

Establish Business Credit with GMAC

 

While there are many reasons to establish business credit many small business owners overlook the advantages of financing their autos with corporate credit. The key is keeping all your business related expenses and obligations separate from your personal credit files.

This includes minimizing the use of personal credit checks and personal guarantees to get business credit.  Are your business debts reporting on your personal credit files? Does your auto loan or lease for your company report to your personal credit files?

The good news is there are companies like GMAC that understand the importance of keeping personal obligations separate from your business debts.  More importantly one program it offers reports your payments to your business credit report and not your personal credit files.

Third Party Guaranty by GMAC

This program was specifically designed for business owners to keep their automotive financing separate from personal credit. It even allows you to keep your personal name off of the vehicle contract and title.  Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Now you may have to provide the additional financial backing that GMAC requires like a personal guaranty if your established corporate credit cannot support the loan or lease. 

Here’s a quick rundown of the benefits:

  • Build credit in your business name only.
  • Your vehicle purchase or lease will not be reported on your personal credit reports, unless your business defaults.
  • Added protection from liability, since your name remains off of the vehicle’s title and contract.
  • Personal privacy since you are only personally contacted in the event of default

Now to take it a step further suppose your business needs to purchase multiple vehicles. GMAC also has a program called the GMAC Commercial Line of Credit.

The best part of this program is your business can provide the financial data it needs to establish a business line of credit with GMAC one time rather than provide the same information for each vehicle purchase. This is extremely convenient especially if you have to purchase or lease multiple vehicles at different times and at different dealerships.

Think about the positive impact this will have on your personal debt-to-income ratios if suddenly your future auto loans or leases stop reporting on your personal credit reports and now report to the business credit bureaus.

There are also several other major automotive companies like GMAC that offer vehicle financing programs designed to establish business credit while protecting your personal credit files. We offer these and many other credit sources to members of my Business Credit Insiders Circle.

Take advantage of all the benefits that major corporations have been utilizing for years.

To your business credit success!

 

Business Credit Resources

» Start Business Credit

» Business Credit Builder

» Business Credit Blog

To access business credit insider secrets, corporate fleet suppliers, premium vendors, leasing companies, business credit cards, and lenders that report to all the major business credit bureaus become a member of my Business Credit Insiders Circle. Submit your name and email below for details and receive a free audio seminar ($597 value) =>

 

Marco CarbajoMarco Carbajo is a business credit specialist, author, speaker, and founder of the Business Credit Insiders Circle. He is a weekly columnist for Dun & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions, a business credit blogger for All Business & American Express Small Business and author of “Eight Steps to Ultimate Business Credit” and “How to Build Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee.” His articles and blogs have also been featured in Business Week, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Tribune, Scotsman Guide, Alltop, Entrepreneur Connect, and Active Rain.  

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