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To add to the capital of their business ventures, many investors are applying for financial loans to make it possible. Unsecured business line of credit is readily offered by lenders, if you are able to pass their requirements.

Unsecured business lines of credit, financial loans usually offered by big-time lenders like banks, is a credit line which does not involve any collateral. This is quite favorable for individuals who have no plans to put their assets and investments at risk in case something goes wrong; as with most cases with secured loans where many lenders asks you to pledge a security in the form of residential or commercial properties, equipments, or other assets with the same value as with the borrowed amount.

This kind of financial aid is quite risky to lenders since they don’t have any security if the borrower fails to pay for it - a reason for their stricter application requirements and being accepted for one is almost near to impossible. Here are some steps to get your started on a successful application of an unsecured business credit line:

1. State Your Business

First off, you need to establish an independent business existence for the venture. Your business must be registered as an LLC or a corporation with at least 2 years of successful operation. The reason why lenders prefer the operation time of 2 or more years is because of the risk of bankruptcy attributed to new small business ventures.

Also, you need to include a proper address of your business, and not a P.O. Box address (which is unacceptable for financial loans). An open communication line like landline and fax numbers registered under the name of your enterprise is needed as well.

All legal documents about your business should be at the ready. This includes permits, licenses, contracts, tax documents, and financial statements like balance sheets, income statements, and so on.

Some financial institutions might request personal information such as driver’s license, verification of personal and business-related bank accounts, personal income statements, and tax returns. Be sure to have these at the ready when the lender requests for them.

2. Register Your Venture To The Proper Agencies

You need to have a credit profile first before you actually apply for a loan. There are plenty of agencies that offer such services such as Dun and Bradstreet. Credit agencies are also a requirement, since they can keep tabs on your credit scores and rate them to be used with financial institutions when you apply for an unsecured business line of credit.

Also you need to have a Paydex registered under the name of your business venture. A Paydex provides reports to credit agencies, financial institutions, banks, and other lenders regarding payment records of certain companies or business enterprises. The Paydex score is from 0 to 100, where 0 being the lowest. The bigger the score you have, the more easily you can get any financial loans you wish.

3. Presenting Your Application

Aside from the requirements above, you need to have a decent proposal at the ready regarding your unsecured business line of credit. You need to state in detail why you need the amount, and where you plan to use it. This is also very important in establishing your credit scores as well. In truth, the lender is putting you in trust of the borrowed money, and is expecting you to use it wisely, and to make prompt payments according to your agreement.

The importance of maintaining credit in a good standing must be known by every business owner. Through a sufficient credit line, a business is given more flexibility in acquiring the necessary funds it requires. As the business continuous to grow, a bigger credit line is necessary. There are two financing alternatives accessible that the business owner needs to consider – the small business credit cards and the unsecured business line of credit.

The Small Business Credit Cards

One of the two ways that can help the business obtain the financial resources it requires is through the small business credit cards; it is also one of the most common tools used in business financing. Small business credit cards can be ideal for new entrepreneurs since they are easier to obtain and some even offer flexible options for a business. Additionally, there are suppliers that accept payments through the use of small business credit cards. This would enable small business to be at par with other business and maintain the stocks with the materials needed for its production

However, small business credit cards also have disadvantages. Such cons may exist in the requirement of guaranteeing the card by newly formed businesses. This is a common requirement for some credit card companies. And so, the credit card will appear on the company owners’ personal reports on credit.

As you review your business credit card, you should ask the credit card company if this will be reported under the business name or your name personally. However, there are several issuers that are open to putting it in the business name only if the owner has a good personal credit.

The Unsecured Line of Credit

For larger expenses, the unsecured line of credit is a more appropriate financial resource. The unsecured line of credit can also offer the same flexibility of a small business credit card but with a lower interest rate and a relatively bigger credit limit.

There are several creditors who offer secured line of credit but with lower interest rates. You would also need to use some kind of collateral as a protection against your debts. Through the use of an unsecured line of credit, the possibilities in relation with tolerating your assets to be utilized for security are shunned.

As compared to the application for a business loan, acquiring an unsecured line of credit is easier. On the other hand, in order for the unsecured line of credit to be approved, the company is still required to be able to present an excellent status in their business credit.

Maintaining and Building a Business Credit

If you are looking for a method to fund your business, it is important to consider if you will qualify for an unsecured line of credit. However, the business credit score should be reviewed and must be enough to acquire such credit. Fortunately, it is never too late to improve your score and doing the correct actions early, such as opening a business credit card account in the business name only would help you to see improvements on your score.

Building a good business credit is always emphasized whenever applying for a business funding. From the time you launch your business, it is important to make it your goal to establish your business credit and keep it in a good standing.

When the time comes that you will need financing, you will easily qualify for an unsecured line of credit.

The market for distributing credit lines for businesses nowadays has grown. After all, most entrepreneurs know that owning a sufficient credit line can give a business a lot of advantages. The bigger the company gets, the more useful a credit line becomes.

For anyone trying to put up a business, choosing which financing option is best can get a little intimidating especially since credit lines available for businesses come in different varieties. Two of the most commonly compared forms available for business credit are the small business credit cards and unsecured business line of credit. Knowing the difference between the two and which is best for the nature of your business can greatly help you in your decision.

Small Business Credit Cards

A small business credit card is basically a credit line catered especially for companies who are just starting out. This type of resource offers a lot of flexible options for businesses, which may include discounts and other penny-pinching benefits that could greatly assist companies especially new ones.

These are also quite easy to get, and a lot of suppliers in the market today readily accept payments done through these business credits. And so, if you are trying to start a new business and you still do not have much of resources or the long credit history, then this type of credit line would be ideal for your company’s use.

On the contrary, as ideal as this type of financial resource may be, it does have its setbacks. And if you are not careful enough with your credit usage, you might end up damaging your business as well as your personal credit score. The thing about most credit card companies offering small business credits is that they would require a personal-liability agreement for the business owner to certify.

And so, your company’s credit report may appear in your personal score even if no expenses were done for your private use. On the other hand, there are lenders who do not necessarily comply with this contract, so if you are afraid to risk your personal credit score, then looking for credit cards that do not require personal-liability is highly suggested.

Unsecured Line of Credit

As your company grows, having a bigger credit line would certainly prove to be more practical. For companies that have large expenses or need to purchase goods at bigger bulks, then having an unsecured line of credit can offer your business much more flexibility. This particular financing resource can give the same services as small business credit cards, but with much lower rates of interests and a higher credit limit. And unlike secure credit cards, no collateral is needed to secure your debts.

But, then, your company is required to have an excellent business credit history in order to be given an unsecured credit line. And if you are still starting out, most lenders will probably not recognize your personal credit score. If your company is interested in acquiring this credit line, then you must first build up your business credit. This type of credit resource is usually best for companies that have already established themselves, and may not be the best option for those just starting out.

Choosing a credit line for your company is just the initial step. Pick out which financial resource can best suit your company’s needs at the moment and make sure to build a very good credit score to enjoy all the financial aids and benefits that your business may need from lenders.

As long as you are smart with credit usage and pay dues on time, then it is best for you to take advantage of what these credit cards have to offer you. Business credit lines will surely play a major role in the success and growth of your business.

At some point in time, the reality with most businesses is that fluctuation periods would eventually come and such companies will have to face problems regarding their cash flow. A company may experience a financial crisis wherein more cash may be going out than entering as profit.

It is very important for any enterprise to never run out of funds, especially if the life of the business is dependent on being able to make large purchases of goods for production. In such dilemmas that many business owners are either facing or are at risk to face in the future, having an unsecured business line of credit could make all the difference.

What Is An Unsecured Business Line of Credit and How Does It Help?

An unsecured credit line for your business is a type of financing resource that can provide your company with the money that it needs without requiring collateral. Having such a credit line for your company can be of great benefit, especially when faced with problems on cash flow. This can provide you with the temporary funds that your company may need for operations to continue.

This is extremely vital especially when funds are simply either lacking or not available but your business is greatly dependent on making purchases for production and profit to come in. Aside from that, this type of credit line can also be beneficial for commercial use in such a way that it involves fewer risks for your part as the business owner as no collateral is involved. This means that you do not necessarily have to gamble your company’s other available resources.

Most lenders offering this credit line can also charge less interest and even a bigger credit limit as compared to other sources of finance. Assuring that your company has an unsecured line of credit will be a big step of precautionary on your part to keep your company afloat, even when faced with financial crises.

What Should I Consider Before Applying For An Unsecured Credit Line?

What you should know about trying to secure such a credit line is that it may not be as easy as you want it to be or that it may not come right at an instant. In applying for unsecured credit lines, lenders would usually take the extra step of checking on your company’s credit history. This is necessary for them to do, as they are risking more by providing you with finances without the collateral.

And, thus, before you can be approved for an unsecured line, make sure that your company has maintained a favorable credit score. These lenders are interested to find out if whether your company is capable of making the right payments and purchases for both your parties to gain good income.

In running your own company, sometimes being prepared for possible problems can surely play a big role in helping you ride the tides of business. For sharp entrepreneurs, even when there is no immediate need for the extra funds, having an unsecured credit account at hand will be a good cautionary tool for anything that could possibly go wrong with the business.

After all, you can never know exactly when your company might experience cash flow problems. But knowing that you have back up when funds become unexpectedly tight through unsecured business lines of credit, will surely set a whole lot of difference for your business to step up the ladder.

Having a bad credit record can surely become a hindrance in establishing your business. Most likely, you will have difficulty in trying to persuade lenders to give you a credit account, which can be very significant for your company. Without a credit account for back up, you are placing your company at a very huge threat of running out of financial resources and even a possible pause in its operations.

But because your credit score may not be very constructive to your reputation, you may have very limited options –either you get an unsecured bad debt credit card or a secured credit card. In this article, let us know the difference between these two credit cards and how they can help your business, especially if you have bad credit.

The Difference Between a Secured and an Unsecured Credit Card

A secured credit card would basically require you to have a security deposit in the bank before you can use it. This amount of deposited money will be your guarantee of payment to your lender. Most secured credit cards though, hold credit limits amounting to a percentage of the balance that you have in your account so if your business may need to make large purchases that your balance cannot afford, then this may slow things down.

On the other hand, an unsecured credit card allows you to make purchases even without the collateral. But such a lose set-up may also charge high rates of interest and may have stricter penalty agreements for late payments as compared to that of a secured account. Despite this, a lot of people still prefer this type of account, as it seems to offer more flexibility and freedom to its users.

However, in cases mentioned above wherein you have a huge debt or a bad credit record, the chances are that signing up for an unsecured account might be too risky. After all, if you are not well disciplined in using your credit card, you might just end up adding more and more to your already escalating debt.

How Do I Choose Which Is Best For My Business?

Because of the fact that both types of credit cards have good and bad characteristics, the key to choosing which would be best in your situation is to consider the potential of your company to make the right payments as well as its needs. Bear in mind that you have already started off with an unfavorable credit score. So be sure that if you sign up for an unsecured credit card account, your business is making enough profit to put up timely payments to the lenders. Otherwise, the high interest rates will just further sink your business into bad debt.

Also, unsecured credit cards are only best used if the type of business that you have is really in need of a more flexible system of borrowing finances, such as that of manufacturing companies that need to purchase large quantities of materials in order to have production.

In such cases, unsecured credits are reasonable for use. But still, if you are just running a small business and fearful of possibly worsening your already damaged credit score, then opting for a secured credit account will be a much safer bet. With this, you can forego with possibly drowning yourself in escalating rates of interest that your company might not be able to cope up.

If you have bad credit, the choice for which credit card would be best for you will basically depend on your business. If your business has high demands for large purchases and if you as the business owner can make sure that you can most probably make your payments on time, then there is nothing wrong with getting an unsecured account.

But if your company does not always need to make huge purchases anyway and you want to be sure in improving your credit score by avoiding late payments and huge debts, a secured business credit card is highly advisable.

No matter which you choose, always remember that you can only improve your bad credit and pave way to the growth of your business if you handle your finances and credits well.