Term loans are useful for small businesses, as it provides an extra boost of cash in return for some borrowing terms, which the borrower needs to comply with. If you have a small business and a good credit score, then you will be able to get term loans easily.
Term loans mostly include short term loans and long term loans. According to Investopedia,
“In exchange for a specified amount of cash, the borrower agrees to a certain repayment schedule with a fixed or floating interest rate. Term loans may require substantial down payments to reduce the payment amounts and the total cost of the loan.”
In this article, we will mainly discuss short term loans for bad credit. Apart from that, we will also inform you of the benefits you can avail of by taking term loans. Furthermore, you will also get to know about the ways to get a term loan for your small business from a financial institution.
What Are Short Term Loans?
In most cases, businesses borrow term loans to purchase fixed assets like a new building or business equipment like pieces of machinery, etc. With term loans, as a borrower, you will need to agree to pay the lender (bank or any other financial institution) a fixed amount within a particular period of time, in addition to an Interest rate. The interest rate can either be a floating interest rate, or a fixed interest rate, depending on the lender.
In comparison to other types of loans, term loans come with more flexibility. Apart from that, most business owners like these types of loans since they have lower interest rates. Additionally, it is interesting to note that term loans that are short term and intermediate require balloon payments, while long-term loans are available for fixed payments.
As discussed before, term loans are most popular among small businesses. This is because small businesses are always on the look to grow their business as well as the production process. Hence, they require term loans for buying equipment, purchasing a new building, or investing in fixed assets.
Hence, many banks and other financial institutions create various programs to offer term loans to small businesses and startups to help them grow their business. In return, these banks and other financial institutions also benefit through the interests.
According to Investopedia,
“Business owners apply for term loans the same way they would any other credit facility—by approaching their lender. They must provide statements and other financial evidence demonstrating their creditworthiness.”
Once you get the approval for availing of loans, it will become easy for you to borrow the loan.
In most cases, term loans are available at variable interest rates in addition to a set maturity date. To reduce the situation of being a loan defaulter, borrowers need to keep collateral, as well as proof. In some cases, many lenders ask for down payments before the loan is advanced.
Types Of Term Loans Available
Banks and financial institutions mostly classify loans into two different categories – short/intermediate-term loans and long term loans. The major difference between these two is that you can get short and intermediate loans for three-year terms, while long-term loans can go up to 10 to 20 years. In the case of long-term loans, the collateral and approval processes are quite high.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Term Loans
Every type of loan has its upsides and downsides. However, in this section, we will consider only term loans. There are many advantages associated with term loans. According to Enterpreneur.com,
“Term loans are often the best option for established small businesses. If your financial statements are sound and you’re willing to make a substantial down payment, you can receive financing with minimal monthly payments and total loan costs.”
If you are looking for term loans for purposes like construction, large capital investments, capital improvements, and other factors like purchasing machinery, assets, and other businesses, then you must go for term loans.
On the downside, term loans also come with different disadvantages, which can be quite frustrating for businesses. This is because the approval process is difficult, and the required collateral is high. Banks do this mostly to reduce the chances of risk and also minimize the associated costs.
On Entrepreneur.com, experts thus recommend,
“Before deciding to finance equipment, borrowers should be sure they can make full use of ownership-related benefits, such as depreciation, and should compare the cost with that leasing.”
How To Get Term Loans For Your Business?
If you want to avail yourself of term loans in the US, you must consider visiting large banks. Apart from that, you can also get term loans from local banks in your community. Small banks mostly focus on lending for business, and you will have more freedom to get the loan. Furthermore, the probability of approval for term loans is also high with small banks.
However, banks also look at the degree of your financial strength before approving your loan. Moreover, they also analyze the associated risks with lending and the probability of getting back the amount along with the rate of interest.
However, with proper documentation, you will also need to prove that you will be able to pay back the term loan that you are getting for your business. These loans are also called 7(a) loans. According to US Small Business Administration,
“When you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to gather the appropriate documents. Start the process by working with your local lender within SBA guidelines.”
Here are the things you need:
⦿ Borrower information form
⦿ Financial Statements
⦿ Profit and loss statements
⦿ Projected financial statements
⦿ Ownership and affiliations
⦿ Certificate and business license
⦿ Loan application history
⦿ Income tax returns
⦿ Resumes
⦿ Business history and overview
⦿ Business lease.
Summing Up
With the aforementioned proofs, you will be able to get term loans for yourself. Hope this guide was helpful for you in getting an idea of term loans, their advantages, and how to avail them for your business. Furthermore, if you are looking to avail yourself of short-term loans online, you can check out the information that banks provide on their website.
Have A Look :-
