Tag: Asset-Based Finance (page 3 of 13)

Farmers – Are You Exploiting This Tax Allowance?

8th February 2019 / admin / Comments Off

It may not be all good news for farmers this year but there is one particular piece of news that every farmer should be aware of and that relates to an opportunity to take advantage of machine purchases with the help of the government.

Farm machinery is often a major purchase with tractors alone costing in excess of £100,000 so if these savings can be offset it has to be good news. Fortunately, the government stepped in to help farmers with a change to the Annual Investment Allowance that will go a long way towards helping farm businesses make some big investments in farm machinery.

The fact that the move isn’t permanent should alert farmers to take advantage before 2021. The AIA threshold was £200,000 in 2018 and this has temporarily risen to £1million for the next 2 years.

With a lot of uncertainty at present and for the future of some farms in the UK this allowance could make a difference. Specialist finance could help ease costs further for farm businesses and enable more investment to improve efficiency and explore new opportunities for farm business development in the future.

If you would like to find out more about farm finance contact one of our advisors today who will be able to help.

How To Avoid The Business Funding Post Code Lottery

30th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

According to recent reports, where a small business is located can have a big impact on how likely it will receive funding. While some areas offer excellent prospects for funding others are virtually feeding of scraps according to statistics.

Figures from 2016 show that businesses that benefitted from the Bank Referral Scheme totalled only 900 out of the 19,000 that had been referred after failing to secure loans from high street lenders. Looking deeper into the stats just 75 of these companies was located in in the North West.

Looking at more recent figures from UK Finance, things haven’t changed much when it comes to loan approvals by UK region. All regions saw a year on year fall in loan approvals in the final quarter of 2017 apart from Wales which saw a 55% increase compared to 7.6% decline for England.

The statistics show banks still a have a long way to go before they have sufficient trust in lending to small businesses throughout the UK with the exception of Wales.

To get around this problem, businesses should consider alternative forms of business finance to support ambitious growth plans such as asset financing.

Are You Looking At The Right Asset Finance?

18th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

According to the latest figures release by the FLA new asset finance business grew 9% in October 2018 compared the previous year. Many businesses will be benefiting from the boost this will contribute towards business development and growth but if you are considering joining the growing number of businesses who benefit from asset finance it is important to ensure you select the right asset finance for your business.

Most business owners opt for asset finance when much like taking on any other type of business loan they require funding. For example, they may wish to lease an asset if they want to spread the cost over its lifetime. This avoids the pitfalls of rapid depreciation of assets.

Asset finance however comes in many forms including finance lease, hire purchase and it is important to compare these against other products such as commercial loans. While the benefits of asset finance are often clear it is worth consulting a qualified expert to discuss what is best for the business both in the short and long term.

You will find a wealth of information on the different options available on our website or you can give us a call and speak to one of our advisors to find out how asset finance can work for your business.

Asset Finance New Business Rises 9%

5th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

According to the most recent figures released by Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) new business in the asset finance sector increased by 9% year on year in the month of October. This indicates that Brexit uncertainty hasn’t put off firms looking to use asset finance to grow and develop their businesses.

With asset finance covering several sectors, some areas have shown even more spectacular growth than the overall figure suggests. Machinery finance for example showed growth of 16% compared to October 2017 while business equipment finance was up 29% which is nearly one third up. The commercial vehicle sector also saw an increase of 23%.

These figures represent a strong end to the 2018 which began with similarly positive increases in new business in the construction and agricultural asset finance sectors. The asset finance sector is on course for another record-breaking year which will come as welcome news as bank lending to business continues to show a decline in loan approvals across much of the UK.

Despite the good overall news, technology equipment finance saw a fall in new business which pushed the overall figure down. It will be interesting to see if growth in new asset finance business is maintained in 2019.

How AIA Can Help You Finance Your Equipment

4th January 2019 / admin / Comments Off

As we start the new year many of us will have plans to expand our business or perhaps look at new products and services. This may not be possible, however, without the extra costs involved in purchasing new equipment, new software and so on.

This extra cost burden can be off putting but if you take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) did you know that you can offset your investment in equipment and technology against tax?

Better still you can offset 100% of the investment against your taxable business income so not only do you get to improve your business operation and innovate, you can also reduce your tax burden at the same time. The allowance was also recently increased from £200k to £1million.

If you are planning to take advantage of the AIA this year you can use asset finance to spread the cost rather than invest all the cash in your business up front. This multiplies the benefit to your business.

The AIA was originally introduced in 2008 and the recent increase from £200k to £1million is designed to help stimulate investment in business at a time when it will be needed more than ever in the UK.

Why use an Asset Finance Company for Funding?

29th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

The asset finance market continues to grow as business owners wake up to the benefits this form of lending. So why should your business consider asset-based finance and what benefits can it offer over traditional forms of lending?

One of the major benefits of asset finance is that it not only provides finance for a business, it also helps fund the equipment needed to expand or improve productivity.

One of the major hurdles for owners of startups and small businesses is having enough finance to scale up their operations. Equipment is generally expensive and if this equipment is purchased it often takes vital funds away from other areas of the business.

Spreading the cost of this equipment using asset finance is business friendly because it allows assets to be used to generate income freeing up cash to be used in other areas of business development.

Asset finance is provided by specialist asset finance companies and the process is often fast and straightforward. While banks will be demanding in the amount of information, they need due to the risks involved with traditional lending, the risks with asset finance are lower reducing the time it takes to put the funds in place.

To summarise, asset finance companies offer an attractive alternative to traditional lending by using assets to free up and maintain cashflow allowing business owners to expand and improve their operations.

Is Your Start-up Prepared for A Loan?

20th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Starting a business from scratch is tough and the odds can be stacked against you if you don’t have enough investment capital to plough into the business at an early stage. Taking a loan, however, is also a major step which is why we have put together this guide to see if your startup is ready for a loan.

Do you have a business plan ready?
Having a business plan written down is a crucial step towards getting business finance. Lenders are going to want to see that you are serious about your business and a business plan indicates to them that you have took the time to develop your business and you have a clear pathway towards growing it.

Can you prove there is demand for your product or service?
Having a business idea and putting it into a plan is one thing but testing it out in the real market place is quite another. It will strengthen your case significantly if you can provide some data on real sales made and that your business idea works.

Finally, do you know what you need a loan for?
Applying for a business loan without any idea what it is for will almost certainly end in a failed application. Finance providers will be looking for some assurance over what the money will be used for.

Guide to the Benefits of Construction Finance

12th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

The construction industry is a varied and complex business particularly on large development projects where there will be a number of parties involved. From developers to builders and investors each will have a role to play before a project reaches completion and everyone can benefit from the return on investment. With this in mind here are some of the key considerations when seeking construction finance and how specialist finance for the sector can help.

Construction finance can save time
Getting a development project off the ground often requires investors to finance 75% of the development cost. This can delay projects while investors are sought to meet this cost. Construction finance brokers can help secure the best rates and find suitable lenders.

Construction finance can help meet upfront payments
Construction companies will normally demand upfront payments before starting work on a project. This means developers will need the funds to pay them. These funds will come from investors but often to make investments more attractive, payments are staged. Construction finance can help with construction costs and plug any gaps in funding.

Construction companies can overcome cashflow challenges
The main challenges for construction companies are paying for raw materials and their workers. If a project is late being delivered and payment terms include a lump sum payment on completion this can mean delays to the final payment putting the business at risk. Construction finance can help reduce this risk and cover upfront costs.

Farm and Agricultural Finance

5th December 2018 / admin / Comments Off

With the uncertainties surrounding Brexit Farming in the UK faces an equally uncertain future depending on any deal eventually reached with the EU. Whichever way the deal goes the farming industry will almost certainly lose out on EU subsidies and this will make funding an even more important consideration in the future. So how can specialist agricultural finance help?

Agricultural finance plugs the funding gap
Many traditional sources of farm finance disappeared following the financial crisis of 2008 putting farm businesses under increased pressure to find alternatives. Agricultural finance is an attractive alternative aimed specifically at the industry.

Agricultural finance can be secured against real assets
Farming and agricultural businesses will often possess more assets than other business types making them ideal for asset finance. Assets such as land and property gives farmers an opportunity to use these assets to save or invest in their businesses.

Agricultural finance loans offer flexibility
Today farmers often need to diversify to survive. Areas such as renewable energy can provide some potentially lucrative opportunities to generate extra revenue. Agricultural finance enables farmers to invest in these types of projects and minimise risks at the same time.
If you would like to find out more about agricultural finance contact us today to find out more.

Why Your Business Should Consider an Equipment Loan

28th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

All businesses need equipment and some will require more expensive equipment than others so how should you fund the purchase of that equipment?

The answer is an equipment loan. If you are wondering how you can turn equipment you haven’t purchased yet into a loan let’s fill you in on the details.

An equipment loan is normally based in the lifespan of the equipment you purchase so it is ideal for those major pieces of equipment you expect to be using for a long time.

The advantages of an equipment loan include the following:

The equipment is used as collateral for the loan so the risk is less than it would be for other types of loan. What is more you will be the owner of the equipment you are financing so you will build a certain amount of equity over time.
Rates are competitive and certain business types may find this type of loan preferable and less expensive than term loans or other far riskier forms of finance such as credit cards.

Disadvantages:

You may need to make a down payment on the equipment you are financing which could mean a higher upfront cost than alternative forms of finance.
You need to be sure the equipment won’t become obsolete before the term is up.

Types Of Business Finance You May Not Have Heard Of

20th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Your idea of business finance may be a trip to the bank to get a business loan and this is the route most SME business owners will go down. However, there are plenty of alternative sources of finance to explore including some of the following you may not be aware of.

Asset Finance
Asset finance is ideal for businesses that require expensive equipment but lack the funds to go and pay for all the equipment needed upfront. Asset finance can come in many forms from vehicle finance to finance on machinery. Asset finance is also flexible and can be arranged in the form of a lease or higher purchase (hp).

Invoice Financing
Did you know you can use your unpaid invoices to gain finance? You can use those invoices as collateral for loans or you can sell them to an invoice factoring company. This means you can get your hands-on cash in advance without having to wait for invoices to be paid. This is a great source of funding if you need cash in a hurry but with invoice financing you will still need to collect the invoice payments yourself.

Merchant cash advances
Another way to get your hands on some cash fast is to use a merchant cash advance. With this form of business finance, you receive a lump sum of cash up front and you won’t need to make a fixed payment each month. Finance can be paid back daily weekly or it can be paid out as a percentage of your sales from credit and debt cards. The downside is this type of finance can be more expensive than other options.

3 Reasons Why You Should Use A Commercial Finance Broker

12th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Business owners can often be afraid to look at alternative routes for their finance needs but there is a lot to be gained from using a commercial finance broker to get the best finance deals.

Here are 3 reasons why your business should consider using a finance broker

You can get access to better rates
You shop around for everything else so why not shop around for the best rates on finance? A commercial broker can often obtain special rates from lenders because they will generally have good long term relationships with them. They can also help with paperwork to ensure you give yourself the best chance of securing the finance you need.

They are experts
Commercial finance brokers that have the relevant qualifications and accreditations are experts in their field. Using experts in anything will save you time and sourcing the best finance products is no different.

Save Yourself Time
We are all growing accustomed to just going online and searching for deals for anything from shopping to houses but finance is different. The various products available could never fit on one price comparison website so it could take a huge amount of time for you to try to beat the rate your commercial finance broker can provide.

Why Should You Lease Rather Than Purchase…

7th November 2018 / admin / Comments Off

…Vehicles For Your Business?

There are many advantages to be gained from leasing using vehicle finance rather than purchasing a vehicle outright for your businesses. So it should come as no surprise that uptake continues to grow to the point where 300,000 cars were leased to UK companies according to statistics released last year (2017).

The two major attractions of financing rather than purchasing a vehicle include saving on the upfront cost and the ability to offset payments against tax. So while you may have enough cash in your business to purchase a van or a car, why would you when there are flexible ways to finance your vehicle and you can use that spare cash to fund and grow other areas of your business.

Vehicle finance like any other form of business finance works because you get to spend less cash which is ultimately what keeps a business afloat.

Vehicle finance can come in a variety of packages with the main ones being higher purchase agreements or business contract hire. The former is arranged on an agreed set monthly payment while the latter is an agreement to pay off the depreciation value of the vehicle.

Agreements can be arranged over a period that suits the business and its cash flow and the vehicle can either be sold at the end of the agreement or it can be transfer to your full ownership.

MCAs Explained

26th October 2018 / admin / Comments Off

You may have heard about a form of lending known as a Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) which is currently growing in popularity. So what is an MCA and how can it be used by a small business? Read on to find out…

MCA’s are potential solution for businesses that need to maintain cashflow and are often applied for when it hasn’t been possible to secure a business loan. This is the case for many small businesses that apply for loans each year.

In fact net lending to small businesses in the UK has fallen from £3 billion in 2016 to just £700 million in 2017 which marks a substantial fall. The difficulty of obtaining a business loan from a traditional lender is as problematic as ever but all is not lost with a growing range of alternative options available.

The MCA doesn’t require any collateral to secure or even a personal guarantee. The money owed is simply paid back via card transactions. This makes this type of loan most suited to businesses that use card terminals on a regular basis to collect payments such as restaurants and retailers.

An up front cost is paid to receive a cash advance and the remainder of the advance is paid off by having a small percentage pf each card payment being paid to the MCA provider.
This makes repayments more flexible because the percentage remains the same and the amount paid will fall accordingly if takings are down.

If you would like to find out more about alternative sources of finance for your business contact us today.

Is It Possible to Get a Business Loan with Bad Credit?

20th October 2018 / admin / Comments Off

Often one of the biggest barriers to small business and start up founders getting a business loan is a poor credit rating. So, if you have been turned down for a loan because you have bad credit let’s look into ways it may be possible to gain funding for your business even if you have a bad credit rating.

Find out why you have a bad credit record
Review your credit score online and find out what may be causing the problem. A poor credit score can come as a surprise and the first thing you know about it is when you are refused a loan. Sometimes the cause can be rectified if for example there are some discrepancies in addresses, your name isn’t on the electoral roll or if you have missed credit card payments.

Research lenders willing to provide loans to people with below average credit scores
Some lenders will consider business owners with below average credit scores so it is worth doing some research to find them. If your credit score is below 500 this can start to make life difficult and lenders willing to take the risk on you will become harder to find the lower your score is.

Look to alternative sources of finance that won’t require a good credit score
You may find there are plenty of alternatives available when it comes to finding funding for your business. Friends and family might be one avenue if they are understanding and supportive or asset finance could be an option.

Work to improve your credit score
Your credit score isn’t set in stone and it can improve significantly if you pay all your bills on time and avoid running up debts. Taking out smaller loans and using a credit can actually help improve your rating if you are sensible about making more than the recommended monthly repayments.