Growing Faster Than Your Cash Flow? Let Factoring Fund Your Next Expansion!

Why wait weeks or months to get paid by your clients when you can access your money in a matter of days by factoring your invoices. When a business factors their invoices, they are allowing a third party to purchase their invoices at a discount price. This discount is considered the third partys fee.

If your business receives orders from customers on a regular basis, but has to wait 30, 60, or even 90 days for payment, you maybe experiencing a crunch in your cash flow. Factoring gives you the opportunity to access your cash within days not weeks or months. The growth of your company depends on whether or not you have the working capital necessary to finance your expansion.

When a factor purchases a companys invoice or invoices, no interest is ever charged. This is because factoring is considered an outright purchase. When a company sells their invoices to a factor, they can expect to receive an advance up to 90% or more of their accounts receivable. The business gets this money immediately and the factor makes a fee for this service, turning the transaction into a win-win situation for both parties.

Factoring is no longer a business tool used by the large Fortune 500 Companies. Small to midsize businesses are receiving tremendous benefits by implementing factoring as part of their financial strategies. If your business is growing at a faster rate than your cash flow, maybe its time to explore an alternative solution such as accounts receivable funding.

Marty Milan works with businesses to help them generate a continuous stream of cash flow without the occurrence of debt. In addition to accounts receivable funding, you can read on various topics such as lawsuit funding, structured settlements, selling your private mortgage notes and more at: www.cashflowaccess.com. Email at cashflowaccess@aol.com.

Other articles include: To Factor or Not to Factor?

Factoring Financial Services - The Basics

There are several aspects of an existing business that are taken into consideration when getting approved for factoring financial services. The information that is required from any factoring financial servicing company will revolve around average invoice size. This is a huge contributing factor as well as whether the invoices are domestic or international. This means that the company seeking factoring services sells their service or goods outside the boundaries of the home country. The payment terms that were implemented for the invoices will also be considered in assessing the risk factor. The final aspect that any factoring financial services company will consider is the credit worthiness of the clientele base. All of these points together will give the company the opportunity to assess the risk associated with financing the invoices for any existing business.

There are basically two different types applications that are applied by factoring services companies. These are called the discount method and the prime plus method. Many companies use both of these methods of determining the cost that is charged to the client. Each financial situation is unique and most factoring financial services companies accommodate each business client according to their specific situation. With that said, in terms of very general speak, the prime plus method is usually the choice that produces lower rates than the discount method. This is an incredibly important step when finding a company that offers factoring services because many have hidden fees that are not mentioned initially. Find out exactly how each factoring financial services company regulates their factoring fees so there are no surprise fees added on at a later date.

To effectively understand the different methods used by factoring services companies, it is best to individually research each one. Let's start with the prime plus method to determine factoring financial services fees. The prime plus method has only two fees within its structure. The first part of the fee schedule is a one-time fee that is applied to every invoice. This is generally called the factoring fee. The factoring fees are assessed depending upon the gross amount of the invoice and applied accordingly. The second part of the prime plus method is the interest charge on the financial advance that the factoring services firm is providing. The day that the finances are made available to the business is the day that the interest begins. The interest rate is calculated by a pre-determined amount by the firm and the client before any financial advances are made.

The discount method that is applied to invoices by the factoring financial services firm's is based on a percentage per number of days. For example, if the discount method were 3% for the first 30 days, it would be calculated accordingly. It isn't hard to ascertain that the prime plus method is likely the better choice for any potential factoring services customer.

Troy Degarnham is the author and webmaster of http://www.accounts-receivable-financing.info an informative website about Invoice Factoring.

Extensive help and tips on factoring companies, assets, small business, medical factoring, non recourse and other factoring financial services.

Financing Legal Fees (Factoring)

While most small and medium sizes law firms want to grow and prosper, few have the necessary working capital to handle increased case loads or extended settlement payment. Factoring, which is the purchase and sale of accounts receivable (in this case, legal fees) at a discount at or near the time of creation (settlement), can help solve this all too familiar cash flow problem.

Financial transactions with attorneys are shaped by ethics issues. The intrinsic problem is that the non-lawyer entity has an incentive to attempt to "maximize its earnings to the detriment of the representation of clients." However, once a case has settled, these issues are not in play any longer and the ethics issues go away. Legal fees on settled cases are just like any other account receivable and can be sold, assigned, factored or otherwise financed.

Specialty finance companies like CapTran (www.captran.com) will purchase legal fees on settled cases. Most companies will deal in all fifty states.

• Minimum Transactions amounts are as low as $5,000

• Individual fees can be aggregated to meet minimum

• Maximum Transactions amounts are generally in the millions as most factoring companies are very well capitalized

• A portion of a fee may be sold

• Generally, there are no application fees

• The fees must have no known motions or actions challenging the settlement

How it works

Once a case has settled and all documents have been properly executed by both plaintiff and defendant, the fee receivable is purchased for a small discount, usually between 2% and 12% depending on the payor and amount. The main difference in rates is the factor’s estimation of the time it will take to collect the fee.

Step 1 – Master Fee Purchase Agreement

A Master Fee Purchase Agreement is executed specifying the terms of the under which fees will be purchased, including minimum and maximum amounts, advance rates, fees and rebates. Before you begin factoring, please fax us the following documents:

• If your firm is a Proprietorship:

o Fictitious Business Name Statement or other document you filed with your local governmental agency allowing you to conduct business under your company name;

• If your firm is a Professional Corporation or Limited Liability Company (LLC):

o the document stamped by your state governmental agency confirming your company's registration and allowing you to conduct business under your company name. This is often known as a Charter or Articles;

• A copy of the declarations page of your malpractice insurance policy.

Step 2 – Submit Fee Purchase

Submission of fee for purchase using factor’s submission process/forms. (CapTran has an online e-from to make the process of submitting fees for purchase as easy as possible.) The documentation is simple and closing is usually within 24-48 hours.

Documentation:

• Copy of client fee agreement

• Copy of settlement or judgment

• Must be signed by defendant

• must be signed by insurance company or other payor

• Letter of instruction from attorney to payor directing payment to factor’s bank or lockbox.

Step 3 – Acceptance

Purchase of fees is subject to the factor’s acceptance,(acceptance occurs when you receive your advance), at their sole and absolute discretion at a the discount from face value agreed to in the Master Fee Purchase Agreement, which is usually wire transferred directly into your checking account. The discount will include the factor’s fee as well as any margin or “haircut” form the face value, which the factor has required. Usually, the factoring of legal fees requires no haircut if the payor is of unquestioned credit worthiness.

The assignment and letter of instructions from you is sent to the payor of the fee (usually an insurance company).

Step 4 – Payment

The payor sends their checks to the factor, which amounts are credited to your account, as received.

If the payor pays in a timely fashion (less than 90 days), you will also receive a Rebate when enough money has been collected to close any particular transaction. The Rebate is calculated by a predetermined formula that adjusts the original discount in Step 3. Here's an example assuming a 12.5% factoring fee and a rebate of 4.8% for payment within 90 days:

Amount of Fee $10,000

Less Advance Disocunt (12.5%) $1,250

Net Advanced to Attorney $8,750

Rebate if payment within 90 days (4.8%) $480

Net retained by attorney if paid within 90 days = $9,230

Net retained by attorney if paid after 90 days = $8,750

Every factor has its own rules, preferences and idiosyncrasies. However, the welcome mat in clearly out for accomplished small to medium sized law firms.

Some firms also offer working capital loans which may, for certain firms, compliment factoring very nicely.

Wayne C Walker, President of Capital Transaction Group Inc www.captran.com

Wayne C Walker, president of Capital Transaction Group Inc http://www.captran.com

The History of Invoice Factoring

Factoring is one of the oldest business practices known. We know that it was used at least as long ago as the time of the Ancient Roman Empire, when merchants would enlist the help of collectors in order to settle trade debts. The primary reason for factoring’s long history is that it addresses a very fundamental problem in business itself: cash flow.

Let’s say you run a small company that’s developing a unique idea. Everyone works hard in designing the product, and your sales department hits pay dirt: a large manufacturing contract. This is exactly what you wanted, but you now have a problem: you need to hire more people and invest in some machinery to fulfill the contract, but you won’t see any money until the goods are delivered.

In this situation, a lot of your options aren’t too appealing – a large loan (assuming your business has the credit,) or convincing your employees to accept a deferred payroll. In many cases the best solution is to strike a deal with an invoice factoring company. What the factoring company will do is effectively buy your invoices at a discount - the “factor,” which are typically 3 - 4% - and provide you with the up front cash that you need. When they come due, the factoring company will then collect your invoices in full. Although the invoice factoring company will collect the receivables, this is usually done in a transparent way to the customer: as far as the customer is concerned, they are simply paying an invoice to a company as they normally would.

Even if it’s not out of a need for capital, many smaller businesses also turn to factoring companies to alleviate cash flow issues. When selling to large corporations, some businesses find themselves dealing with long gaps between invoicing and payment and with little leverage to narrow it. By turning to an invoice factoring company they can create a steadier cash flow.

The Beginnings: Invoice Factoring in Early America

Factoring made its way to America almost as soon as the pilgrims did. Many early American merchants made use of factors in order to sell tobacco and cotton abroad: they would ship their goods to England where a factor would take a percentage for selling and collecting money owed, and English merchants would do the same using American factors. In this way factoring played a pivotal role in rapid growth of American industry – without factors it would have been much more difficult for merchants to maintain a steady cash flow and trade of goods overseas.

As the American economy grew, American factors were able to concentrate more and more on domestic business. From the early colonial factors, and group of around 40 large factoring companies descended, based mostly on the east coast, that played a major role in financing the textile and transportation industries until the early 1950s. In the early part of the 20^th century these factoring companies began to establish percentages of receivables that they would advance companies upon the purchasing the invoices, usually around 70%-80%. This provided much of the large amounts of capital needed in these industries.

The mid 1950s saw the emergence of smaller businesses using factoring to address cash flow issues, moving the factoring industry away from the exclusive realm of large industry. As smaller businesses began to make use of factoring, the industry grew rapidly and became more competitive. The result was a trend towards mergers beginning in the 1970s that saw the number of large factoring companies reduced to around 10 by the end of the decade. At the same time, banks and other large financial institutions began to offer factoring services, and the business of factoring became the domain of large, institutional organizations.

The Impact of Invoice Factoring on Today’s Small Business Trends

The factoring industry more or less remained this way until fairly recently. The last 10 to 15 years has seen the re-emergence of small, independent factoring companies catering to a much wider range of businesses and needs. This trend has created a split market with a few mammoth factors targeting traditional factoring industries, and many small factoring companies that are continually creating new markets.

This trend towards newer, smaller invoice factoring companies is a reflection of contemporary business trends. The pace with which smaller companies develop and operate, particularly in the competitive technology and service sectors, requires a steady cash flow that can’t always be provided by receivables. An example of this can be seen in the emergence of temporary staffing agencies. These companies have large payrolls and depend heavily on cash flow. The competitive nature of this industry puts many temp agencies in a position where their payroll is due before their invoices are, and many smaller factoring companies have come about to provide solutions for this gap between payables and receivables.

David Springer is a consultant for Sovereign Funding Group. Sovereign Funding Group is an experienced, reputable company that offers convenient, no-risk services to help you with the selling of your deferred payments and business financing including invoice factoring.

Factoring. Cash Without Borrowing

How to Increase Cash Flow Without Borrowing

Cash flow is one of the main reasons businesses fail. At one time or another, every business, even successful ones, have experienced poor cash flow. Cash flow does not have to be a problem any more. Do not be fooled -- banks are not the only places you can get funding. Other solutions are available and you do not have to borrow.

What is Factoring?

One solution is called factoring. Factoring is the process of selling accounts receivable to an investor rather than waiting to collect the money from the customer.

Oh, the Irony…

Factoring has an ironic distinction: It is the financial backbone of many of America's most successful businesses. Why is this ironic? Because factoring is not taught in business colleges, is seldom mentioned in business plans and is relatively unknown to the majority of American business people. Yet it is a financial process that frees up billions of dollars every year, enabling thousands of businesses to grow and prosper.

Factoring has been around for thousands of years. Factors are investors who pay cash for the right to receive the future payments on your invoices.

An unpaid receivable or invoice has value. It is a debt your customer has agreed to pay in the near future.

Factoring Principals

Although factoring deals exclusively with business-to-business transactions, a large percentage of the retail business uses a factoring principal. MasterCard, Visa, and American Express all use a form of factoring in their retail transactions. Using the purest definition of the word, these large consumer finance companies are really just large factors of consumer paper.

Think about it: You make a purchase at Sears and charge it to your MasterCard. The store gets paid almost immediately, even though you do not make payment until you are ready. For this service, the credit card company charges Sears a fee (typical fees range from two to four percent of the sale).

The Benefits

Factoring can offer many benefits to cash-hungry companies. Rather than wait 30, 60, 90 days or longer for payment on a product or service that has already been delivered, a business can factor (sell) its receivables for cash at a small discount off the amount of the invoice.

Payroll, marketing efforts, and working capital are just a few of the business needs that can be met with this instant cash.

Factoring provides the means for a manufacturer to replenish inventory and make more products to sell: There is no longer a need to wait for earlier sales to be paid. Factoring is not just a cash management tool for manufacturers: Almost any type of business can benefit from factoring.

Generally, a business that extends credit will have 10 to 20 percent of its annual sales tied up in accounts receivable at any given time. Think for a moment about how much money is tied up in 60 days' worth of invoices: You cannot pay the power bill or this week's payroll with a customer's invoice, but you can sell that invoice for the cash to meet those obligations.

Factoring is a fast and easy process. The factor buys the invoice at a discount, usually a few percentage points less than the face value of the invoice.

The Drawbacks

People consider the discount a small cost of doing business. A four-percent discount for a 30-day invoice is common. Compared with the problem of not having cash when you need it to operate, the four-percent discount is negligible. Look at the factor's discount as though your business had offered the customer a discount for paying cash. It works out the same.

Companies consider the discount the same way they treat a sales price: It is simply the cost of generating cash flow, much like discounting merchandise is the cost of generating sales.

Factoring is a cash flow tool used by a variety of businesses, not just those who are small or struggling. Many companies factor to reduce the overhead of their own accounting department. Others use factoring to generate cash, which can be used to expand marketing efforts and increase production.

Why Factoring Appeals to the Start-Up

Factoring is especially appealing to young and rapidly growing companies. Since the process shortens their business cycle, these businesses can grow faster. The ability to make more products to sell while waiting for invoices to be paid is largely eliminated. Such businesses usually net much more profit with factoring than without, even when the discount is considered.

Factoring vs. Bank Loans

So, why not simply go over to the friendly banker for a loan to alleviate cash flow problems? A loan can be difficult if not impossible to receive, especially for a young, high-growth operation, because bankers are not expected to decrease lending restrictions soon. The relationships between businesses and their bankers are not as strong or as dependable as they used to be.

The impact of a loan is much different than that of the factoring process on a business. A loan places a debt on your business balance sheet, which costs you interest. By contrast, factoring puts money in the bank without the creation of any obligation. Frequently, the factoring discount will be less than the current loan interest rate.

Loans are largely dependent on the borrower's financial soundness, whereas factoring is more interested in the soundness of the client's customers and not the client's business itself. This is a real plus for new businesses without established track records.

There are many situations where factoring can help a business meet its cash flow needs. It provides a continuing source of operating capital without incurring debt, which can result in growth opportunities that dramatically increase the bottom line. Virtually any business can benefit from factoring as part of its overall operating philosophy.

Every good businessperson must understand the concept and benefits of factoring in order to operate as profitably as possible. The following chart can help you understand the differences between factoring and other sources of funding.

For more information on factoring and other non-traditional ways to obtain funding, contact Fred Coutts at (206) 364-9613 or Fred@FredCoutts.com. Please visit my website at http://www.fredcoutts.com/index3.htm for more information on powerful funding programs without going through a bank

Fred Coutts, CPA, CMA. All Rights Reserved.

Since 1980, Fred Coutts has been crafting powerful cash flow solutions for businesses and individuals alike, from entreptreneurs to "Fortune 500" companies. He has built a solid foundation of financial and operational experience through many executive roles, including those as CFO and Controller. Fred is well versed and experienced in finance, accounting, and business operations.

Over the years Fred has developed relationships with funding connections nationwide, both traditional and non-traditional sources to help you meet your cash flow needs.

Professional Certifications:

---Certified in Public Accounting(CPA)

---Certified in Management Accounting(CMA)

Factoring Fundamentals - Vendor Financing

Factoring is an efficient and reliable way of meeting capital needs of the business. It is beneficial when a business promises to have definite profits in future but faces capital deficit to get the project completed.

Factoring Fundamentals: Principles that govern factoring are same as those governing bank loans, credit cards and other such lending methods. The basics of factoring are divided into two main practices. When a factor purchases an estimated value of the future account receivables it is known as non-recourse factor practice. In non-recourse factoring the factor bears the bad debt risk and the business owner is required to pay interest to the factor for the period specified in the factoring agreement.

The second full-recourse factor practice involves the use of invoice as a security to make a loan. In recourse factoring the factor has recourse to business owner if the concerned customers do not pay. Recourse factoring is cheaper than non-recourse factoring.

How does factoring work?

The first step in the process is to fill the documents provided by the factor and when they get completed the factor provides the business owner with cash against receivables. The factor then pays the business owner a certain percentage of the total value of your invoices. This can be up to 90% of the total value of the invoices. This is paid as soon as the invoices are received, or at the time agreed upon between the business owner and the factor. The process normally takes 24 hours to complete and is either sent directly to business owner’s account or through the mail. Once customers pay up the bills at pre-determined dates lenders too pay up the remaining amount. In the end business owner will also receive copies of customer checks on the date of receipt to keep a record.

( http://www.hjventures.com/factoring/accounts-receivables.html )

Factoring fundamentals once confirmed and acknowledged, are a step towards a stable and secure business, as they help in keeping the working capital needs of the company on track.

Learn more about factoring / business finance : http://www.hjventures.com/factoring/factoring-glossary.html

Howard Schwartz is a partner in several business strategy groups, including HJ Ventures International, Inc. Howard has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs worldwide with a focus on writing Business Plans for companies interested in raising capital from Venture Funds and Angel Investors. Howard’s business plans have secured several million dollars in funding. For more information: http://www.hjventures.com/factoring/factoring-glossary.html

Use Invoice Factoring to Succeed

Factoring is an accounts receivable financing strategy for businesses to sell accounts receivable at a discount to get cash needed for business growth and development. By factoring the value of the accounts receivable, the business is able to increase the speed of cash flow.

The business can use a factoring company to obtain cash equal to the value of the accounts receivable minus a factor's fee. This process can also be referred to as invoice factoring.

When factoring an invoice, three parties are affected by the process, the seller who owns the invoice, the debtor who owes the balance on the invoice and the factor or factoring company who will buy the invoice.

There are several types of factoring.

Full service factoring involves notifying the debtors who owe the balance. The factoring company controls the credit as they collect the outstanding debts.

Invoice finance allows the seller to keep the credit control function so the factoring company is undisclosed to the debtor.

Recourse factoring is the most common type of factoring. In this case the seller continues to be at risk as the seller must buy back the invoice if the debtor does not pay within a specified time frame. This is the lowest cost option for the seller because of the risk involved.

Non recourse factoring puts the risk of non-payment completely on the factor who purchases the invoice. If the debtor fails to pay, the factor cannot attempt to receive payment from the seller. As a result the factor will often turn away customers with only average quality of credit. The cost of this type factoring is higher since all the risk is on the factor.

New company factoring.

Factoring is ideal for a new company to get financing since often when new, banks are more resistant to making loans to a company. By selling accounts to a factor (or finance company) the company can gain immediate cash based on what its customers owe. In this case the company would send the bills to the factoring company for payment rather than to the customers themselves, eliminating the wait for the billing cycle to complete.

Caution regarding factoring.

Factoring is an expensive source of funds and is only recommended when a company is growing faster than their current funds can handle. It should be used more as a last resort than as a first solution. Factoring can be a huge benefit during rapid growth or difficulty so focus can be on solutions and processes rather than on concerns for keeping bills and payroll paid in a timely manner.

To offset the cost of factoring, have customers pay higher percentage points to receive flexible terms. Give a large cash discount to customers or clients who make cash payments at the time of purchase. This way covering the cost of factoring can be turned into a benefit for both the customer and the supplying company.

Janie Jenkins is the "Easy To Do" instruction expert. Discover how easy it is to do what seemed like your most complicated ambition.More About Factoring

Factoring is Good for Business

It seems you can never have enough money, and factoring is just one more way to meet that goal. The basic premise behind the business idea of factoring is that an owner sells his accounts receivable to get a quick influx of cash. The buyer gets the accounts receivable at less than their actual value. The pay off comes when the accounts are paid in full.

Factoring can be good for the business owner. The sell gives the owner some immediate working capital that would have trickled in otherwise. It also takes the hassle of collecting outstanding accounts out of the hands of the owner. The down side to factoring is that the owner will get less money for the accounts than they show on paper.

Most owners who look to factoring are trying to find a way to smooth out the cash flow and free up time. It basically comes down to a need for having the money now instead of later. The money is guaranteed at the sell of the accounts, and the business owner doesn’t have to spend time and resources trying to collect on accounts. Factoring also relieves the owner of concerns about bad debts. Collection is strictly in the hands of the buyer.

The buyer side of the factoring benefits because the accounts are purchased as much as 25% below their face value. This is a nice profit on a short term investment. It is also likely that a company interested in factoring has streamlined the collection process – making the process much more cost effective.

Factoring is not for every company, nor every investor. The best route for factoring is to find a company that specializes in this investment process and develop a relationship with it. It would also be wise to consult with an accountant to see if the process of factoring could be a money saving tool for your business.

Kathryn is a freelance journalist covering business and finance issues, specializing in subjects such as factoring and ecommerce.

Accounts Receivable Factoring Basics

Having to wait up to 60 days for commercial customers to pay their invoices can be one of the biggest challenges that owners of small to mid size companies have to face. Waiting to get paid is not usually an issue for well-established companies that have a significant cash cushion in the bank. However, it can seriously affect smaller companies or companies that are going through a significant growth phase.

Most owners react to this cash flow problem by going to the bank, hoping to obtain a loan or a line of credit. However, banks have strict lending guidelines and seldom lend money to businesses that cannot demonstrate three years of profitable operations and cannot provide audited financial statements. Furthermore, most bank financing products tend to have arbitrary limits, which are based on your existing financial capacity, rather than your projected growth.

What growing businesses need is a form of financing that is tied to sales, allowing you to get more working capital, as your company grows. Furthermore, the solution should work for small and mid size businesses that may not have established credit histories, but that have great paying customers. Is there such a solution?

If you are in a situation where your business is growing and selling products or services to great credit worthy customers, you should consider factoring your invoices as a possible solution. Accounts receivable factoring allows you to convert your slow paying receivables into cash, by financing them through an accounts receivable factoring company. Accounts receivable factoring is a flexible line of financing that is directly tied to your sales. Basically, the more you sell to good customers the more financing you can obtain.

The process is fairly simple. Once an accounts receivable factoring agreement has been established, you send copies of your invoices to the factoring company, who in turn advances you a significant portion of their value. A small percentage is usually not advanced and kept as a reserve to cover disputes/etc. You obtain immediate funding to pay for company expenses and grow the business, while the factoring company waits to be paid by your customers. Once they get paid, they will rebate the funds that were kept in reserve and charge a small fee for the service.

Accounts receivable factoring is an ideal product for companies that are growing quickly and cannot afford to wait 30 to 60 days to receive payment from their customers. It provides you with the necessary financing to operate and grow your business, and as opposed to bank products; it’s easy to qualify for this service.

Invoice Factoring Group

Invoice Factoring Group is a factoring company that can provide you with a free accounts receivable factoring or receivables factoring quote. Marco Terry, the president, can be reached at (866) 730 1922.

What is Accounts Receivable Factoring?

Do you have clients that take up to 60 days to pay their accounts receivable? Waiting months to get paid for your invoices can wreak havoc in your company’s cash flow, especially if you have to meet payroll, pay suppliers and pay rent. But what happens if your business can’t wait to get paid because it must meet its obligations?

One solution to this problem has been gaining popularity recently. It’s called accounts receivable factoring and it allows you to turn your slow paying receivables into cash, almost immediately. It works by selling your receivables to a factoring company, who in turn, pays you on the spot. This provides you with the necessary cash flow to pay suppliers, rent and salaries.

Selling your receivables to a factoring company is relatively simple. It can be done with a 3-step process:

1. You deliver goods/services and issue an invoice
2. You sell the invoice to the factoring company who advances the first installment you up to 90% for them. The average advance is 80%.
3. Once your client pays the invoice, the factoring company rebates the remaining installment, less a small fee (installment #2)

As opposed to other financing products, accounts receivable factoring is easy to obtain and can be setup in a week or so. A critical benefit of a/r factoring is that the financing companies make their credit decision based on your clients. So, accounts receivable factoring is an ideal tool for small and medium sized businesses who cannot obtain bank financing but have a roster of solid customers.

About Commercial Capital LLC Commercial Capital LLC is a factoring company that specializes in accounts receivable factoring. For an accounts receivable factoring quote, please call Marco Terry at (866) 730 1922

What is Freight Bill Factoring?

Trucking company owners know that cash is king and prompt paying clients are critical to the company’s success. But, what can you do if you get a good client that insists on paying their invoice in 30 days or more? How do you pay fuel, drivers and repairs while you wait to get paid?

In the past, the only option you had was to take the client and grit your teeth.

However, there is an option that has been gaining popularity with the trucking community. It’s called freight bill factoring. Freight factoring eliminates the payment wait and gets your freight bills paid in a couple of days. But, transportation factoring is very different than a business loan. It works by selling your freight bills to a freight factoring company, who pays you for them and then waits to get paid by your customers/freight brokers.

Transportation factoring can be easy to use and works as follows:

1. You deliver the load and issue a freight bill
2. You sell the freight bill to the factoring company, who pays you a first installment of 90% to 97% of the freight bill
3. You get immediate money while the factoring company waits
4. Once the factoring company gets paid, any remaining reserves (less a small fee) are returned as your second installment

Freight factoring rates vary, but they go from 1.5% to 3% per 30 days depending on volume, duration of transactions and customer selection. A factoring line can be established in a little as 3 days, provided you have all your company documentation in order.

About Commercial Capital LLC
Looking for freight bill factoring. Commercial Capital provides freight factoring and transportation factoring to truckers. For a free consultation, call Marco Terry at (866) 730 1922

Tips on Choosing a Factoring Company!

Factoring, what is this financial tool you are looking into that will hopefully fuel your business with the capital it needs to prosper.

Each person and business varies so how do you know which factor is the right choice for your company.

Some things you need to know before you choose a factor!

Term Contracts:

Do they require a term contract?

There are pros and cons to a term contract;

Some Cons:

You are not happy with the factor due to the way they service your account.

They may treat your customers poorly, jeopardizing them as your customer.

They may have poor reporting.

You need to make sure they do not have a hefty termination fee, lets say for what ever reason you may need to terminate the relationship, what will it cost you.

Pros:

You may get a better fee structure due to locking in on a term contract

When choosing a factor here are several questions to ask them before you sign up:

Do they bulk your receivables; in other words, when you sell them your receivables, do they release your reserves as each invoice is paid, or do they wait for all the receivables to collect from a given schedule before they release your reserve.

As an example, you sell a factor 100k in receivables on one schedule which consist of 4 different customers at 25k each, 2 of your customers pay the invoice within 30 days and the other 2 pay in 45 and 60 days. That would mean you would have to wait until the last customer pays at 60 days before you get your reserve, this is not good, try to avoid signing up with a factor that does this.

Ask about additional fees, do they have a service charge or any fees on top of the discount. This is not uncommon if you are set up on a prime plus rate, yet it still needs to be accounted for when choosing between factors. You may get some smoke and mirrors from conversations and proposals. When you receive the contract, that will spell it all out, take the time to add up all fees to accurately and compare proposals, the one that seems to be the highest at 1st may not be that far off.

Ask about up front fees:

Some factors charge a due diligence fee, this can range from $250.00 to $500.00 dollars, even higher for construction. Stay away from application fees, they are not necessary. A due diligence fee is okay and understandable since the factor does have cost associated with opening an account, however some factors do not even charge any up front fees.

Ask how long they have been in business, some factors are larger than others and you want to make sure they are capable of handling your companys growth.

Some factors are small and do not have adequate funding backing them, it has been known of some factors running out of money and were not able to fund their clients.

Working with consultants / brokers

You certainly do not need a broker to get set up with a factor, but it can be to your best advantage. Here are some pros and cons.

Cons:

The broker has not been in business very long and does not really understand factoring to it fullest yet themselves, ask them how long they have been in business and how much business they have done.

The training they received was not adequate and they do not know how to pre qualify and may end up wasting your time filling out an application and sending in documentation when certain questions could have been ask that may point out obvious reasons that would prohibit you from qualifying.

They over shop deals; some brokers will send out your application to as many factors as they can., this can be a bad reflection on you. Just like having too many inquiries on your credit is a red flag to banks, when a factor sees your application from several different brokers it may raise a red flag. Keep this in mind, shopping rates to a certain point is healthy, however rates only go so low, choosing the right factor sometimes means the rate is a touch higher. Customer service is very important.

Some brokers are part time, which means they are not established.

Pros:

Nothing can be better than a in depth consultation, a seasoned consultant / broker can asked you questions and explain things in a way you may not have thought, plus when you are dealing directly with a factor, you are not getting a third person perspective.

An experienced consultant / broker should be dealing with trustworthy and reputable factors. Plus they make sure factoring is the right financial choice for your company.

Shares advice on how to utilize factoring to its fullest. This is a very powerful form of finance that provides many advantages when properly used.

Using a seasoned consultant / broker helps you get prompt attention from the factors they use. Established brokers mean that the factors pay attention to the clients they refer because this is repeat business for them since the broker sends numerous clients for them to fund.

You get straight forward answers, no smoke and mirrors. A Consultant / Broker can help you cut through the decision making process without pressure. You have at times too much information coming at you, especially from the internet.

A Consultant / Broker can let you know what kind of fees and advance to expect, in other words, you see low advertised rates, which most will not qualify for. You can have it explained to you what the factors are looking for and how you qualify. If you already have a written proposal a Consultant / Broker can help you make sure you have a fair deal.

Mark Little is President of Diversified Funding Services, Inc. He can be reached at 888-603-0055. His company website can be found by Clicking Here and the Company blog Click Here.

Factoring Volume Continues to Grow

Accounts receivable funding, also known as factoring, continued an upward trend in 2005 with volume exceeding $112 billion. This represented a 9.3% increase over the prior year, which is the strongest year to year growth rate since 2000. In fact, only 2001 was the only year in the past 20 that factoring volume did not rise. A/R funding continues to be an accepted part of financing, but according to the Commercial Finance Association’s Annual Asset Based Lending and Factoring 2005 Survey, two thirds of the volume came from the northeast and southeast parts of the country. The northeast is the major region for factoring volume with 42% of the total.

The survey indicated that only 5% of factoring volume came from the Midwest, which includes some highly populated states with a plethora of companies that typically use A/R funding. States in the Midwest included in the survey were Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri. Why are the totals so low for these states? One reason could be that Midwest firms typically become utilize more traditional means of financing, and are hesitant to look for alternatives when bank loans aren’t available. Another factor is that 59% of all ’05 volume was represented by the textile and apparel industries. Most of firms of this nature are located in the east.

Most factoring volume (72%) involved clients selling goods to retailers. Only 9% were service provider clients with the remainder (20%) being clients selling goods to anyone other than retailers. Clearly, even though factoring volume is increasing each year, there are still several industries that could benefit from using factoring as a financing tool.

Factoring is a largely a non-recourse, notification business. 80% of factoring was on a non-recourse basis. This means that if a customer doesn’t’ pay, the factor can’t come back to the client for payment (unless the non payment is the result of product disputes and liability or fraud). The majority (85%) of factoring was performed on a notification business. This arrangement requires clients to notify their customers that their accounts receivables have been assigned to a company and that payments should be remitted to the factor.

Kent Harlan, a CPA since 1984, has served as Financial Advisor and Consultant to several companies and author of numerous articles in the alternative finance arena. He is the owner of Ozarks Capital Funding, LLC, a company that focuses on providing a number of financial services, including factoring, equipment leasing, and healthcare financing. Website: www.ocflink.com email: kenth@ocflink.com

Do You Qualify for Factoring?

This article has been created to give you straight forward content hoping to provide information into some of the things that factors are looking for when qualifying a prospect before entering into a financial relationship with them.

Lets face it, your time is very valuable and you do not need to waste it filling out applications or talking on the phone when you may be able to identify issues in this article that would prohibit you from being able to enter into a factoring relationship.

Some of this information will be basic and you may already be familiar with it, however some may not. Just read through the article and I am sure you will find some helpful information.

Lets take a look at what factoring is:

Factoring is a form of financing where a business sells its creditworthy commercial accounts receivable to a financier known as a factor.

This is a good starting point; you need to be invoicing creditworthy businesses for your product or service. Your product must be delivered and your services rendered (no pre-bills). If they are not creditworthy and you are already having collection problems, a factoring company will not be interested in purchasing those receivables. You may need a collections service.

How much do you invoice each month:

If you are invoicing under $10,000 a month this will limit the number of factoring companies that will enter into a relationship with you. If you are speaking with a factor, let them know up front what your monthly volume is and find out if they are willing to work with companies of your size. This could save you from filling out an application and wasting your time with that particular factor.

How many customers do you invoice:

Factoring companies prefer to fund companies with more than one customer; this helps them lower their risk. If you have just one customer, the factoring will have a concentration issue, meaning if something happens to your customer they do not have any other receivables from other customers to recoup their money. Let the factoring company know this up front as well. Some factors will not work with you if you only have one customer. (If your one customer is large and stable this will help).

Do you have any financing currently in place:

If you have an existing loan or line of credit you need to find out up front if the bank has a UCC-1 against your receivables. The factoring company must have 1st position on your receivables to be able to enter into a financing relationship with your company.

I would suggest if you have a current loan or line of credit to double check and make sure of this.

I have had many businesses tell me that the bank did not have their receivables as collateral and then proceed through the application process and return the contract.

The factoring company would begin due diligence and the lien search would return a current UCC-1 on the receivables. Many times the customer does not realize the bank placed a blanket lien on their company covering all assets, including the accounts receivable.

If this is the case, you still may qualify for factoring. If your loan or line of credit is small enough, the factor may be able to pay off your loan or line of credit out of your 1st advance and the bank has no choice but to subordinate (release) the receivables. If not, they may have enough collateral that they will allow the factoring company to have 1st position on the receivables and allow you to get the needed capital for your company.

So if you have current financing, check on this issue. You may find out the bank will step up to the plate and allow you access to more funds when they realize you are about to leave.

This has happened many times.

Also be aware that our factoring companies can help negotiate a subordination, so discuss this with us if you need more clarification on this topic.

Your aging report:

Your aging report is very important to a factoring company; this is the pulse on your cash flow. An accurate detailed accounts receivable aging report should be aged from invoice date and not due date. Some companies accounting software is set up to age the receivables from due date, this will reflect an inaccurate report to the factoring company.

If you have an unhealthy aging report you will have a hard time qualifying for factoring. Plus the fees you pay to a factor increase as the days outstanding increase.

Make sure you have a cash flow issue and not a collections issue.

Remember, creditworthy customers are the key.

Outstanding taxes, liens, judgments, litigations, felony convictions or bankruptcy

If you have any of these issues, it does not mean you can't qualify for factoring, you just need to be forthcoming at the beginning and find out if the issues are too complex for the factoring company to work through. This may save you some time.

Are you incorporated:

Some factors will not work with Sole Proprietors, others will, we have some that do. Find out at the beginning of the conversation.

Financial Statements:

Some factors will require financial statements and others will not.

Providing financial is usually where you will find the most aggressive rates available.

If you do not want to deal with providing financial statements, ask up front if they are required. We have programs available that requires no financial statements.

Personal Credit:

Even though your customers are the primary focus, your personal credit is taken into consideration. If your personal credit has taken some severe hits recently, discuss this up front with the factor to find out how much it will be taken into consideration.

This covers some of the basic, I hope it helps!

Thanks for reading.

Mark Little is President of Diversified Funding Services, Inc. He can be reached at 888-603-0055. His company website can be found by Clicking Here and the Company blog Click Here.

The Laserlyte Lift? ? The First True Non-Surgical Face Lift

Nearly everyone over 30 years old sees wrinkles, loose skin and other signs of facial aging staring back at them in the mirror. Many would like to have a fresher younger looking face but no one wants to have plastic surgery. In recent years technological advances such as Botox?, Restylane?, Radiesse?, and new Lasers, IPL and skin tightening machines like Thermage?, Titan?, LuxIR?, and Aluma?, have improved the plastic surgeons ability to rejuvenate the face non-surgically, but none have been able to deliver the often promised ?non-surgical face-lift.? The best results have achieved about a 30 % tightening of the facial skin. Dramatic results have been achieved in ?wrinkle removal? when proper techniques have been applied, but true lifting or tightening of the facial skin has been modest at best

The new LaserLyte Lift? promises to achieve a much more significant rejuvenation and lifting of the face with a new non-surgical multi-modality technique three phase procedure which not only tightens the facial skin but also removes wrinkles and other aging changes on the surface of the skin?all achieved non-surgically with minimal or no down time.

This new non-surgical high tech procedure is based on the theory that all of the skin layers must be treated and rejuvenated to accomplish true facial rejuvenation and is based on the principles of the 6-step facial rejuvenation program? outlined in my book ?Save Your Face-The Revolutionary 6-Step Facial Rejuvenation Program.

The important changes in the facial skin which lead to an aged appearance occur predominantly in 3 layers-the epidermis or outer layer that you see in the mirror, and two deeper layers-the superficial and the deep dermis?the pink part of your skin you see when you scrape your knee.

As we age, the sun?s UV rays, and other age related factors damage all 3 layers of the skin. We see these changes in the form of wrinkles, brown spots and dry skin-changes in the Epidermis or outer layer. However the major changes causing wrinkles and sagging skin is damage to the 2 deeper layers of the dermis.

The result of aging changes in both layers of the dermis is the loss of collagen. Collagen plumps the skin and gives the skin its tone and elasticity. When we lose collagen from the dermis the skin loses volume and becomes wrinkled-the same way a plum turns into a prune when it loses water after drying. In addition when we lose collagen we lose elasticity, the skin does not snap back when we pull on it and release it, and the skin sags.

The key to non-surgical facial rejuvenation or a non-surgical face-lift is to remove the superficial aging changes form the superficial epidermis and restore new collagen and thus volume and elasticity to both the superficial and deep layers of the dermis

Contemporary non-surgical methods such as laser, IPL, Radiofrequency (Aluma?, Thermage?), and Infrared (LuxIR?, Titan?,) energies are capable of treating the surface of the skin and the deep dermis, but do not treat the middle layer of the dermis and thus cannot achieve complete non-surgical rejuvenation or a non-surgical face-lift.

New technology has finally enabled us to treat the middle skin layer-the upper dermis and stimulate new collagen regeneration in this layer using a 1540 fractionated erbium laser made by Palomar, with minimal or no down time. Thus we are now able to treat all three skin layers affected by aging, removing surface irregularities such as wrinkles, brown spots, and dry skin, and restoring collagen and thus plumping volume and elasticity to the middle and deep skin layers.

Thus we can achieve a true non-surgical facial rejuvenation or non-surgical face-lift for the first time addressing all three layers of the aged skin.

This procedure is called the LaserLyte Lift? because Laser and other forms of light (lyte) energy are used to treat the three skin layers. The procedure takes time, as it requires multiple treatments scheduled several weeks apart over a time course of several months. However the results are striking-you can see them and believe them?you don?t have to try to convince yourself that they are there as you have with so many ?miracle wrinkle cures? you have tried in the past.

The LaserLyte Lift? involves three treatment protocols or phases.

Phase I begins with the important first 2 steps of the 6-step program?, deep exfoliation and stimulation of new collagen growth near the surface of the skin. This phase removes wrinkles, brown spots and restores the skins shiny glow. This is the LaserLyte Peel? achieved with the Lumenis Active Fx laser. This peel is performed with a topical skin anesthetic, takes 25 minutes, and leaves you pink for 4-5 days. Some people only need one peel others may need 2 or 3.These peels are scheduled 6-8 weeks apart.

Phase II-which is painless and involves no down time begins about 4weeks after your first LaserLyte Peel and is the start of your skin tightening regimen through stimulation of new collagen growth in the deep dermal layer by the application of Infrared or other energy which penetrates through the epidermis and superficial dermis to the deep dermis, to restore collagen and elasticity and tighten the facial skin. Treatments are spaced 4 weeks apart and at least 4 sessions are required.

The start of Phase III, mid dermal collagen stimulation, which involves no pain and minimal pinkness for a few hours only, using the 1540 or similar effective wavelength starts at a variable timetable depending on how many LaserLyte Peels you need. If you only need one peel Phase 3 can begin as early as 2-3 months and be alternated with Phase 2 at 2-week intervals. If you need 3 LaserLyte Peels then Phase 3 will not begin until 5-6 months.

While the LaserLyte Lift? takes time it is the only method of facial rejuvenation to actively treat all three layers of the skin and thus the only method to achieve effective facial rejuvenation non-surgically. In fact, the LaserLyte Lift? achieves more thorough facial rejuvenation than a surgical face-lift. A surgical face-lift only tightens the skin, after a surgical face-lift you have tight ?old? skin. The LaserLyte Lift? renews and rejuvenates all three skin layers, thus when you are finished your face truly looks younger, and remember, you are avoiding surgery and its dangers and discomfort. More importantly you are achieving true facial rejuvenation with wrinkle removal and new collagen, which plumps and tightens your skin to a truly youthful appearance.

As technology advances we undoubtedly will be able to achieve results is less time. However at present the LaserLyte Lift is the only method for rejuvenation of all three skin layers and it takes several months to achieve a good result.

For some people with very severe aging plastic surgery will be the best option, either in the form of a face-lift or laser resurfacing or both.

But for the vast majority of my patients who I see daily in my practice the LaserLyte Lift? is an excellent way to achieve true facial rejuvenation without surgery a real ?non-surgical? face-lift, with results you can see. No face cream, diet, laser, IPL, or other technology alone can achieve as good a result.

If you start before you have severe aging changes you will likely never need to have a face-lift.

Dr Brooke R. Seckel, Asst. Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School was recently named a Top Doctor in Boston by Boston Magazine. He is also listed as one of the Best Doctors in America. Dr Seckel is an internationally recognized expert in Plastic Surgery. Dr Seckel?s office is in Boston at 617-262-2208 or at http://saveyourface.com/

Best-Selling ClickBank Product Gets Major Facelift!

Whenever an online entrepreneur hits the big time, they usually branch out and create as many streams of cash flow as possible using the knowledge they've gleaned from their experiences.

But few take the time to ensure their existing products meet the high standards they first sought when publishing it for a primary launch. One Internet marketer is bucking tradition and, although he has a secure system in place to pull profits from all over the 'net, he's staying true to his loyal customers and revamping his entire best-selling ClickBank product - The Multiple Streams of Income System.

This product has maintained a #1 spot on ClickBank for a long time, so why the facelift? The owner seems to really care about his customers' financial health, and by introducing the most modern, stealth-based tactics to make money online, he's just securing his #1 spot and making sure he doesn't lose his momentum.

Many online entrepreneurs let their products fade from the public's memory. But this site owner isn't going down anytime soon. He's gone from an appetizer product to a 7-course meal in one day.

The up-to-date Multiple Streams of Income System includes multiple ways to profit, such as product creation using different forms of media, affiliate marketing, participation cash cows, AdSense site success and even eBay for 'net marketers.

But it also gives you something many of these "different ways to make money" courses don't deliver - the missing links to online success, including: getting the kind of mindset that makes you a millionaire, goal setting and task-list creation to save time, sales copy creation to wipe out your competitors, advertising efforts to drive traffic to your site, SEO and website building methods, and more.

I've never seen a more comprehensive system than this one, so if you're seeking one or more ways to "make a fulltime living on the Internet," I highly suggest you go download The Multiple Streams of Income System today and start earning tonight.

Tiffany has been using The Multiple Streams of Income System for four weeks and has already seen her income double in size!

Guide to Small Business Factoring

Factoring is becoming a popular yet not so well known tool in the arena of small business. It is an important way of keeping cash flowing through the business when invoices are delayed or accounts receivable are higher than the money in hand. Basically factoring helps you get cash for your business without having that time delay from the time you issue an invoice. They also provide you with collection services and sales ledgers that can be helpful as well. If you are a small business owner, then you should consider this guide to small business factoring as a way to fund your business month to month.

How does factoring work? It is easy and yet complicated all at the same time. The factor will generally manage your sales ledger for you while also providing you with colletion services for all outstanding invoices. Typically you will be loaned 80% to 90% of the total amount of the invoice. You will generally receive the money within 24 hours of agreeing to the services of the factor.

Factoring for a small business does cost money, though. Usually there are a couple of different costs you have to consider. A service chare will usually cover the management of your sales and collections. The other charge is a percentage of sales factored as well as an interest charge of some sort on the cash advance the factor is giving you. The interest rates, obviously, will depend on your company’s credit, the credit of the invoiced companies, and the institution you factor through.

No guide to small business factoring would be complete without telling you want to look for in a factoring company. Obviously you should look for a stable financial institution that will be able to support the business. You should also look for good terms and a company you are comfortable working with since there will be plenty of interaction. Finally, you may want to consider a company that will give you internet access to your accounts. You can easily track the ledger, sales, collections, and your factored amounts that way.

It is also important to understand that no two factoring companies are completely alike. While much of what this guide to small business factoring has explained is typical, there are exceptions to most every situation. The best thing you can do for your business with regards to factoring is research the companies you are considering. Think about what you need and what you want and what everyone is offering you.

A guide to small business factoring can never be complete. There are too many ins and outs when it comes to almost any financial transaction. There are also a number of variables involved like current interest rates, your credit rating, reliability of your invoiced companies, and many other things as well. Before you ever agree to a factoring relationship, make sure you understand all terms as well as how long the contract is for and what renewal terms are. Protect yourself and do your homework and you can use factoring as a way to keep your cash flowing.

Stu Pearson has an interest in Finance & Business and Small Business Factoring, for more FREE information and articles please visit Small Business Factoring Resources

What is Factoring Financing?

Do you have clients that take 30, 50 or 60 days to pay their invoices? Although having slow paying clients is expected in today’s business environment, they make managing cash flow a very difficult task. Paying suppliers, salaries and rent becomes a challenge.

However, there is a way to solve this problem. The solution involves factoring your invoices.

Factoring is a financing tool that allows you to get your invoices paid in as little as 2 days. It provides your company with the necessary capital to operate the business, pay suppliers and grow. However, factoring is not a business loan. Rather, factoring involves selling your invoices at a discount for immediate cash. The factoring company waits to get paid, while you get immediate use of the funds.

Factoring can easily be integrated to any business and works as follows:

 

1. You deliver goods or services and invoice for them
2. You sell the invoice to the factor. They give you the first installment of 70% to 90% of your invoice. This is called the advance.
3. You get immediate funds to run your business
4. Once the customer pays the factoring company, you get the second installment (of 10% to 30%) and are charged a small fee for the transaction. This is called the rebate

 

Although factoring costs vary and are based on transaction size and timing, the average cost of a transaction is usually between 1.5% to 3% of the invoice per month.

One major advantage of factoring is that it is easier to obtain than a business loan. Furthermore, the factoring line can be set up in about a week, and the biggest requirement for approval is that do you business with credit worthy clients.

Commercial Capital LLC
Are you looking for factoring financing? Commercial Capital is a factoring company that can provide you with a competitive factoring quote. For information, call Marco Terry at (866) 730 1922.