Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Read The Entire Contract Before Entering Into An Invoice Factoring Arrangement

Many companies who are in a cash flow bind, either because of poor profitability or accelerated growth, need a financing option that isn?t dependent upon their credit standing or internal financial ratios. Factoring is the obvious choice for entities in this situation because the focus for underwriting is on the credit worthiness of the client?s customers.

It should be made clear to the client at the onset of the relationship that the factoring company typically expects invoices to be factored for a period of time, usually for a year. In other words, there is a minimum amount of fees that will be charged whether the company factors invoices or not.

This is not usually an issue, as most companies that take advantage of factoring tends to use the service for one to two years. At that point, they usually have found a way to secure other financing. Other companies, however, need only a ?shot in the arm? by a one-time infusion of cash. For those firms, factoring may not be for them. They will be charged fees during the contract period for services that aren?t being used. On the other hand, having a steady stream of cash by not having to wait 30-60 days to collect receivables can be advantageous.

It is incumbent upon the factoring company?s representatives to clearly explain how the factoring process works. It is also imperative that the client and/or their attorney to review the commitment letter and contract in its entirety so there will be no surprises.

Kent Harlan has been a CPA since 1984 and has provided consulting, accounting and financial services to several industries. He is the owner of Ozarks Capital Funding, LLC, a Springfield, MO based company offering financing in the areas of accounts receivable factoring, equipment leasing, asset based lending, and healthcare provider. He is an active member in the Missouri Society for Certified Public Accountants and has written several articles for the Springfield Business Journal.

email: kenth@ocflink.com
Website: http://www.ocflink.com

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

The Growing Factoring Factor

"We have plenty of business, but what we really need is cash to run our business!"

Have you ever heard a frustrated business owner utter this remark? Or thought it yourself?

What would you say if I told you I could help you or that other frustrated business owner get that cash to keep that cash flowing in your business -- keep your business up and going and running smoothly so that you can do what you do best -- run your business?

Okay.... got your attention?

Well, let me introduce you to a fast-growing source of cash for growth-oriented and cash-hungry small businesses -- factoring of accounts receivable.

"So, what exactly IS factoring of accounts receivable?" you ask.

Factoring is the conversion of a company's commercial accounts receivable into immediate cash by selling those accounts at a discount. With factoring you can get 70 to 80% of an invoice's face value wire transferred into your account within 24 to 48 hours of the invoice being issued and approved.

Better yet - factoring is not a loan! With factoring there is no interest to pay, nor principal to repay. No liability will appear on a company's balance sheet due to its factoring. A company simply sells one of its assets (accounts receivable) for an agreed-upon "fee" to obtain a more liquid asset (cash) thus self-financing it's own growth with debt-free funding. It's equivalent to when you sell your vehicle (an asset) to someone -- the two of you agree upon a price and the transaction is done!

Since factoring is not a "loan," funding is not based on a company's ability to repay the amount advanced. Rather, funding is based on the ability of the company's customers to pay what is owed the company for the purchase of the company's goods or services.

Unlike traditional funding sources, which require all the assets a business has available for collateral on a credit line, factoring is, in essence, a Receivables-Based Credit Line, which needs no other collateral. It is available to be drawn on when and as needed. In fact, a business can conceivably have a credit line with its bank with its other assets as collateral and a second credit line with a factoring company with the receivables ONLY as collateral! Interesting...?

With factoring, you can have cash on demand to meet seasonal demands, accommodate new and larger clients who may demand longer terms or use up any excess working capital you have on hand. Factoring, in essence, gives you the option of offering terms to your customers thereby helping you to increase your customer base.

Prior to the 1980's, factoring was used primarily in the garment, textile and furniture industries and was only otherwise available to "big business". At that time (as with many things), the terms and prices were much different than what they are today.

Due to the increased competition and visibility of this very viable financial tool, however, these have changed for the better. The terms and prices we see today make factoring a quick and viable alternative funding tool for small businesses nationwide so that they, too, can take advantage of this proven, debt-free and flexible method to effectively multiply working capital.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS/ADVANTAGES TO FACTORING:

1. No financials required -- MUCH less paperwork than traditional sources (oftentimes this can be done by fax or email and no personal "appearance" is required by the business owner)

2. Quick account setup - usually 5 business days (sometimes faster)

3. Usually can have 70 to 80% of invoice amount wire transferred to your account within 48 hours after approved.

4. No long-term contracts, you factor as much or little as needed.

Why don't YOU make this a year of growth and increased profits by using this financial tool to enhance your business!




Debra assists businesses with cash flow and working capital needs through non-traditional alternative funding tools, which help a business to leverage its liquid assets. This enables them to self-finance their growth and working capital needs. http://www.YourCashFlowConnections.com

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Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Truck Invoice Factoring

 

Truck invoice factoring is the outright buying of the invoices of business establishments by truck invoice factoring companies. This helps companies to maintain smooth cash flow. Most truck invoice factoring companies are commercial establishments and deals in the purchase of invoices and some offer other financial supports. Truck invoice factoring used to be exclusively the realm of big business houses, but now it is available for small business establishments, as well. The industry is worth 100 billion dollars today. Cash to be received often hampers the smooth functioning of small and large companies and truck invoice factoring is a welcome relief from this.

Most companies for the purchase of invoices use certain criteria. The service fees vary from company to company. Credit history of the customer, amount in the invoice and total business volume are some the criteria used while purchasing an invoice and in determining the service fee. Before engaging in business with a company, truck invoice factoring companies check accounts receivable aging report, the credit limits of existing customers, and the company’s track record. Not satisfied with merely the company’s report on customer’s credit history, most truck invoice factoring companies engage in an independent enquiry about the customer’s credit history. Companies can also negotiate with truck invoice factoring companies once they meet all the qualities.

Through truck invoice and factoring, companies can save time and money and use work force spend on retrieving money from customers for other purposes. Almost all types of industries make use of truck invoice factoring. Truck invoice factoring is ideal for those companies that are on the path of expansion and those that needs to meet loan deadlines. Some factoring companies provide finance to start-up companies.

The service fees of truck invoice companies are sometimes more than the traditional finance companies. The greatest advantage with it is that companies will not be falling into debt trap. Companies can also do away with discounts that they used to offer for earlier payment to customers.

Invoice Factoring provides detailed information on Invoice Factoring, Invoice Factoring Companies, Invoice Factoring Discounting, Invoice Factoring Rates and more. Invoice Factoring is affiliated with Loan Factoring.

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