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Small Business Loans
In the past, small business owners generally
had one option if they were in need of funding in a
timely manner. They had to walk into their local bank
and speak with an advisor about taking out a loan. They
usually had to come up with some sort of collateral,
which was often their house or the business itself,
and had to wait on a decision by the underwriter, sometimes
for days on end. Now with many companies that specialize
in fast small business loans this process has become
much more simple.
While that process is still viable for a business in
need of money, there are other options available now
for companies. One thing that business owners can do
is apply for a loan through the government. The Small
Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency
of the federal government which was enacted in 1953
to assist and protect the interests of small businesses
all across the country, in an effort to strengthen the
United States economy. There are several programs of
financial assistance that are available for small businesses,
including 504, 7(a), and disaster assistance loans.
The 504 program is designed for long term use within
a community to encourage economic development, often
to revitalize a distressed area. Businesses can take
advantage of this program to secure long term, fixed
rate loans that can be used for the purchase of land
or buildings. In most cases, a 504 project involves
a loan that is secured with a lien from a private lender
such as a bank, which covers up to 50% of the cost of
the project, and an additional loan that is secured
by a junior lien from a Certified Development Company,
which is a nonprofit corporation that is set up in the
community by the SBA to act as a liaison between the
SBA, private sector lenders, and local small businesses.
In the 7(a) loan program, a small business can take
out a loan from a participating private lender. The
program gets its name because it comes from section
7(a) of the Small Business Act, which is the piece of
legislation that allows the Agency to provide loans
to small businesses. What separates this program from
the business going directly to the bank is that the
SBA guarantees a portion of these loans in case of default.
In return, the lender structures the loan based upon
SBA's requirements, such as the terms and interest rate.
Finally, disaster assistance loans are available for
small businesses that are located in a declared disaster
area. Low or no interest loans are often made available
in a timely manner to businesses, and even private individuals,
that are affected by things such as hurricanes, tornados,
tsunamis, and other natural disasters that devastate
and area.
So, with the Small Business Association, fast small
business loans are available for those who qualify,
whether it's through the 7(a) program, the 504 program,
or in the event of a natural disaster, the disaster
recovery program. This is often an underutilized resource
available to small businesses, so they are encouraged
to apply and see which of these programs they might
qualify for.