Understanding Merchant Cash Advances
Before getting into the pros and cons, it’s important to understand how MCAs function. Unlike traditional loans, MCAs don’t involve borrowing money. Instead, they provide advances based on your future credit and debit card sales.
When applying for an MCA loan, you must provide information about your recent sales. MCA lenders will use it to determine your advance amount and factor rate. The factor rate ranges from 1.2 to 1.5. As an example, if you borrow $20,000 with a factor rate of 1.5, you’ll repay $30,000.
MCA repayments are linked to your daily credit and debit card sales, unlike traditional loans with fixed monthly payments.
Pros of a Merchant Cash Advance
- Quick Funding: MCAs offer fast funding with a quick application process. MCA lenders could deposit working capital into your bank account within one to two business days. They are a good choice for businesses in urgent need of financial help.
- Low Credit Requirements: Qualifying for an MCA doesn’t require a business or personal credit score. MCA lenders primarily focus on your sales record and receivables.
- Flexible Payments: repayments are calculated on a percentage of your debit and credit card sales. If your sales go up and down, your payments will adjust accordingly. The fixed factor rate ensures your overall payment doesn’t increase during a slow sales period.
- No Collateral Required: Unlike many traditional small business loans, MCAs don’t require collateral. This minimizes the risk of losing assets if you default on the debt.
Cons of a Merchant Cash Advance
- High Cost: Despite their convenience, MCAs are one of the most expensive business financing methods. Factor rates range from 1.1 to 1.5, making them a costly option compared to traditional term loans.
- Daily Repayments: Repayments occur daily, impacting your cash flow more than monthly payments of traditional loans. It can intensify cash flow problems if you’re already facing them.
- Unpleasant Clauses: Some MCA contracts have clauses called “confession of judgment” that limit your legal rights and may seem predatory. It’s crucial to review the entire contract before signing.
- Lack of Regulation: MCA lenders operate in a relatively unregulated industry, offering borrowers limited legal protections.
- Temporary Solution: MCAs often serve as quick fixes for cash flow issues rather than long-term growth solutions. Daily payments can make it harder to solve the financial issues
In conclusion, while MCAs offer easy access to money, and it costs more than traditional loans. To make a good business decision, evaluate all options and understand the pros and cons of merchant cash advance (MCA). This will allow you to make an informed decision that is beneficial for your business.
If you already have an merchant cash advance debt and are exploring debt relief options to address potential challenges, contact our debt consultants at Coastal Debt Resolve. We provide free consultations and customized solutions to suit your unique situation, we can help you with MCA debt consolidation and MCA debt restructuring.
