How to build your Business Credit

Small business loans can be obtained if your credit score is good. However, did you know that you can also boost your business credit by getting a loan?

In the event that you use this loan responsibly (which is associated with good payment patterns), this will appear on your credit history, which affects your business credit score.

A loan is ultimately the best method to improve your business credit score.

Our team of experts can help you with a business loan (both to strengthen your business credit score and to invest in your small business).

Applying for a loan with Camino Financial won’t affect your credit score and will only take a few minutes.

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Building your business credit in 6 steps

Here we will explain how to establish credit for your business. Follow these steps.

• You can incorporate your business
• Once you obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Establishing a business bank account
• Establishing a business credit record with major credit bureaus
• Establishing a credit line with suppliers
•  Making timely payments

1. How to build your credit: Incorporate your business

Forming a limited liability company (LLC) or incorporating your business will separate your business credit profile from your personal credit profile. The most common reason for small business owners to incorporate their companies is to protect themselves from personal liability. However, this is not the only advantage of doing so.

Incorporating your business has many other advantages as well:

• Business debt obligations are not personally liable for small-business owners.
• Ideally, corporations should be formed by companies that want to become public in the future.
• Companies can raise capital this way.
• Companies can transfer ownership more easily as corporations.
• A corporation does not depend on the life of an individual and can continue indefinitely
• Therefore creating more opportunities to create tax benefits

By incorporating your business, you are telling the credit bureaus that you exist and they are able to create credit reports on you. When your business is maintained as a general partnership or sole proprietorship, it is not possible to separate your business and personal credit histories.

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2. How to build credit for your business: Obtain an EIN

The same way personal credit bureaus use social security numbers for personal credit reports, business credit bureaus use companies’ EINs for business credit reports. An EIN is like a social security number for a business. An EIN is needed for incorporating your business, applying for business loans, opening a business bank account, identifying yourself to suppliers, and filing business taxes.

A business EIN can be obtained in just 10 minutes online. You can immediately start using your EIN for most business purposes after obtaining one. If you plan to file taxes electronically, you will need to wait about two weeks before you can use the EIN.

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3. How to build credit for your business: Create a business bank account

To manage money and finances, every business needs a checking account. If you wish to maintain the liability protections offered by LLCs, you must open a business bank account under the legal name of your business. If business owners mix their personal finances with those of the company, creditors might claim that they are responsible for the company’s debts or damages.

Checking accounts operate similarly; however, some banks don’t charge monthly fees or make it easier to avoid them if you maintain the minimum balance. With these free business checking accounts, you can keep your banking fees to a minimum, allowing you to keep more money in your business.

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4. How to build credit for your business: Build credit with the major credit bureaus

Three business credit bureaus exist: Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax. Additionally, FICO offers the FICO LiquidCredit Small Business Score (SBSS) model. The process of establishing business credit varies between the credit reporting agencies.

Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is the most widely used business credit score. D&B generates three individual business credit scores based on public information about businesses and industries, payment history, and financial performance. In order to access these scores, you must first obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. It is the only credit bureau that requires you to establish business credit with them on your own.

In order to establish business credit with D&B, you need to:

1. DUNS numbers: This is a unique nine-digit identification number that is used to build your business credit file, similar to how your social security number is associated with your personal credit file. You can apply for a DUNS number for free on the D&B website or through a credit reporting platform like Nav.
2. Provide at least three business references. As with employment references, business references come from vendors and creditors with whom you have transacted. D&B can provide business references by asking vendors with whom you have a positive relationship to report your payment activity.

DUNS numbers are also available if a supplier or vendor has previously reported information to D&B. You can check if your company already has a DUNS number by visiting D&B’s website and searching for it. You’ll need to verify that the information on your D&B credit report is accurate if you already have this number.

Experian and Equifax also provide credit reports.

Equifax and Experian do not require you to create an account or collect business references. For new business filings as well as other public records, these offices automatically check the Secretary of State’s records. A business can be rated based solely on demographic information from those records.

Nevertheless, Equifax allows businesses to provide their own business data. Equifax may benefit from up-to-date and accurate information, but it is not required. The ability to self-report information makes Equifax an attractive option for business owners who want the most accurate credit scores.

FICO Liquid Credit SBSS

The FICO LiquidCredit SBSS combines your personal and business credit scores. FICO is unique because it is not one of the three major credit bureaus, and it provides its own score.

FICO provides business credit scores based on information already collected by Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax. Thus, there is nothing you need to do other than have all three major credit bureaus review your credit information. Small business owners need to focus on this score since the Small Business Administration (SBA) uses it to approve loans.

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5. How to build credit for your business: Establish a credit line with your suppliers

Business credit reports contain a variety of information, but business lines can be some of the most significant features. A trade line is a line of credit between your business and a supplier, which allows you to pay off the balance at a later date.

Establish a line of credit with a business that reports to business credit bureaus if you want to build your business credit. To establish strong business credit, you should have three to five lines of credit with payment reporting providers, such as a small business credit card.

You should ask your current vendors and creditors if they report your payment history to business credit bureaus if you have a good payment history, since they are not legally required to do so. Alternatively, ask them if they can begin sending the information. As there is no cost associated with reporting to the credit bureaus, most providers will agree.

6. How to build credit for your business: Make payments on time.

You must pay all your creditors and lenders on time to build business credit. Whenever business credit agencies calculate your business credit score, your payment history with vendors, lenders, and credit issuers are the most important factors. Late payments will affect your business credit score just like they do for your personal credit score. Low credit scores are one of the most common reasons for denial of credit. Getting a secured business credit card can help you rebuild your credit score if yours isn’t optimal.

Apply for a business credit card that doesn’t report to your personal credit if you want to build your business credit rather than your personal credit. You may have your personal credit affected if you don’t pay off your business credit card.

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Here are some tips on building business credit quickly.

It takes time to build business credit. However, there are a few strategies that can help you increase your score quickly. If you use a business credit card, pay off existing debt, maintain low credit levels, or correct any errors on your business credit report, you can raise your business credit score. Once you’ve used these tactics, you’ll be able to see how they affect your score the next time you review it.

1. Obtain a small business credit card

Taking out a loan and paying it back quickly is the fastest way to establish credit for your business. A good way to build a strong payment history is to get a small business credit card and pay off the balance each month. Late payments and a high credit utilization ratio harm your credit score, so keep your balances below $0.

Additionally, business credit cards and debit cards can earn you cash back and points based rewards. You may qualify for some of the best business credit cards if you have a good credit score (at least 670). Your credit score should be at least 670 for you to qualify for a fair credit card.

2. Pay off previous debts all at once.

How quickly you pay your debt obligations determines most of your business credit score. Whether you owe money to suppliers or to your credit card companies, you must pay all your debts at once. Building your business credit quickly is easy if you minimize your debt.

You should stop being late on payments if you frequently do so. You should pay before the due date or on time. You can increase your chances of building your business credit score by paying an average of 30 days ahead of schedule.

3. Keep your credit low

Your credit score increases the less credit you use out of the credit you have. You can calculate your credit utilization ratio by comparing how much of your credit card balance is used versus how much credit you have available to you. Creditors generally prefer to see your credit utilization ratio below 30% all the time and even better if it is 0%. Creditors know you can manage your debt obligations when you use your credit responsibly.

As an example, if your business credit card has a credit limit of $30,000 but you only use $3,000, your credit utilization ratio is 10%. As you maintain those credit levels, you will be able to boost your business credit over time and increase your chances of receiving future credit.

4. Correct errors on your business credit report.

Business credit reports may contain errors, such as inaccurate payment information. Consolidating your company’s bank and credit card accounts with your lines of business is a good idea, as this is where companies often discover errors or fraud.

Businesses credit reporting agencies have their own procedures for dealing with errors on their reports. Experian and D&B both allow you to submit disputes online. Contact customer service if you wish to dispute an item on your Equifax report. In most cases, a business credit report error can be fixed within a month with proper documentation.

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How is a business credit score calculated?

Based on how a borrower has managed their credit or loans in the past, a business credit score is essentially a credit risk assessment. When doing business with other companies, banks, companies, investors, and loan providers use it to make the right decision.

Experian , one of America’s most respected and trusted credit reporting companies, calculates your business credit score based on:

•  Payment date: Are your loans, credit cards, and other debts paid on time? Have you missed any payments? If so, how often? To how many of these accounts are you owing money? How much do you owe?
• How many times have your business or personal accounts been turned over to collection agencies? Are there any liens, judgments, or even bankruptcies associated with your business or personal accounts? This also refers to your payment pattern. Do you make your payments on time or in advance?
• How do you use your credit: Do you ever spend a loan or credit all at once? What percentage of the loan or credit is currently used? What percentage of the balance is still owed? How high or low is it?

Credit Score Range	Rating	Description of Risk
#76-100	Okay	Low risk
# 51-75	Decent	Low to medium risk
# 26-50	A little	Medium risk
# 11-25	A little	Medium to high risk
# 01-10	A little	High risk

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What are the best ways to use business credit?

A credit for SMEs(Small and mid-size businesses) used intelligently can reduce your risk of financial problems in your business; Therefore, here are a few tips to help you use them correctly:

• Research first, then sign: In order to obtain any business credit, you must first sign a contract. It is best to thoroughly read all the clauses before accepting the loan. Check out the CAT (Total Annual Cost) and the monthly interest rate so you will know exactly how much you will have to pay in the end and, if it exceeds your payment capacity, do not accept the proposal.
• More is not always better: It is very attractive to hear that the line of credit is high, or that you are tempted to acquire more than one loan. However, it is recommended that you only take out one credit for SMEs at a time and that you only borrow what you need. In this way, your borrowing capacity will remain balanced.
• Plan your loan so that you get a greater return on investment: Make sure that the investment you make with the credit will earn you more income than the interest you’ll have to pay on it. Before you take out a loan to invest in assets, develop a realistic investment strategy. You want to invest in tools that will be with your business long after you have paid the credit and continue to generate tangible economic growth.
• Establish a short-term cash improvement strategy: The credit for SMEs can serve as an injection of money in a financial crisis, but it cannot be relied on all the time. The best thing to do is to create a strategy that allows you to generate additional income to build a reserve fund of 3 to 6 months of cash. Using your regular income, you can pay off your credit and then strengthen your stability with the fund.
• Make good use of your line of credit: You might also consider obtaining a business line of credit since, unlike a credit for SMEs, you have a credit limit, but that does not mean that you need to use all of it. Additionally, he will always be there to help you out when needed. The credit allows you to cover an immediate need and pay it off with your next bill collection, so the interest would not represent a significant debt for your business.
• Strengthen your credit credibility: In a stable situation, you could take out a small loan and pay it back little by little over time. As a result, you will be able to improve your credit score quickly against financial and technological institutions that offer business loans, which may lead you to better credit in the future that you can use for an important investment that will help grow your business.
• Do not put all your efforts into one basket: One of the main reasons businesses fail administratively is poor cash flow management, which includes small but recurring expenses that your business must cover in the short term. The best thing you can do to cover this need is to diversify your efforts; Therefore, on the one hand, work on a reserve focused on covering these expenses with a projection of 6 to 12 months, while on the other hand, obtaining a line of credit that allows you to quickly make these payments while keeping the idea that they will be repaid quickly.
• Take advantage of low interest rates: A business loan has much lower interest rates than a personal loan or credit card. The lower the interest rate, the lower the monthly payment. Utilizing this type of credit for short-term needs is therefore more beneficial; this will allow you to reduce your cash outflow to increase your long-term stability.
• Credit can be used for many purposes: The most important thing is to analyse your financial situation and see if it is the best time to acquire debt. Remember that any financial decision will affect your business, but knowing how to take advantage of the tools you have at hand can be a trigger to continue growing.

Summary

As a new business owner, you may not give much thought to your business credit. However, as your business expands and grows, establishing business credit is key to many benefits, such as low-interest financing and favourable terms from vendors. You can increase your business credit score by following the steps outlined above.