A Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) is a form of financing where a business receives an advance against the future credit and debit card sales. MCAs are an especially popular option for small businesses because they can be obtained relatively quickly, without the need for collateral.
How Does Merchant Cash Advance Work?
When you take out a Merchant Cash Advance, your business will be given a set amount of money up-front. In return, your business agrees to repay the advance by sharing a percentage of its future credit and debit card sales. This repayment method is known as “dynamic amortization.”
This means that, as your business sells more credit and debit cards, it will repay a greater percentage of the advance and reduce the amount you owe over time. If your business sells less credit and debit cards, it will repay a smaller percentage and thus take longer to pay off the loan. And if your business does not sell any more credit and debit cards, it won’t ever repay all of its loan!
This merchant cash advance calculator can give you a good estimate of how much your business could expect to repay each month.
What are the Benefits of a Merchant Cash Advance?
There are several benefits to obtaining a Merchant Cash Advance:
- Quick and easy application process – no collateral required!
- Funds can be used for any purpose, including paying off other debt
- Repayments are made with future sales – there is no cash outlay required!
- No upfront finance fees, unlike a traditional bank loan
- Great for businesses that lack collateral or credit history
The main benefit that sets Merchant Cash Advance apart from its competitors is the fact that it doesn’t require any collateral. And while traditional bank loans require that the business owner secure the loan with personal assets or collateral, cash advance businesses are given access to funds immediately without any of this. And unlike other financing options, there are no upfront fees.
What are the Risks?
There are certain risks associated with Merchant Cash Advance companies, including:
- Since you do not have to pay back the advance immediately, this can lead to overspending. It’s easy to see your Merchant Cash Advance as free money and spend it elsewhere.
- Merchant Cash Advances usually have a high interest rate and long repayment period (often up to 120 days). Over that time, accrued interest will eat away at your business’s profits.
- There is a chance that your business will not sell enough credit and debit cards to repay the advance in full, which can lead to defaulting on the loan.
- The application process can be daunting and time consuming.
Despite these risks, Merchant Cash Advances remain a popular financing option for small businesses because the initial application process is easy and there is no collateral required.
How to Use a Merchant Cash Advance?
MCAs are good for businesses that have high credit card sales volume, but lack the necessary financing or capital to invest in their business. However, it can also be used by any kind of business regardless of what they do or sell. The advance can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as covering payroll, expanding inventory, or purchasing new equipment.
How to Get a Merchant Cash Advance?
The best way to get a merchant cash advance is to go online and search for “merchant cash advances.” You will then be directed to multiple websites that offer this service. You can also call a local bank or credit union and ask them for a referral to a reputable MCA company in your area.