Small Business Leasing

In a discussion we will focus on small business leasing. This type of financing, unlike a business loan, focuses more on providing you with the equipment that you need in order launch your business operations specifically as it relates to dealing with the purchase of the specific type of machinery. Small business leasing is an excellent way for you to receive the capital that you need in order to conduct business operations not only because it simplifies the financing process, but also makes your balance sheet cleaner in the event that you need to obtain business loans in the future. When you engage in small business leasing, you do not actually own the equipment that you are looking to acquire. The correct title and ownership of equipment remains with the manufacturer or the financing company that has purchased disappointment and is now leasing it to you. As such, the payment that you make through small business leasing are a function of appreciation and interest. For example, let's say you need to buy a new piece of equipment that costs $10,000. Rather than buying a equipment or purchasing it via a business loan, you can lease this equipment for a specific dollar amount every month. Returning to our example, let's say that this piece of machinery will depreciate at a rate of 10% per you are. Let's also assume that the useful life of this equipment is 10 years. As such, each year that you use this piece of equipment loses $1000 of its value. The small business leasing company will then charge you $1000 per year plus an amount of interest rate on the depreciation that your pay. This is essentially how all leasing works. Whether you're acquiring a vehicle, new piece of equipment, or other type of machinery that is the least this is the mechanism in which small business leasing companies operate. This holds true for both business assets as well as personal purposes as well. Ultimately, when you engage in small business leasing your venture is receiving financing from a third party that is not a traditional financial institution.

 

Is obtaining small business leasing, many companies now directly offer their customers the ability to finance the purchase, via a lease, directly through the manufacturer. Over the past 10 years, this is becoming very popular way for manufacturers to directly make the sales of their products to their customers. As we discussed in one of our previous articles, pertaining to general business finance, we discussed thoroughly the fact that manufacturers have found that this is an excellent profit center for their activities since it only able to make a sale of the product but also able to generate interest on the depreciation that the charge to you. This trend is expected to continue indefinitely as manufacturers are continually looking for ways to entice customers to purchase new equipment, vehicles, or other tangible assets. It should be noted, that small business leasing is only geared towards the actual acquisition and usage of tangible equipment. All other types of financing, such as working capital, are we sure to be treated as business loans for business lines of credit.

 

One of the best aspects of small business leasing, primarily due to the fact that it will keep a clean balance sheet, is that can be able to more easily obtain business loans in the future should your prior to do so. In most instances, the usage of small business financing and leasing does not appear on your balance sheet as a long-term liability. However, if you use a business loan in order to purchase tangible equipment will find that this liability will be on your balance sheet. However, it should be noted that in some circumstances, the entire amount of the lease may be placed on your personal credit report for your business credit report depending on the manufacturer you're working with and the specific type of small business leasing of acquired. However, for most intents and purposes, the nature of the small business lease that you undertaken will not appear on your balance sheet. However, if you are applying for business loans in the future then you may need to inform the bank that you do have a monthly obligation as it applies to any type of equipment financing, vehicle leasing, or other types of capital leases that you have obtained through your business operations. Of course, and as we have always mentioned through our series of articles pertaining to financing, you should always discuss these matters with a certified public accountant or with an appropriate financial advisor prior taking on any type of credit obligation. In regards to small business leasing, you should treat the fact that you are acquiring a new piece of equipment, via a lease, as a long-term liability in regards to manage your cash flow as well as managing your balance sheet. In regards to managerial accounting, it may be in your best interest to treat the small business leasing facility that you have obtained as a long term liability as you will be contractually obligated to continue leading this amount on a month-to-month basis as per the terms of the lease. In doing so, you'll be able to make smarter decisions as your business expands and needs new capital leases.

 

One of the downsides to small business leasing is that it does not create value in your business as you continually pay the month-to-month fees that are associated with a specific piece of commitment they've acquired. Unlike a business loan, a lease is written off each time you make a payment. As such, for the purchase a very expensive piece of machinery, which is paid off through the lease then the benefit of having that asset on your balance sheet once it is fully paid off is not available to you. However, you may save yourself a tremendous amount of hassle; again, as you apply for new business credit in the future simply due to the fact that capital leases typically are off-balance sheet items are treated as expenses rather than capital expenses. Again, only a CPA can make the appropriate determination as to whether or not a small business lease will ultimately appear on your balance sheet.

 

Return to our discussion relating to the benefits of small business leasing, one of the primary benefits, outside of keeping your balance sheet clean, is that you are effectively able to manage your cash flow. There will be no surprises as to what you’re month-to-month payment will be as it will remain static throughout the life of the lease. Additionally, in the event that something breaks with the specific type of machinery that you've acquired through small business leasing the ultimate manufacturer will be responsible for making appropriate repair so that the machinery returns to functional form. When you are engaging small business leasing facilities, you should always make sure that the lease agreement covers incidental wear and tear of the equipment that you are acquiring. This works very much like that of an automotive lease in that ultimately the manufacturer is responsible for making sure that the vehicle remains in operational state that all times provide that you've not done anything to change the nature of how the machinery works. This can save you a tremendous amount of money especially if the machinery that you are purchasing is extremely expensive or extremely complex and its operational nature. If you would purchase this equipment to a traditional business loan more than financing facility then you will be responsible any time it then the machinery breaks down. As such, there are a tremendous number of benefits for small business leasing as it relates to obtaining the equipment that you need nor to develop work standard business.

 

For business startups, small business leasing can be an excellent method of getting the agreement that you need without needing to make a very large capital investment. As we all know, is very expensive to start a new business. This is especially true if your company requires highly specialized forms of machinery or other pieces of equipment in order to render the services sell the products that you intend to offer. As such, small business leasing can provide you with effective way of receiving the money you need in order to launch a business while concurrently saving you a tremendous amount of up front start up expenses. However, as we've discussed before in relate regards to planning contingencies, if the business does not as planned then you'll ultimately still be responsible for the lease. However, some lease agreements provide for the fact that if a business doesn't do well then the equipment can be returned with a penalty fee. Again, anytime you are reviewing in these contracts you should always have your attorney review as well so that you can be aware of all the finer points as a relates to be specific to your purchasing. Unlike leases for personal purchases, small business leasing companies have more complex documentation and contracts are involved when they provide this type of financing for their customers. As such, you should thoroughly review all the finer points as it, again, the monthly payments that will be applied to you, the repairs that you may be responsible for, the annual depreciation rate of equipment that you are requiring, and the interest rate that is associated with the ongoing depreciation that you're paying.

 

It should also be noted that many companies that can offer large-scale pieces of machinery are now entering the market with specialized leases. This is especially true among computer businesses and manufacturers of computers that serve provide large-scale enterprises with new technology. Due to the fact that technology rapidly changes, these companies have learned that an effective lease on a server, computer, or other piece of technology equipment may be a very effective way for a company to aggressively ramp up their technological infrastructure without having to take the expenses relating to the acquisition of deep is equipment at right. This trend, much like a trend among manufacturers of large-scale equipment, is expected to continue indefinitely as these companies also recognize a significant amount of profit from charging ongoing leasing fees to their customers rather than through the direct sale of equipment.

 

However, not everything can be acquired via small business leasing. This is especially true in regards to general fixtures, furniture, and equipment such as tables, desks, chairs, lamps, and other items are normally associated with an office or a retail facility. It is not expected that small business leasing companies will ever enter the market with financing programs that allows individuals and businesses to lease this type of equipment simply because it does not depreciate at rates that would allow it to financing firm to recognize a significant profit. For many of these general about items that were acquired by offices and retail facilities, he can anticipate that you'll need to purchase these products outright either directly with your own money or with proceeds from a business loan or other funding source.

 

This is going to conclude our discussion regarding small business leasing. However, we intend to develop a series of new articles as it relates to issues pertaining to leasing, equipment financing, and properly preparing to receive the capital that you need in order to grow and expand your business. A quick side note, it should be easily made aware of the fact that in most cases of small business leasing you will not require the formal business plan as you would pertaining a business loan were business line of credit. Typically, if you are seeking small business leasing, the firm that is providing you with this type of financing will simply look at your credit report, the income of your business, as well as any applicable business credit report the edge reminds me of had passed. These small business leasing firms may also acquire certain trade references from other companies in which you've done business with in the past few business is currently operational.