David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies.
To connect with David, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
Articles by David Roitblat
How Merchant Cash Advance Companies Can Avoid Problems This Tax Season
April 2, 2024David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies. To connect with David or schedule a call about working with Better Accounting Solutions, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
In the fast-paced and ever changing world of cash advance, tax season can often present a labyrinth of compliance and reporting challenges. These challenges are not just bureaucratic hurdles that must be overcome; they also serve as crucial tests of a company’s financial health and operational integrity. Given the intense scrutiny the cash advance industry faces from regulatory bodies, particularly in light of recent industry shaking events, alongside the unique nature of how its financial transactions can be structured, ensuring tax compliance is not just advisable—it’s essential. Let’s discuss frequent speed bumps cash advance companies encounter during tax season, and some solutions for these problems.
Misclassification of Income and Advances
One of the most significant stumbling blocks for cash advance businesses lies in the misclassification of the funds they advance to customers. This misstep can lead to serious tax implications, distorting the financial understanding of a company in the eyes of the law. A robust accounting system that accurately differentiates loans, advances, and income is not just a recommendation; it’s a necessity. Each category must be meticulously reported for tax purposes, a task that underscores the importance of seeking guidance from a tax professional well-versed in the nuances and implications of these classifications.
Misreporting Income
A common oversight among cash advance companies is the inaccurate reporting of income. Whether it’s underreporting or misclassifying earnings, the repercussions can be severe, and include the possibility of triggering an audit or incurring a severe financial penalty. The remedy? An accounting software tailored for the funding industry (such as Orgmeter, MCA-Track, OnyxIQ, Centrex, or LendSaas), capable of automating the calculation and reporting all necessary metrics and income. This ensures not only compliance but also a transparent overview of a company’s financial health that benefits you as well.
State-Specific Tax Obligations
Just over 5 years ago, Wayfair was successfully sued by South Dakota for failing to tax online sales even though they had no physical presence in the state, beginning a new era of legal understanding of state tax obligations in the internet and cross-state trade era.The complexity of tax compliance is magnified for cash advance companies operating across state lines, each with its unique tax laws and regulations. This multi-state maze can easily lead to oversight or misunderstanding, risking non-compliance. The solution is twofold: developing a comprehensive compliance checklist for each state and consulting with tax professionals who specialize in navigating these multi-state operations. Together, these strategies form a bulwark against the many possible blind spots of state-specific tax obligations.
Documentation for Audits
Not having the correct documentation and record-keeping on hand can transform a routine tax audit into a nightmare scenario, and cause businesses to be slapped with heavy penalties and fines. To counter this risk, cash advance companies need to maintain meticulous records of all transactions. Experts often recommend businesses conduct regular audits, whether internal or external, to ensure these records are both accurate and will back you up when they are needed.
Planning for Tax Liabilities
Perhaps one of the easiest mistakes to avoid is not adequately planning for surprise tax liabilities. Without planning in advance and setting aside sufficient funds to cover these obligations, companies can find themselves in a precarious cash flow situation when taxes are due. A proactive strategy to counter that involves specifically marking off a portion of income in a dedicated account for unforeseen expenditures (tax liabilities included), calculated with an estimated effective tax rate. This approach, developed with the assistance of a tax professional, can prevent the unwelcome surprise of a hefty tax bill when you’re not ready for it.
At the end of the day, tax compliance, while definitely not fun, should not be viewed (just) as a regulatory pain-in-the-butt, but as a way to ensure a cash advance business’s success and longevity. By embracing proactive tax planning and compliance, companies can not only successfully navigate the complexities of tax season but also reinforce the integrity and sustainability of their business and ensure their success and viability for years to come, free from any stress or government microscope.
Cash (Basis) is King
March 1, 2024David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies. To connect with David or schedule a call about working with Better Accounting Solutions, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
Tax season is upon us, and it’s the worst.
Aside from wading through scores of financial documents and dealing with a million questions, it’s a fact that our government is purposely opaque in how it accounts for the tax dollars they take from business owners, and simply don’t know what it’s like to actually have a job that doesn’t involve overegulating others. On top of that, the merchant cash advance space is a difficult one to define and operate in for its different categories of advances and investors. As a result of all this, tax season can be complicated and difficult.
It’s for this reason that Better Accounting Solutions services many cash advance businesses- so let me explain what we do and why to make it easier for our clients, and-hopefully- easier for you as well.
Loans are easy to account for: there is simply the principal amount and interest. By contrast, cash advances involve the purchase of future receivables with different metrics, durations and structures for how it is paid.
Because of this, Better Accounting Solutions are big proponents of the cash basis accounting method (if a business makes less than $10 million in actual annual revenue): only recognizing the income when it is received, instead of when the transactions are made but before any money is actually seen.
To explain the concept, consider this example we’ve used before:
A merchant cash advance provider funds a merchant with $100,000 at a commission expense of 12% and a Closing Fee income of 10%. The bank fee income and RTR/Factor Rate is .5, while the merchant will pay back $150,000, $1,500 daily assuming a 100 day duration.
In terms of handling the books, we’d recommend recognizing the commission expense and closing fee income immediately (in most scenarios) on the day the advance is given, deducted from the funded amount.
But with the factor income, no additional income would be recognized until the full contract funded amount of $100,000 is received in the funder’s bank account (not just the amount wired). Once the contract amount is fully received on a cash basis, any payments received after that point constitute factor income or RTR income.
We recommend recognizing income and filing this way because, simply by reporting on a cash basis, you are deferring the recognized tax income.
This means that for all the deals in the process of being paid by the time the financial year is over do not need to be recognized for tax purposes until the next year when the full amount is back in your account, thereby deferring your tax liabilities.This means you have more time to spend that money and grow your actual business, which is obviously the reason we all do what we do.
When done simply, without over bureaucratic machinations, and with professional assistance, taxes don’t have to be a painful and difficult experience, and can even be a boon to your cash flow when done right. Make 2024 the year you show Uncle Sam you know your way around the tax system, no matter what they throw at you.
It’s essential to emphasize that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personal accounting or financial advice. It’s strongly recommended for funders and companies to seek guidance from qualified accountants or financial professionals to ensure compliance with accounting standards and tax regulations tailored to their specific circumstances.
Mastering Taxes for Merchant Cash Advance Businesses – Cash Basis 101
December 7, 2023David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies. To connect with David or schedule a call about working with Better Accounting Solutions, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
For funders in the merchant cash advance industry, navigating through various funding scenarios is a common challenge. There are many different ways to fund your MCA business–including institutional money, using your own funds, partnering with syndicators, or involving outside investors– and understanding how to recognize income for reporting to your partner, syndicators, investors and the IRS is essential to avoid tax and compliance issues down the line.
When I started Better Accounting Solutions in 2011 and began working with clients in our industry, I found the accounting world wholly unprepared for the different funding streams MCA businesses worked with, and in the years since, we’ve managed to systematize and customize the income recognition process for the entire industry, particularly in the context of accrual basis reporting, as we’ve become more and more ingrained in the space..
Let’s explain how, starting by exploring the different funding scenarios your business might find itself in:
Using Company’s Own Funds: Some funders rely solely on their own company’s money to provide advances. In this scenario, the funding is entirely self-financed, and the company does not seek external investments.
Equity Partner of the Funding Company as Syndicators: Other funders collaborate with partners who contribute money as syndicators, in addition to using the company’s funds. This means that both the company and its partners are involved in funding the deals.
Outside Syndicators and Investments: Certain companies involve outside syndicators, who are not part of the company’s core team or partners, to provide additional funding. This setup allows the company to expand its funding capacity beyond internal resources and institutional investors.
Income Recognition for Reporting and Tax Purposes
Typically, for funders using their own company’s money, there are two primary ways to recognize income— one for reporting purposes and the other for tax purposes.
Cash Basis Reporting: Cash basis reporting recognizes income and expenses when actual cash is received or paid. In this method, income is recognized when the money hits the bank account, and expenses are recognized when the money leaves the credit card or bank account.
Accrual Basis Reporting (GAAP): Accrual basis reporting, also known as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) reporting, is used by Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) when auditing financial statements. Unlike cash basis reporting, accrual basis recognizes income when earned, regardless of when the cash is received, and expenses are recognized when they are accrued. (More about GAAP in a future article)
Challenges in Income Recognition for Merchant Cash Advance
Recognizing income in the merchant cash advance industry can be complex, especially when dealing with cash advances rather than traditional loans. Unlike loans, where regular payments consist of interest and principal, merchant cash advances involve the purchase of future receivables.
Consider this example: A merchant cash advance provider funds a merchant with $100,000 at a commission expense of 12% and a Junk Fee income of 10%. The bank fee income and RTR/Factor Rate is.5, while the merchant will pay back $150,000, $1,500 daily assuming a 100 day duration.
Cash Advance Income Recognition Approach in Cash Basis Accounting:
Because of this unique funding structure, here’s how my team at Better Accounting Solutions recommends reporting the income (BAS will typically use Accrual Basis reporting for business owners, and note-holder investors, and cash basis for tax reporting if the company’s revenue is less than $10 million annually):
Commission Expense and Junk Fee Income: The commission expense and junk fee income are recognized immediately (in most scenarios) on the day the advance is given, deducted from the funded amount.
Factor Income: Until the full contract funded amount of $100,000 is received in the funder’s bank account (not just the amount wired), no additional income is recognized. Once the contract amount is fully received on a cash basis, any payments received after that point constitute factor income or RTR income.
What’s the benefit of reporting this way?
By reporting on a cash basis you are deferring the recognized tax income. For example, if you have a deal that was funded in November over five months, you will have been only about forty percent in the payback by the time the tax calendar year is over. Since you would have not received the contract funded amount back yet , you would not recognize any of the factor income for tax purposes until the following year, thereby deferring your tax liability. This means you have more time to spend that money and grow your actual business.
It’s important to acknowledge that accounting practices can vary, and accountants may have differing opinions on income recognition. The approach outlined here is definitely an aggressive method, but one I continue advocating using for IRS and tax purposes, for the reasons listed above.
As we’ve said, navigating income recognition in the merchant cash advance industry can be challenging due to the unique nature of cash advances. Understanding the funding scenarios, recognizing income for reporting and tax purposes, and considering different accounting methods are crucial for funders and companies in this space, and will give you a leg up come Tax Season.
It’s essential to emphasize that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as accounting or financial advice. It’s strongly recommended for funders and companies to seek guidance from qualified accountants or financial professionals to ensure compliance with accounting standards and tax regulations tailored to their specific circumstances.
Why I’m An Evangelist…. For Outside Accounting Firms in MCA
November 9, 2023David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies. To connect with David or schedule a call about working with Better Accounting Solutions, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
For over a decade, since the explosion of the merchant cash advance industry in the United States, my team and I at Better Accounting Solutions have been working with a growing number of people and businesses involved in the industry, including brokers, funders, syndicators and investors. We’ve spent time meeting and mingling with you at industry events like Broker Fair and spent more hours talking on the phone advising you than we can bill for.
All this experience has led me to one conclusion, one reinforced the longer we work together with many of you: to thrive and be successful in the merchant cash advance industry, you need a third-party independent financial expert embedded in your business and books.
To declare the obvious context and biases up front: yes, this benefits businesses like mine and yes, I know this from working with many of you. But people become knowledgeable and experts in their own field that they’ve spent years studying and developing, which is why I feel qualified to discuss this.
In the ever-evolving world of merchant cash advance and its challenging relationship with transparency and ethics, trust with your business partners is a must.
Having independent third-party financial experts that report to both parties-for example between a funder and their syndicators- is the only way to ensure complete transparency without bias or conflict. It eliminates the possibility of the funder misappropriating the syndicator’s investment and skimming off what the investors are owed. Firms like ours excel in tracking the numbers to see the deals that are working and the ones that aren’t, and can demonstrate what is trending down to stop a bad deal from spiraling into a company-killing problem.
People often choose to rely on a single in-house accountant to manage their books because they want exclusive focus, but there are plenty of downsides to that as well. Not only are accountants hired from another corporate job rarely equipped to accurately track deals in the complicated world of cash advance, but they are also incentivized to make their reports as favorable as they can to their own company, which may scare syndicators and investors whom they have no obligations to. By outsourcing these critical functions to a specialized firm, MCA funders send a clear message to investors and syndicators: they take financial accountability seriously and they are a trustworthy and transparent business to work with, with open books for their partners to peer in.
Industry scandals that bring our profession into disrepute- such as the collapses of MJ Capital Funding, LLC and 1 Global Capital– were able to happen because the investors pouring money into what they thought were legitimate MCA businesses weren’t given access to the companies books until it was too late and hundreds of millions of dollars were forever lost.
Obviously, you should be wise about people’s motives, even mine as the author of this article, but you should also take every piece of advice into consideration, particularly one that objectively suggests measures that fosters and promote trust and better business growth practices.
Remember, in the world of finance, trust is the most valuable asset of all.
Protecting Your Syndicated MCA Investments
August 24, 2023David Roitblat is the founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, an accounting firm based in New York City, and a leading authority in specialized accounting for merchant cash advance companies.
To connect with David or schedule a call about working with Better Accounting Solutions, email david@betteraccountingsolutions.com.
An increasingly popular way for merchant cash advances businesses to raise capital is by offering syndicated deals. In theory, this structure is simple to understand and fulfill the terms of: in these scenarios, investors put a percentage of the funded deal and get a percentage of the returns. But, as we all know, our industry is dynamic and has inherent risks, and safeguarding one’s hard-earned investments takes on paramount importance.
We saw the pitfalls in the cases of MJ Capital Funding, LLC and 1 Global Capital, along with more recent cases earlier this year, where investors were fleeced of hundreds of millions of dollars that they invested into what they thought were legitimate MCA funding companies.
What happened there is unfortunately investors did not see or understand the importance of having a third party reporting back to the investors and syndicators about how their investment was going, and were misled until it was too late.
So how can investors protect their investments in syndicated MCA deals?
Know Where Your Money Is Going
Let’s start with the first thing you can do.
The landscape of MCAs is marred by tales of deceitful entities posing as legitimate funding companies, leaving investors and syndicators in dire financial straits when they are left to hold the bag.
From the outset, it is essential to ensure that the funds committed find their way into the intended bank account- one that is owned by the same entity as the MCA actually funding the merchants. The need for this is underscored by the unfortunate prevalence of fraudulent actors diverting funds to different accounts under deceptive entities. This manipulation obscures the money trail, making it harder to track and detect financial malfeasance, and leave investor funds vulnerable to exploitation.
Vigilance through Allocation Monitoring
To protect your investment against malicious machinations, it is crucial to exercise stringent vigilance and monitor your funds.
If one’s investment is tied to a specific percentage of MCA deals, a diligent verification process is necessary to confirm that the funds contributed align precisely with these deals. Ensuring the MCA business has a quality and comprehensive reporting and CRM system will provide a transparent window into the balance and distribution of funds across each deal. This transparency not only empowers investors but also safeguards their interests against any misallocation.
Additionally, investors should ask about and pay attention to when their portion of the syndication was added to a deal, to make sure you haven’t been added to a bad deal only once they have already started bouncing payments.
Finally, suppose the CRM system shows an available balance on your syndication for a certain amount. In that case, you can talk to the MCA funder about ensuring they always have that amount or more available in their bank account. If the available balance in the MCA’s bank account is less than your available liquid balance then essentially the funder is borrowing (and risking) your funds to fund deals without you benefitting.
Navigating Default Deception
Another way scammers try to fleece syndicators is by telling them deals that they have invested in have defaulted. Through shrewd tactics such as rerouting default payments to alternative accounts or manipulating reporting mechanisms, deceptive entities can evade investor scrutiny and keep their money.
To counteract these tactics, a collaborative partnership with a transparent and independent accounting firm is indispensable. This partnership acts as a source of clarity for both parties: unraveling intricate payment webs and ensuring that defaults are tracked while investors receive accurate insights into their investments’ actual performance that cannot be manipulated by the unscrupulous funder.
A Solution…
The scale of risks are glaringly evident. So what can you do about it?
The message is clear: vigilance is paramount. Minor inconsistencies can snowball into severe financial pitfalls, making it imperative to maintain an unwavering, watchful eye.
But it’s difficult for syndicators to do that, both because they have limited insights as syndicators and because they have their own jobs to worry about without the added stress.
That’s why Better Accounting Solutions encourages all our clients in the merchant cash advance industry to employ this protective framework:
When we come onboard to do accounting for business or investors, we encourage both parties to obtain explicit consent from MCA entities to share all information with the syndicator. Without formal authorization, firms like Better Accounting Solutions are legally bound from sharing crucial information. Trust and transparency rests upon this explicit approval, serving as the conduit for open dialogues and proactive measures. With this permission granted, the accountants can regularly produce independent and up-to-date reports ensuring both parties are on the same page and share a mutual trust. That’s the benefit of third party oversight: nothing is happening in the dark, without anyone’s knowledge.
Encouraging and working towards an honest merchant cash advance industry is a virtue that safeguards investments, draws more investors, and bolsters the credibility of our entire industry.
How Raising The Debt Limit Affects MCA
May 22, 2023
Every few years, particularly during the administration of a divided government, the threat of a default on raising the debt limit of the United States rears up in the political and economic spheres. While both sides tend to play chicken before ultimately settling on a negotiated outcome that they can sell to their bases, the current debt limit crisis feels more serious as the X date of June 1 looms with no settlement in site.
This crisis has a significant effect on various industries, and amongst them is the merchant cash advance business. MCA companies are heavily relied upon by small businesses for immediate financial needs, and understanding what this crisis means for the industry is crucial for getting through it unscathed.
Let’s compare the current landscape to running a business:
When a company opts to increase its debt limit, it essentially seeks to borrow more money, trading liability for an asset. For example, if the company’s equity is worth 100 billion dollars, borrowing doesn’t change this figure as long as the borrowed amount is an idle asset in their account.
The U.S. government should theoretically operate similarly to a regular company, borrowing only what it can pay back, but with the only growing expenses, when the government borrows money and raises the debt ceiling, it doesn’t always have enough funds for repayment.
In addressing its fiscal shortfall, the government operates distinctly from a conventional business. Unlike a company compelled to confront its financial mismanagement head-on, the government possesses the ability to print additional U.S. dollars. However, this course of action inherently devalues the currency.
For the sake of illustration, consider the worth of the dollar as a fixed entity. Suppose every thousand dollars equates to one bar of gold. If we slice this bar of gold into a thousand pieces, each piece represents $1. When the government initiates the printing of more money, it is essentially the government carving that same bar of gold into tinier segments. Meaning, if sliced in 2,000 pieces, the same bar of that once held the value of $1,000 is now $2,000. The total quantity of gold remains constant, regardless of whether it’s divided into 1,000 or 2,000 slices. However, with increased currency in circulation, each dollar—like every slice—holds less value, thereby shrinking everyone’s piece of the proverbial gold bar.
Now that we’ve explained the dangers of wantonly raising the debt limit, how does this affect MCA companies?
The debt limit crisis’s impact on MCAs is pronounced due to the time-value factor of money.
Suppose a mortgage of $100,000, repaid with interest over 30 years, amounts to $300,000. If the value of the dollar reduces significantly over this period – say by 50% – the bank, despite appearing to make a profit, loses money. That’s because the money they receive later has less purchasing power than the same amount ten years prior.
This reality can be acutely felt in periods of high inflation, such as in 2021 and 2022, where inflation neared 9%, and many felt it was closer to 20%. We all feel it during our grocery shops, the prices of experiences, and in other areas of our lives. Here, $100 can only buy what $80 could a couple of years ago, eroding the value of the interest charged.
At Better Accounting Solutions, a number of the MCA businesses we’re working with are concerned with this rapid devaluation of the money they’re funding.
The key factor to consider is the duration for which the capital will be deployed and how it will be recouped. For instance, if you advance $1 million at a 24% factor rate over 24 months and the debt ceiling is raised causing the dollar value to drop, your returns in the second year might be significantly less valuable despite the factor rate. This depreciation means that even though you’re receiving the agreed-upon returns, the funds’ purchasing power is considerably less, translating into a net loss of what would have been 13.5% over the past two years.
However, if you’re giving out (after careful consideration) riskier short-term advances with higher factor rates, daily repayments, and shorter durations, the situation would be different. Here, you’re receiving your return within, say, six months. Even if the dollar’s value decreases by 20% over a year, you’re less affected because your returns are realized in a shorter time and at higher rates, leaving you with a net gain.
Therefore, the debt limit affects MCA providers significantly, whether it’s being covered in the news or not. The devaluation of the dollar, high inflation rates, and other economic consequences of a debt limit crisis can dramatically impact the returns on cash advance businesses, especially those with longer repayment periods. As a player in the finance industry, it’s crucial to consider these elements when making advances or lending money. By factoring in these variables, providers can better protect their interests, minimize risks, and ensure the stability of their operations even during times of economic uncertainty.
Don’t Run To The Big Banks Because of SVB!
April 6, 2023
The weekend of March 10 saw the largest and most significant banking failure in the United States since 2008 until the Federal Government announced its (don’t-call-it-a-bailout) deposit guarantee on March 13.
Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were thought to be niche and regional banks whose actions wouldn’t affect the broader banking industry, but when they had to sell some of the long-term US treasury bonds that they over-invested in at a loss as their worth plummeted when interest rates ballooned, panic quickly spread and launched the first social media run on the banks. To stop this, the Government guaranteed that all accounts in both banks would be guaranteed their full sums, even if they were over the FDIC-insured amounts of $250,000.
So with the benefit of two weeks of hindsight, how did this collapse affect the cash advance industry?
While Silicon Valley Bank catered primarily to the venture capital and tech industries, Signature Bank in New York was known for its welcome embrace of crypto and alt-finance businesses, and many MCA companies had accounts there.
When Signature Bank failed, some of the MCA companies we work with at Better Accounting Solutions started considering transferring their accounts to the “Big Four” banks: JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.
Their reasoning made sense: Amid criticism of their decisions in the aftermath of this collapse, representatives of the Government and financial regulatory agencies suggested they wouldn’t follow the approach they employed this time round if another bank failed, and instead would weigh up the specific bank’s size and significance in each specific instance to decide whether or not to guarantee depositor’s accounts.
Understanding that their funds would not be protected if there was another crisis in the banks they worked with, several cash advance companies wanted to move their funds to banks that would be considered “too big to fail”, and their money would be guaranteed by the Government in the case of a calamitous collapse. They also wanted to start spreading out their funds across multiple banks to not surpass $250,000 in any of them, to ensure their money was always insured.
There are two issues with this response to these legitimate concerns:
- When a merchant cash advance company starts working and relying on the services of a big bank, they do that without understanding the rules and regulations these banks impose on their clients and how they may be affected, particularly a cash advance company.
Even if you try to hide what your business does, once the bank finds out that you’re in the MCA space-and count on them finding out sooner rather than later-, you’re business will likely be subjected to a thorough, extensive and painful review process to determine whether you’ve broken any of their rules. During this time, they may freeze your accounts (on average for 3 months) and cripple your business’s ability to operate during this time.
- Additionally, when trying to stick the FDIC-insured sum of $250,000 in each bank, you’re limiting yourself to an extremely inefficient and unsustainable way of doing business. It affects your ability to cover your operating costs, fund deals and have money available on hand when you need it.
To responsibly manage these risks while balancing your ability to do business, this is what we’ve been advising our clients:
Before beginning to work with any bank, speak to people involved in the MCA space (brokers, funders and even accountants) to get a list of which banks are friendly to the industry. Ensure that they understand the business and don’t have onerous regulations and practices that will not allow you to run your business without their constant intervention.
Once you know which banks to work with, we advise our clients to open accounts with two of these banks and split their funds equally between them. This ensures they have somewhere to send their money in case one collapses, and if they can’t get it out in time, they still have access to half of their capital while waiting to see how the Government responds. This 50/50 approach allows MCA companies to run and grow their merchant cash advance businesses efficiently during ‘times of peace’ while anticipating and preparing for the consequences of another collapse.
As the Government proved during this crisis, in the age of rapid communication a massive run of the banks can be mobilized within minutes, which forced the Government to (“not”) bail out a small bank to stop a larger collapse. I-and other experts- remain convinced that in the event of another collapse, they’ll be forced to follow this same policy and guarantee all deposits of all sizes at all banks, which is why I confidently advocate for this 50/50 approach.
An important disclaimer: This is an opinion article analyzing the specific collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, and the response MCA companies should have to it broadly speaking. Every case and merchant cash advance company is different, and for specific advice and guidance, they should contact the author directly.
The Merchant Cash Advance Journey from Broker to Funder
February 7, 2023
As merchant cash advances have become a popular financing option for small businesses in recent years, it has quickly become obvious how lucrative it can be to make the transition from working the phones to working the deals.
The transition from broker to funder can provide significant benefits: by becoming a funder, you have the opportunity to control the entire process from start to finish. Driving the deals, you have the opportunity to make more money, and can establish relationships with banks and payment processing systems that align with your business goals. You can choose a CRM system that best fits your needs and invest in a strong legal and accounting infrastructure to ensure compliance and accountability. Additionally, as a funder, you have the ability to diversify your portfolio and make informed decisions on the types of deals you want to fund, which can lead to higher returns and more stable growth.
While many brokers have the gift of the gab and expertise to sell the advances, they may not have the necessary knowledge of systems and processes in place to manage the risk and operational aspects of the business to go to the next level. Additionally, funders, more than brokers, have the relationships with banks, CRM systems, collection firms, and legal entities that are necessary to run a successful merchant cash advance funding business. The lack of these critical components can limit the growth potential of a broker.
The evolution from a broker to a funder is not just a matter of expanding the business, but it requires a complete overhaul of the systems, processes, and legal frameworks. In this article, let’s explore the key steps that a broker needs to take to become a successful merchant cash advance funder.
Step 1: Having The Right Bank Account
Having a proper bank account is the first step towards becoming a merchant cash advance funder.
Traditional banks, such as Chase and Bank of America, are not built for the rapidly brave new world of financing options, and instead cater to the old models. If they see (what they deem to be) ‘irregular’ incoming and outgoing payment just as you begin offering your first few deals, they can cause you a lot of stress, and even shut your account.
Researching all the options available before you begin funding deals is crucial to build up your business and to avoid stress down the road.
Step 2: Finding The Best ACH Payment Processor
The best way to accept the daily payments owed to you is by working with an ACH payment processor that understands the MCA space. While some traditional banks do offer ACH ‘pulling’ for free, their service is often tied to the amount you have sitting in your account at the bank, which means it’s not working for you to make more. For example, some stipulate that your account needs to have three times the amount that you’re planning to pull daily, just sitting there. So if you’re pulling $200,000 a day, now you have to have $600,000 just sitting there in reserve, which you can’t use to fund other deals you could be making money on.
Instead, finding ACH payment processors that specifically understand the business and your needs will free you up to strive to collect as much as you can, every single day. While it might cost you a little bit, you have the option to now make that calculation of whether it’s better to have free ACHs or have the money available to fund deals and make money off of. A wise man would tell you the latter is the right way to go.
Step 3: Picking A CRM System
A CRM system is an essential tool for tracking the deals, payments, and collections. There are about 8-10 mainstream CRM systems that cater to merchant cash advance funders, and the choice of the CRM system depends on the volume of deals you fund, the presence of syndicators, and the type of deals you fund.
Pick a system that best serves your needs: how it accounts for sub deals and tranches, whether it helps you identify the best and worst performing deals, and if it generates the reports you need to make the most informed choices for your business going forward.
Step 4: Setting Up Your Legal Framework
Setting up a legal framework for contracts is an important step in the journey from a broker to a funder. A proper legal framework ensures that the contracts are enforceable and protects your interests.
It is worth consulting with a lawyer familiar with merchant cash advance to help you prepare thorough contracts for the businesses you advance, your ISO’s and brokers, to ensure you are secure from any attempts to avoid payment and backdooring on your own deals.
Step 5: Collections
In an ideal world, every deal a MCA business funds would get paid pack easily and smoothly, but frequently, that is not the case. Too often, business owners prove why they needed the advance in the first place, and repeat the mistakes and bad habit that puts them in a perilous financial position once again.
If they don’t pay you, your business will quickly begin to suffer and face increasing cash flow problems if you don’t handle it quickly, so having a reliable collection system is crucial for the success of a merchant cash advance funder. It’s good to ensure you understand your options to give yourself the best chance of recovering what you’re owed, including working with a third-part collections firm. The choice of a collection firm depends on the success rate and the level of support provided. A good collection firm should have a well-prepared collection attorney, provide timely support and have a strategy to collect on delinquent merchant cash advances.
Step 6: Accounting
Proper accounting is essential for tracking the overall health and viability of your company. It’s also especially important if you have a partnership or investment in place.
Better Accounting Solutions has been the leading accounting firm in the MCA industry for over a decade, and seen how successful a company can be when all their books are in order and the tremendous pressure and stress caused when it’s not.
Working with an accountant that is familiar with the industry and systems will help you ensure your business is legally compliant, trending in the right direction, and that all deals are in a good place.
Step 7: Lead Sourcing
You’ve set up the business, now you need customers!
There are several ways to find people and businesses who could use a merchant cash advance from your new business. You could reach out to family and friends, research and cold-contact people online or work with lead-generation agencies who will send you lists of hot prospects. Additionally, if you’ve already done all the previous steps listed here, then you can speak to the people you’re already familiar with in the industry to point prospects your way. For example, Better Accounting Solutions has drawn on our years of experience in the industry to connect new funders with brokers we know and trust.
Typically, if you’re a broker becoming a funder, than you already have the relationships with people who can direct customers to your new venture, but I always advise our clients to avoid backdooring or doing something with even the slightest inference of unethical business practices; its bad karma and can only hurt you down the line.
So there you have it, the seven steps of going from broker to funder, and taking your merchant cash advance journey to the next level. Wishing you the best of luck!
