When it comes to repaying a business loan, there’s more at stake than having your personal or business credit score suffer. If you fail to repay your term loan, you may lose access to future capital (such as other loans or credit cards), which could be detrimental to your business. In addition, you could face legal problems that would damage your business’s reputation. This represents an extreme scenario; but it’s important to make repaying your business loan a priority.
In this post, we’ll explain how you can responsibly repay your small business loan, so that you can guarantee your business’s future!
What Are the Six Steps to Paying Off a Business Loan?
1. Understand the Loan Terms
When applying for a business loan, make sure that you fully understand what your obligations are. You should know what your loan term is, including payment due dates, whether interest will fluctuate, payoff amounts, and other aspects of your business loan. If you are confused, ask your lender to further explain this information!
2. When in Trouble, Seek Help Immediately
If you’re unable to make loan payments, contact your lender immediately. If you start missing deadlines without providing an explanation, there could be serious repercussions.
In some cases, a financial institution may be able to temporarily suspend payments, offer refinancing options, or briefly accept a reduced amount. You will still be required to pay your remaining balance, but the previously mentioned options could relieve some financial stress.
3. Set Up Autopay or Choose a “Payment Date”
Many business loan providers allow their customers to set up automatic payments. This way, you won’t have to worry about forgetting to make a payment.
Another option is to choose a specific day to make all your payments at once. For instance, if you have loan payments and other bills due around the same time, you can choose a specific day each week or month to make these payments. If this becomes routine, you won’t miss payments!
4. Consider Refinancing Options
If your interest rates are too high, it may be possible to reduce them by refinancing your loan. In some cases, you may be able to secure better interest and loan terms. This will allow you to reduce your repayment burdens, while still meeting your obligations and securing access to necessary financing.
5. Monitor Your Financial Health
A small business loan can be a valuable resource, but it’s imperative that you’re responsible when utilizing and repaying it. Follow a budget, so that you aren’t using your loan to pay for unneeded expenses. In addition, ensure that you are committed to repaying your debt, so that this loan doesn’t become a burden.
If you’re having trouble making your business loan payments, look for ways to either increase revenue or cut costs. These changes can put your business in a better place financially and allow you to repay your loan in a stress-free manner.
6. Be Honest with Your Lender
When you’re in the process of repaying a small business loan, be open with your lender. If you’re finding it challenging to make your payments on-time, contact them to discuss your options. We mentioned refinancing options in section #4, and this is something you may want to consider.
By being transparent with your lender, they’ll be more likely to trust that you’re a responsible borrower. This will help you in the future if you decide that you’d like to apply for additional financing.
Conclusion: Understand the Business Loan Repayment Process
A small business loan could help you grow your business. When taking out a loan, you must make repaying it a priority. If you manage your finances responsibly and make payments on-time, your business loan experience will be a success!
Do you have any other tips for business owners as they repay a loan? Share them with us in the comment section! Also, be sure to check out our infographic below.
Editor’s Note: This post was updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in April 2019.
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Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
