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It time again to revisit alternative financing strategies for business owners needing money. Whether your business needs capital to grow, meet payroll, or to just simply survive, there are numerous alternatives for your company when banks so ‘NO’.

Personal loans are no longer viable options for business owners. Banks have tightened their purse strings on personal credit just as they have with business credit. This tightening typically does not have anything to do with the state of your credit or the value of your collateral. But more reflects their past indiscretions with their depositors’ money. Further, most business owners, over the last two or three years, have already encumbered all of their personal assets, leaving nothing of value to collateralize.

The following lists many alternatives that may still be available to your business. These alternatives allow business owners to capitalize on their previous hard work; be it from building relationships with suppliers and other business partners to closing sales and building a strong customer base:

Using Your Business Relationships!

Trade Credit: It never hurts to work with your suppliers. Ask for better terms; either more discounts or longer time for payment. Here you can reduce your overall costs or allow more time to collect money from your customer before payment is due to these suppliers. Now, your suppliers may baulk at this discussion as they are probably feeling the same pinch as you are. However, impress upon them that it does their business no good (short term or long-term) if you go out of business, have to cut back your standard orders, or are forced to find other suppliers who offer better terms.

In conjunction with trade credit, do all that you can to collect your receivables from your customers, as soon as possible. If your suppliers offer you discounts for early payment, offer the same to your customers (just maybe not at the same magnitude) or offer discounts for cash. This allows you to collect payments faster as well as reduce you costs by paying less for the goods you need to run your business. Just remember, in this type of economy, cash is king.

Using The Strength of Your Customers!

Receivables and/or Purchase Orders: If your business has accounts receivables sitting on its book just waiting to be collected, you maybe able to get cash for those assets NOW. There are cash advance companies (not banks) that specialize in purchasing your receivables. Companies like Bridgeport Capital Service, RTS Financial Services, or Paragon Financial Group. These companies will purchase your invoices for up to 90% of their amount. They will then work with your customers to collect these receivables (saving you both time and money on collection). When the invoices are paid, these companies will refund to you the remaining 10% of the invoice amount. This type of funding is great for struggling companies as these cash advance businesses will focus more on your customers’ credit and business strengths than your.

Many of these same companies will also finance your purchase orders. If you place an order with your suppliers and agree to pay for their goods over time, these cash advance companies will finance these agreements. This could allow your business the opportunity to take advantage of trade discounts (percentages off the purchase amount) as your company will have immediate cash to satisfy your supplier. This is very similar to having a line of credit with your bank but as an individual credit facility for each purchase.

Credit Cards: I not saying go out and get more credit cards. If your business accepts credit cards, there are companies (again, not banks) that may advance cash to your company based on your FUTURE credit card receipts. These facilities are only paid back when your business generates credit card sales. Thus, if you have a slow month, you are not stuck with a huge monthly loan payment. As your credit card sales ebb and flow, your repayment of these advances will ebb and flow in tandem.

Using Your Character!

Need just a small amount of cash to get you by? Try social lending sites like All World Private Funding!, Zopa, Prosper, or Lending Club. These sites create peer-to-peer lending in which ordinary people, who have additional cash, can review your request and contribute to the funding of your loan. The benefits of these programs include getting the money you need, possible lower rates and better terms than most banks offer, and you get to tell your story directly to the lenders.

Similarly, there is Micro-Credit companies. The largest in the US and around the world is ACCION USA. Micro-finance companies limit their total out lay to a maximum of $25,000 per loan. However, most micro-credit funders like to build relationships first with their borrowers. Thus, they may only approve smaller amounts in the beginning and increase your loan amount as you pay back each facility. These companies will also work with startup firms or those that have been turned down by traditional banks and other financial institutions.

Never forget your friends and family. These are the people who know you best and may better understand what you are trying to do with your business. There are many cons with borrowing money from those closest to you but new companies like Virgin Money will help you manage this new relationship. Companies like Virgin will help you keep everything in a business like manner.

Now, while there is a lot of focus these days on traditional banks, most communities also have Credit Unions. Credit Unions are not-for-profit organizations. Thus, they do not have to worry about Wall Street or shareholders. While the majority of Credit Unions have yet to fully adopt commercial lending departments, they should have lending programs in place that will meet your business needs.

Some of these alternative options maybe a little more expensive, overall, then having a single credit facility with a bank. But, they are a sure fire way of leading your company through our current credit drought. The key to success is to do your homework. Find the program that best fits your needs and that will provide the greatest benefit at the lowest cost to your business. Some business owners tend to panic a bit when they begin to feel the credit pinch. It is only natural as raising money for your business is time consuming, time that can hardly be spared in these trying times. But, remember to think about the long term. Don’t just settle on the first source that gets approved, find the best fore you. Be diligent!

Joseph Lizio holds A MBA in Finance and is founder and owner of http://www.businessmoneytoday.com

Economic conditions changed dramatically due to problems encountered by the mortgage sector and global rising of fuel and food.

All of us are very cautious and are always on the look out for means to survive, here are some of them:

• Don’t Panic. How the stock markets behave defies laws of gravity. It goes up an hour and drops drastically in another. Experts advise though that withdrawing your investment money may do more harm than good. Cash out the money if you really need it short-term. Be reminded that through out history bad times come and go. After some time, the market will recover.

• Protect your Portfolio. When you put some eggs in the basket you make sure that they will not break. This is also the rule of thumb for investments. For example, financial experts advise that you check on your portfolios once a year and check how much the balances are. Make some adjustments so your assets are well distributed to different channels. The market volatility is an indicator that people should be diversified with their investments. Factors such as your age and risk tolerance should influence you long term. Remember that the current state of the economy is just temporary. Younger people can take more risks in terms of investing while the older generation must take lower investment risk to ensure better cash flow.

• Do not be Trapped by your Mortgage. The subprime mortgage disaster has affected the whole economy. Homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages should consider getting a long term fixed loan to avoid the voracious rate adjustments that may occur. Getting a refinancing is not that easy today. Lenders have taken measures to safeguard themselves and assets through higher interest rates and stricter qualification guidelines. If you have a good credit score take the opportunity to discuss with your lender better fixed rate loan packages that can be easier on your pocket and in the long term lead to owning that home.

• Pay Attention to your Job. Work hard during these hard times. Companies are on a wait and see situation where they have the tendency to lay off people when it becomes a necessity. Work hard so you will be a valuable asset of the company. Companies will see you as a good investment and will give you job security. If you are on a staff level, monitor how your boss and your department is performing. Knowing where you stand allow you to plan for the future.

• Handle your debt and save. It is essential to get rid of bills and save as much money as you can. In times of great need, you cannot easily rely on the value of your home which has dropped significantly because the economy is on shaky grounds. Determine if you really need something before spending that extra cash.

• Don’t spend on what you don’t need. Tough times should convince you to review your household budget. List down your expenses and strike out any thing which you think is not really essential. Necessity should be considered first before giving into the comforts of your lifestyle. Tighten the budget and put the extra money into your savings.

Blooming in very tough economic conditions involve making the right decisions at the right time. Spending less may mean survival until the economy recovers. For now, being ready for the worst is number one.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. If you have taken a loan out in the UK within the past 10 years it is quite possible it could be classed as an unenforceable loan agreement if any clerical errors have been made. Consumer Credit Claims can help receive financial compensation for these incorrectly drafted loans.

There is gender inequality in global wealth. Men earn more money. Men invest more money. Men save more money. Men run more companies. Yet women live longer and 50% of marriages end in divorce, so women will be alone at some point in their lives. 3 out of 4 elderly women live in poverty, but most weren’t poor when their men were alive. With the economy slowing down, it is more important than ever to become wealthy. Here are 10 reasons you need to become a rich woman.

1. Independence. Learning to create and control money will release you from dependence on any one person, or the government.

2. Self-esteem. If you learn how to be financially independent, you will grow in self-confidence and this will enhance your relationships at all levels. You can look after yourself and your family financially.

3. Protection of you and yours. In these times of economic doubt, protection of your home and your assets is critical. Creating wealth and understanding money will help protect what you have already.

4. Providing for your family. New ways of creating multiple streams of income can help you enhance life for all the family.

5. Live the life of your dreams. With the wealth you create, you can have that fantastic house, amazing new car and travel when you like. You can send the kids to the best college, and have that new wardrobe. You can live the life of your dreams.

6. Equality. Why should men make all the money? Women are good investors and money managers, as well as great entrepreneurs. We just have some catching up to do.

7. Giving. When you have money, you can give more away. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett gave more to charity than whole countries can earn. The richer you are, the more you can give.

8. Freedom and choice. If you are wealthy, you have the choice over what you do with your time, and your life. You have the freedom to work at what you want, to travel when you want, to spend what you want. You have choices that you do not have now.

9. For your future. There won’t be a government pension for most people, or it will be so little it will mean life on the poverty line. If you want to have a future worth looking forward to, you need to ensure you are financially secure.

10. Just to prove you can do it! Maybe you have always wanted to be rich, you just didn’t know how to do it. Challenge yourself. Find out how and take action!

Joanna Penn is an author, speaker and consultant.
Get your Free “7 Secrets of Millionaires” audio and report at http://www.GirlsCreateWealth.com

Forex trading involves making worthwhile decisions at all times. In choosing Forex trading currency pairs, it is highly advisable that new traders should focus more on one currency pair. The best pair to begin with is those that contain a small spread, so that would be EUR-USD.

In general, brokers will have to charge 2 pips when a trader will buy EUR-USD but worry no more since there are no brokers who would merely charge less than one pip.

Furthermore, one can also choose GBP-USD since it is very much similar to EUR-USD although it possesses a higher spread and bigger volatility. That being said, one should try the Forex trading currency pairs of GBP-USD after a few months of trading with EUR-USD.

However if you are happy and contented with the result of EUR-USD, just forget about the other.

On the other hand, USD-JPY and USD-CAD are totally different from the Forex trading currency pairs of EUR-USD and GBP-USD given the fact that they are highly dependent on two unlike countries, Canada and Japan that also possess a different economy and location from GB, Europe, and USA.

AUS-USD possesses a direct relation with the gold price thus when the gold price goes up, the currency is expected to go up, too. In view of this, if you simply follow the gold price as well as the economy of USA then you can surely predict the movement of AUS-USD.

Now that you are aware of the safe Forex trading currency pairs to go for, expect that your risk is low.

I personally started out with this remarkable and easy to use automated trading software named Forex-Brotherhood. And amazingly, it made my work so simpler and make my Forex trading so hassle free that now I Literally earn money on auto pilot after 1-2 months of set up. You can Check this and some other great software and it reviews – http://revenueboosterz.com/forexsoftwarereview.html

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Frederick H. Ecker became President of the Metropolitan on March 26, 1929, and associated with him as Vice Presidents were Robert L. Cox and Leroy A. Lincoln. Mr. Cox died in January of the following year, and Mr. Lincoln immediately assumed the position of second in command. He succeeded to the Presidency in March 1936, when Mr. Ecker became Chairman of the Board. When the new administration took office in 1929, the country was enjoying what appeared to be great prosperity.

Many men in business and in public life believed that we had attained a depression less economy. Corporate earnings were at a high level. There was frenzied activity in the stock market and in the flotation of new securities. Prices of common stocks reached dizzy peaks. Credit was easy to obtain. The growth of the Metropolitan and of other life insurance companies reflected the optimistic spirit of the times. All prospered as a result of the great business activity and the high rate of employment at good wages then prevalent throughout the country.

The first hundred billion dollars of life insurance rates in force had been attained; predictions were being confidently made that within another 10 years the second hundred billion would be added. But in October 1929 came the first manifestation of a series of cataclysms which shook the country and the world. The first stock market crash came almost out of a clear sky. The full significance of this indication of economic distress was little understood at the time. Many people suffered immediate losses. Many held on to their securities while prices were dropping sharply, only to sell them at even lower figures at a later date, or to be closed out for lack of margin.

Nevertheless, there were many in high places that refused to believe that this was more than a temporary financial setback. Although the national income fell in 1930 and 1931, it was still at a fairly high level. Because of the low prices to which common stocks had fallen, various recommendations were made in the late autumn of 1929 urging the life insurance companies to make such purchases in anticipation of rapid economic recovery.

The State laws governing life insurance investments specifically forbade such venturing. Undoubtedly great havoc would have been wrought in the financial structures of many companies and great losses suffered by policy holders if such advice could have been taken. The market quotations as they dropped from month to month thoroughly confirmed the prophetic warnings of Mr. Ecker, and justified his insistence that the law limiting the character of the investment portfolio of Life insurance companies should remain essentially unchanged.

The life insurance companies stood firm. Because of the character of their portfolios, they were not seriously affected by the declining values. In some respects, the very nature of the upset at the close of 1929 reacted favorably upon the companies. Many individuals who had lost heavily in the stock market felt called upon to increase their Life insurance in order to make good the losses to the estates which they had hoped to build up for their families.

Thus, in the years immediately following the first stock market crash, ordinary insurance made unparalleled gains and was becoming closer and closer to offering term life insurance without exam. In 1930 the Metropolitan issued, exclusive of business revived or increased, close to $1,400,000,000 of ordinary insurance, the highest annual figure in the history of this department up to that time. But even this figure was exceeded by a considerable margin the following year, when a total of more than $1,460,000,000 was achieved. In fact, 1931 has remained the banner year for the writing of ordinary insurance in the Metropolitan.

Even in the industrial department there was an issue of $1,110,000,000 in 1930, only 8% less than in its peak year of 1929. In 1931 the industrial insurance issued still exceeded $1,000,000,000. In both the ordinary and the industrial departments, the total insurance in force continued to increase without interruption through the year 1931. Apparently, the economic situation up to that time had not yet seriously affected the ability of the American people to purchase or maintain life insurance.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in finance, business, and different types of insurance. For a free term life insurance quote, please visit http://www.equote.com/.

Many times, we see others as well as ourselves getting into the debt trap very easily. A deadly debt trap never allows the savings to remain with you. However hard you try to save money, you ultimately spend them on paying huge interests on your accumulated debts. So what all, does it take to save money and lead a care-free life without debts? To crack this puzzle, you need not think hard.

While we can see various reasons trigger one deep down into the word of debts, we can broadly classify these so-called reasons as personal, economic and social. Personal situations may include reasons like loss of job, cut in the pay, accumulation of existing debts, treatment of illness, family crisis and so on. Personal situations are never predictable and so one should always be prepared for any such crisis contingencies, which can cause a major blow to the income. It is always advisable to set aside some portion of your income in a different bank account, so that it can be effectively used during such contingencies.

Coming to the economic triggers, one can get blown away with a sudden loss in business, tumbling sales, bad debts, inflation, economy slowdown etc. Currently, we are indeed witnessing the recession in the economy with the cost of living doubled and the means of income reduced.

While personal and economic reasons may be unpredictable, social triggers definitely are self- sponsored and can be truly avoided by adopting certain means. Don’t you think you will be in a posh car showroom tomorrow, if today you see your junior colleague getting that swanky car to the office? Yes, I am talking about status anxiety. As you put a step ahead each time in your career and status, you always tend to get anxious about maintaining the same. As a result, you do not even hesitate for a single moment and delve deep down in the debt-pool.

When we go out for shopping with our friends, we do tend to splurge more than what we actually should. Many things are purchased just because “My friend also bought it”. And to make things simpler, we always carry the very famous “plastic money” with us. Credit cards had come as a convenience, but now we use it to satiate our status hunger. Although, it may sound a little strange, but it’s always wise to ask yourself a small question “Do I need to buy this?” before you actually swipe your card for the purchase.

And what happens next is the rather unending sequence of debt repayments. If you have bought an exotic product on debt, just check out the interest rate you are paying on the actual or principal amount and then you would come to know the real worth and utility of the product.

You get into debts largely because of two reasons – Improper planning and tendency to spend more. Always remember that debts should be availed ONLY if necessary and ONLY to the extent of what you can repay without much encumbrances. Budgeting, planning and control are three simple, yet magical keys to have a debt free life.

Andy Eaton is £21,040.57 in debt, read his personal blog and discover his step-by-step plan for why and how he is eliminating his debt. His journey to debt free is going to happen quickly for him as he is using a plan. Follow his amazing story at http://www.sick2debt.com

Here’s how I plan to turn the $1,000 per child that the Rudd Government is giving to my family on 8 December, 2008 into a gift that lasts for life.

For those readers who are either not Australian, or who are not aware of the recently-announced financial assistance the Australian Government is offering to families; here is a brief of what is on offer.

The Australian Government, which happens to be in Surplus (given the amount of debt per capita, I am not sure what this is a Surplus “of”…), announced recently that if you have children and you fall within the “Family Benefits Tax A” bracket, then to help ‘boost’ the economy, the Australian Government is offering families a cash payment of $1,000 per child, to be paid on 8th December 2008.

There is a whole swag of other payments being made right across the country to Age Pensioners, Disability Pensioners, Carers, and others, on the same day. The media had a field day, rejoicing in the announcement, saying that families will be able to spend this on Christmas presents and will boost Christmas sales and the economy. People everywhere are plotting how they will spend the unexpected booty.

Not me! I have bigger ideas than that and will actually be applying the cash handout to remedying – at least within my own family – the underlying cause that’s behind this whole sorry mess in the first place.

That is to say, I will be putting this money to work. I will use it to create more money for my children, which will, in turn, be reinvested to create recurring incomes, from a number of sources.

What’s more, I have found a way to do this in a risk-free environment – outside of the stock market, and outside of the property market – yet which allows me to invest small amounts in carefully selected businesses by purchasing their products and receiving profit-share from sales. More on this in a minute.

First off, I will open a bank account in each child’s name to accept their windfalls and start their Investment/Savings plans for the future.

Of the $1,000 each receives, I will put into action what every Investment book out there tells me to do. Invest 10% of all money received into growing more money.

So, $100 per child will be invested and put to work using the strategies set out in the free book “How To Let Your Money Make More Money Online… While You Are Busy Doing Other Things,” by Taylor Adams.

This has taught me exactly how to use subscriptions to online companies from just $5 per month as profit-generating investments. Money Buddy Alliance (MBA) offers a free service, so I am not paying any money to them. The money I pay is to my own subscription account, in return for which, I receive the product I subscribe to, along with a profit-share in the form of commission income. How cool is that?

$100 will more than cover a 12-month subscription to my children’s first Investment. So I can just pay the annual amount and not even have to think about it for the next 12 months.

All of this I have already had set up in my own name for some time, and know from my own experiences that it works a treat. So I will simply create a subscription in each of the kids’ names, and basically set them up for life.

There is a reinvestment strategy for when income reaches successive levels that will pay for a series of additional investments from profits, one after another. It’s so easy.

MBA just lets me know when my profits are sufficient to add the next investment position. I then take a look at it, and if I like it, I commence reinvesting in that one too. So far I have 8 different investment vehicles at various stages of development, from well established to very new. It’ll be fun teaching the kids how to do this as they grow.

Sometimes I still am amazed that for as little as $5 per month I can set my kids up for life in this way. And anyone can do it.

So what am I going to do with Kevin Rudd’s Christmas bonus – the $1,000 per child ‘windfall’ that the Australian Government has given to my family…??

I will teach my children how to invest just 10% of that money. I will show them how to purchase their “Money Tree seedlings” – an annual subscription to an online gardening club; which costs just $5 per month and pays out 90% of its subscriptions to its members.

This will dovetail very nicely with the gardening that we are teaching them in our own suburban backyard, where they now have a thriving worm farm and lush crops of organic fruits and vegetables.

I will teach them how to set up their online money processor which will collect their commissions, and pay their subscriptions from profits when renewal time comes around next year.

Everything at Money Buddy Alliance is kept so easy and straight forward, it’s just like following the “bouncing ball.”

This is the first step of a program that will teach my children how to invest their Christmas bonus money and put it to work while they are busy being kids; and I can monitor and watch my children’s investments grow, while I get on with being “MUM.”

For a free report called “The $5 poverty Cure,” send an email to Leanne with “$1,000 Family Tax Benefit A” in the Subject line. A detailed report will be sent to your inbox outlining how to start putting YOUR money to work, so that you will be ready to help start your kids’ investments when you receive Kevin Rudd’s Christmas bonus in December 2008.

Leanne Cane
leanne@moneybuddyalliance.com

Have home prices become so low that consumers have lost their minds? My recent experiences have led me to believe that there may be a lot less logic out there in the real estate market than I once believed.

A new home buyer recently explained to me how he had moved at just the right time to escape the upcoming Michigan freeze and take advantage of our 70 degree winter months in Nevada. He also explained to me that he had taken advantage of a very big home price discount given by a lady who needed to move back to Chicago. He had enough money from his IRA to not need a mortgage, but he did take a small seller carry-back loan. What a deal I thought, it must be nice to have such great timing to be able to benefit from the depressed market and low housing prices.

The conversation with the new home buyer became much more interesting when he told me how he did it. Without hesitation he told me that he abandoned his home, after the printing company that he worked for closed its doors, then he packed up the moving van and pointed his car southwest. That was it, and there was not a tinge of regret or concern in his voice when he said it.

I was stunned by the simplicity of the act, but I couldn’t help but ask, why wasn’t he concerned about the consequences of leaving his home in Michigan for bank foreclosure? “Why worry” he explained, they won’t make the effort to chase me across the country. In his mind, it was just one more foreclose in a sea of foreclosures, and there was nothing to be concerned about.

While I’m not an “establishment” kind of guy, there seems to me to be a serious flaw in the belief that you can dump your current home and its mortgage because now is the right time to buy, or because you simply don’t have the patience to wait for the economy to change. While I’m not in touch with the long-term consequences of abandonment, foreclosure and deficiency judgments, it’s hard to believe that you can continue your life without consequences after making a decision of this type.

Take a suggestion from a person who has dealt with bill collectors in the past, you don’t want to live with someone chasing you on a daily basis for tens of thousands of dollars, especially if you have purchased a “new” home in another state and have wages that can be attached. It is likely that they will come after your assets. While a lot of people would like to move, for various reasons, most have bitten the proverbial bullet and are waiting for times to change.

Copyright 2008, Glenn J. Rigdon http://www.horizonvillageappraisal.com

The author, Glenn J. Rigdon, BS, BSCS, MA, ASA is a Realtor, a commercial broker and a commercial appraiser with 30 years of experience working in the real estate industry. Mr. Rigdon has held the position of Economist with the Arizona State Land Department and Staff Specialist – Legal with the Nevada Department of Transportation. His office is located in Henderson, Nevada.

The stock market is crashing. Government bailouts are rampant. The political climate is uncertain. Credit has all but disappeared for ready buyers if you can even find one. Yet, your dreams of retirement remain. What can you do? There is an answer that you may have overlooked. By understanding the power of an ESOP you could be well on your way to your retirement in the next 90 days.

An ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) is a tax-advantaged vehicle that enables you to sell your business to your employees. This program was established by Congress in 1974 and today there are about 12,000 ESOP owned companies. Many business owners have either never heard of an ESOP or have a misunderstanding of how it works. Here are some common misconceptions along with solutions to your dilemma.

My employees can’t afford to buy my company and they are not “ownership material.” In reality, an ESOP doesn’t cost your employees anything. The ESOP is created which buys your stock. Your employees are beneficiaries of the ESOP. The ESOP distributes stock to your employees’ ESOP accounts each year based on their percentage of the overall payroll. The employees continue to perform their regular duties and answer to management as they currently do. They do not have general voting power or control of how the company is managed. An employee’s ESOP account is like a free retirement account that they earn by loyal service to the company. When they retire or leave after becoming vested they take the value of their account with them. Many companies with “blue-collar” employees are ESOP-owned.

I want to retire in the next few years. Who is going to run the company? The beauty of an ESOP is that you can “have your cake and eat it too”. An ESOP allows you to create a definite exit strategy while letting you remain in the control of the company for as long as you like. As Trustee of the ESOT you continue to run the company as you do right now and you continue to draw a salary. You are still the boss even though you don’t own the company. Your goal will be to work yourself out of a job so you can begin your retirement. That is accomplished by either grooming one of your senior employees to take your place or by hiring a qualified replacement as a manager. That can happen within months if you’re anxious to leave or you can stage the transition over several years. The bottom line is that it is always your choice.

Who is the buyer? That’s the great thing about selling to an ESOP. You don’t need a buyer. The ESOP is the entity that is created to buy your stock. You can create your exit strategy today by enlisting the help of Dynasty Capital Advisors. They specialize in setting up an ESOP and they take care of all the details.

Where does the money come from? Now we’re getting down to the real purpose of this article. Typically, specialized ESOP lenders would fund the entire transaction and you would get a big check at closing. One downside was that a portion of that check was pledged back to the lender to help secure the loan. One of the main benefits of an ESOP is that you can take that cash and reinvest it in stocks and bonds and defer the capital gains tax on your sale indefinitely. But, who wants to put their money in the stock market these days? And, since credit has tightened so much in the last year, it’s very difficult to find lenders who will fund 100% of the transaction. Financing is still available for a portion of the transaction depending on the collateral position of the company, but in most cases it’s more attractive for you to be the banker yourself and avoid all the red tape that goes along with dealing with banks these days. This structure allows you to collect the interest income rather than paying it to the banks.

Why should I finance the sale of my own company? Typically, if you were dealing with a third party buyer, it would not make much sense at all. It would be like loaning several million dollars to someone you don’t know and also giving up control of your company. But, with an ESOP, you still control the company, and by remaining in control you can assure that you get paid in a timely manner. You can structure the loan terms however you want, and if the company should have a bad month you have the ability as the lender to delay or defer a payment rather than risk a default on a bank loan. The biggest question to ask yourself is “What would I be doing with the money if I got cash?” If you are truly selling to retire you are likely going to put it somewhere safe to generate retirement income. You could put it in the bank and maybe get 5% interest, but banks aren’t doing so well these days as we have seen in the news, and the FDIC only insures accounts up to $100,000. By leaving your money invested in the company that you have spent a lifetime building, you know that as long as you are in control it is secured by something of value. And, by properly structuring your finance package to include trustee compensation, stock options, and other perks, your rate of return can exceed 30% rather than 5% at the bank.

How long does it take to set all this up? As the banker, you would avoid a great deal of time and expense by not dealing with an outside bank. Dynasty Capital Advisors will analyze your company, prepare a Feasibility Study for the ESOP, prepare all plan documents, coordinate outside professionals such as an independent valuation expert and the Trust attorney, and close the sale to the ESOP in less than 90 days.

Will I get my price? A sale to an ESOP is always at fair market value as established by an independent valuation. This means that you will receive the highest price possible that can be supported by factual data. You don’t have to deal with buyers who will try to beat you down on your price. Dynasty Capital will provide you with a valuation that will come within 5% of the final price for your review at no cost.

How can I find out if this is right for me? Dynasty Capital Advisors will prepare a Pre-Feasibility Study at no cost for you to determine whether an ESOP is right for your company. You will receive a free stock valuation to help you decide if the money is right. You will also receive an Investment Analysis that will show the benefits of financing the transaction. There is no obligation for you to explore the benefits of an ESOP transaction.

Selling your business doesn’t have to be an uncertainty that is dictated by a weak economy or the woes of Wall Street. By using an ESOP as your exit strategy, you can control everything from the buyer to the banker by eliminating both of them. And, you protect your employees at the same time while leaving your company in the hands of the people that have helped build it. This is a process that leaves you in complete control of every decision. Now you can design your retirement on your own terms without having to haggle over the price or play the games so typical in a business sale. Call Dynasty Capital Advisors today and find out how quickly you could be experiencing retirement freedom. For more information about how an ESOP could be the solution to your exit strategy, call Myron Goodrum, Vice President of Dynasty Capital Advisors at 603-785-4331 or email at mgoodrum@dynastycapital.com.

Located in Transylvania County, Brevard North Carolina is is literally the crossroads between Pisgah National Forest, Dupont State Forest, Gorges State Park, Bracken Mountain Nature Reserve. It is a place to easily reach premiere hiking, wildlife, kayaking, biking, and some of the most beautiful waterfalls east of the Mississippi.

Brevard, North Carolina has a bustling local economy, nicknamed the “Heart of Brevard”. This pride in downtown business and preserving the local economy makes Brevard a smart place to start a business, raise a family, or visit for vacation. Four festivals are held annually in Brevard. These are: The White Squirrel Festival, Fourth of July Celebration, Halloweenfest, and The Twilight Tour.

The largest city, Asheville, is less than an hour away and puts you close to the Biltmore Estate and Gardens in Asheville, The Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chimney Rock Park on U.S. 74, and Grandfather Mountain in Linville, just to name a few. Additionally, you are approximately 3 hours from major metropolitan areas: Charlotte, NC; Knoxville, TN; Atlanta, GA. And you’re just minutes from natural wilderness!

Brevard and Transylvania County are steadily growing, with excellent opportunities to invest in real estate and Brevard, NC homes. It is becoming a desirable retirement location as well.

The beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina are home to a wide array of real estate investments. Brevard, NC real estate, so close to Pisgah National Forest has various types of property to suit your needs. Whether it’s a cabin in the woods, a retirement home on a golf course or lake, or a condo or villa in town Brevard has it all, while still maintaining quaint downtown charm.

If you are a music fan, the Brevard Music Festival might be something you would enjoy. Located in downtown Brevard in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, the Brevard Music Center (BMC) has been providing young musicians with the opportunity to develop their talents for sixty-eight years.

Each summer more than 400 students, ages 14 through post-college, join professional musicians to eat, breathe and sleep music for seven weeks. In addition to a rigorous schedule of instruction, students collaborate with faculty and guest artists in more than eighty public performances.

Brevard’s excellence also extends to their county schools. Brevard schools (part of the Transylvania County School District) provide comprehensive educational needs to about 3800 students K-12. They consistently rank in the top ten in the state in performance and endeavor to ensure each student receives a world-class education. Brevard High School has received excellence awards four years in a row.

From their quaint downtown full of delicious restaurants and charming shopping, to the Brevard College’s Paul Porter Center of Performing Arts and the world renowned Brevard Music Center, Brevard offers small town charm with big town culture. Over one-third of their county is National Forest land. Enjoy great hiking trails, many waterfalls and acres of untouched forest to enjoy all outdoor recreation.

You owe it to yourself to explore the wonder of Brevard, NC.

Zach Baker is a resident of Brevard and often writes on the local real estate market. He recommends Beverly-Hanks.com for any information on the area, including Brevard homes.