As a business owner, it is important to have a strong knowledge of business loans. Business loans can be a great tool for starting a company, managing challenging periods and also growing the company, but you do need to know what you can and cannot do with a business loan.
Difference Between Personal & Business
First, you need to know that personal loans and business loans are different. Often, you will find that lenders will specify that a personal loan cannot be used to start a business. This can make it tricky to get approved for a business loan if you are just starting out as you may not have a business track record or credit history. Fortunately, there are business loans for startups that can be a good solution. There are also lots of different types of business loans and you can usually borrow more than you can with a personal loan.
Why You Can’t Use a Business Loan for Personal Use
Some people might think that a business loan could be a great way to raise money to spend on a house, car, holiday or shopping. The key reason why this is the case is taxes – if the money is used for personal use, this makes it not tax-deductible and disallow interest charges. There are also legal responsibility concerns, which you will want to avoid at all costs.
Using a Personal Loan For Business
Using a personal loan for business purposes is also fraught with issues. The key problem is the legal responsibility of the loan and what will happen if the business cannot afford repayments. You also need to check the terms and conditions of the personal loan with the lender as you do not want to deceive them.
What You Can Do With a Business Loan
Essentially, you should always use a business loan for business-related purposes for simplicity and to avoid complex tax and legal issues. There are many different types of business loans to choose from and ways in which you can use the money whether you are starting, growing or managing a difficult period. A few of the most common uses of a business loan are:
- Buying office equipment
- Office improvements
- Marketing
- Recruitment
- Paying off debt
Entrepreneurs need to know just how useful a business loan can be no matter in every stage of business. It is also important to be aware of the differences between a personal and business loan and why one should never be used for the other.
