ALERT
On March 18, 2020, Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia had officially received its statewide disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Association. This means that businesses in all 159 counties who have been impacted by COVID-19 can receive assistance from the SBA, most likely in the form of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These loans will be available to small businesses and non-profit organizations. If your business has been impacted by COVID-19, you could qualify for one of these loans. These loans can greatly impact your business while we navigate the uncertain waters surrounding COVID-19 and the current economic situation. For more information on the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans, please visit https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance. If you would like to apply for one of these loans, click here to fill out the application: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. If you are unsure where to begin, check out this list of the 20 best SBA lenders of 2020: https://www.fundera.com/business-loans/guides/sba-lenders.
If you would like a financial consultation with one of our advisors, feel free to contact them:
Ford Stokes, MBA – Founder and CEO – (770) 685-1777 – ford@activewealth.com
Brandy Seats – SP – (770) 624-0561 – SVP – brandy@activewealth.com
How the SBA is Helping Small Business Owners
Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
This program is the primary form of federal assistance for the repair and rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses. Loans are available for small business and non-profit organizations. This Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides working capital loans of up to $2 million. Terms are typically established on a case-by-case basis. However, many loans will have a thirty-year repayment term with their first payments not due for up to 12 months. To apply for these loans, businesses should be prepared to provide a tax transcript, financial statements, and a profit and loss statement. Expected interest rates range from 2.75% to 3.75%.
Express Bridge Loans
The Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program will allow small businesses with a current business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 with less paperwork. These loans can help small businesses overcome temporary revenue loss. They can be term loans used to bridge the gap while applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. If your small business is waiting for the disbursement of Economic Injury Disaster Loans, you may qualify for an Express Bridge Loan. The terms of these loans include access to up to $25,000 and a quick turnaround in disbursement. Bridge loans will be repaid in full or in part by the finds disbursed from your Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
Other Products/Services Offered by The SBA
Access to Capital
The SBA provides many forms of assistance for currently operating businesses. Should you need loan assistance, the SBA has developed a tool called Lender Match. This is a free online referral tool that connects small businesses with participating SBA-approved lenders within 48 hours. Other ways the SBA provides loan assistance include:
- 7(a) program: This all-inclusive program offers up to $5 million for use towards working capital, expansion/renovation, new construction, purchase of land or buildings, purchase of equipment and/or fixtures, lease-hold improvements, refinancing debt for compelling reasons, seasonal line of credit, inventory or starting a business.
- Express loan program: This program offers up to $350,000 for no more than 7 years, with an option to revolve. There is a 36 hour turnaround time for the approval or denial of your completed application. These funds can be used in the same ways you use your 7(a) funds.
- Community Advantage: The pilot program allows mission-based lenders to assist small businesses in underserved markets with up to $250,000. The funds can be used in the same way as your 7(a) program funds.
- 504 loan: This program is designed to foster economic development, job creation and/or job retention. Funds from these loans are only eligible to be used in the acquisition or eligible refinance of fixed assets.
- Microloan: This program involves making loans through non-profit lending organizations to underserved markets. These funds are eligible to be used towards working capital, supplies, machinery and equipment, and fixtures. This loan cannot be used on real estate. The maximum loan allowed is $50,000, but the average disbursement amount is $14,000.
Exporting Assistance
The SBA also assists small businesses in making sales through exports. The SBA is able to help small businesses respond to opportunities and challenges associated with trade, such as our current COVID-19 pandemic. These loans are available to businesses who export directly overseas. These loans are also available to businesses who export indirectly (i.e., selling to a customer who then exports their products).
- Export Express loan program: This program allows small businesses who need financing up to $500,000 to quickly access capital. Businesses can apply for a line of credit or term note prior to finalizing an export sale or while pursuing overseas opportunities. These overseas opportunities include identifying an overseas customer should an export sale be lost due to COVID-19.
- Export Working Capital: The program allows small businesses to fulfill export orders and finance international sales by providing revolving lines of credit or transaction-based financing. These loans allow a maximum amount of $5 million. Small businesses can use these loans to obtain and retain overseas customers by offering them attractive payment terms.
- International Trade loan program: This program helps small businesses who are participating in international trade to retool or expand in order to better compete and react to their changing business environment. It can also help these exporting firms expand their sales to new markets or to re-shore their operations back to the U.S.
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Active Wealth Management is a private wealth management firm located in Atlanta, GA. Our team is passionate about educating clients in order to empower them to invest and retire successfully and we believe in managing our client’s assets actively. Active Wealth Management works with three primary groups of people; pre-retirees, retirees, and business owners.
Active Wealth Management is led by our Founder and President, Ford Stokes, and by our Senior Vice President, Brandy Seats. They aim to help clients understand their current financial situation, analyze their current portfolio, and develop a customized financial plan to accomplish their goals. If you would like more information about the firm, please visit our website, https://activewealth.com, or call our office at (770) 685-1777. You will not be passed off to another advisor. You will meet with either Ford or Brandy. You can schedule directly into their calendars at https://activewealth.com/consult/.