The Role of Collateral in Securing Bank Financing with the Help of a CPA in North Dallas
3 min readFor many enterprises, the ability to obtain bank financing can be a crucial step in business development or even the management of cash flow. But you’ll often have to put up collateral, even on an SBA loan or bank-backed funding, recommends a North Dallas accountant. It is used as a layer of protection for lenders to help decrease the overall risk if you fail to pay it back. Businesses in North Dallas especially can take key advantage of the know-how only a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) may bring to bear when it comes to collateral and securing bank financing. This article takes a look at the importance of collateral in bank borrowing and how this can be facilitated with accounting.
What is a Collateral?
Collateral is an asset that the borrower offers to lender to get a loan. It is used by the lender as a sort of insurance that they will be able to get their money back in case the borrower defaults on his loan.
Role of CPA
Your business may need a CPA to understand, evaluate, and potentially use the collateral for getting bank financing. Here’s how a CPA can assist:
1. Evaluating Collateral Value
A CPA can help to establish the fair market value of any potential collateral. This is why accurate valuation is critical — lenders are willing to lend only so much, depending on the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. A CPA also addresses your realistic asset assessment which is helpful for you to understand how much financing can be used.
2. How to Create Financial Statements
Detailed financial statements are used by lenders to determine the strength of your balance sheet and calculate the liquidation value of collateral. For your loan application, you will need to provide financial statements like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements; these intricate documents can only be prepared by a CPA.
3. Advice on Collateral Selection
Determining what the best assets are to secure a loan can be difficult. A CPA can assist in determining what assets are the best to pledge, based on liquidations and depreciation factors which should also be considered from a business operational aspect. If secured, the property can lose value in a hurry (owning capital equipment is one thing; better hope it doesn’t get repossessed if you’re using some for collateral).
4. Getting Through Regulatory Requirements
The different types of collateral have distinct regulatory and legal obligations. A CPA can provide valuable assistance as you navigate these complexities, ensuring that your activities and investments are both legal under current regulations and safe from enforcement drought.
The collateral aspect of securing bank financing in North Dallas will never be deflated. Lenders can comfortably lend more knowing they have the insurance in place and borrowers can benefit from having their loan insurable, which could allow for a better rate on the terms of your mortgage. However, they can be difficult to use for setting up collateral and bank financing. This is where a CPA comes in handy.
A good CPA can help with the evaluation of collateral, prepare financial statements, consult on which type of capital to use as collateral – structuring your loan application and even helping you navigate regulatory requirements; negotiating terms for a new bank line, and assisting in managing those ongoing bank obligations. Large or small, a CPA can help provide the financial information that lenders require and improve chances of securing the funding North Dallas businesses need to take advantage of growth opportunities.