Performing a Small Business Valuation Steps

October 27, 2016 Finance Tips

If you’re a small business owner, you may ask yourself the question What Is My Business Worth and for good reason. While competing a small business valuation can take up time that may be spent on other parts of a business, a business valuation can benefit any business owner in the following ways:

Full understanding of the parts of the business. Small business valuations can allow a small business owner to see all the parts of their business, from expenses to income, whether that is debt or payroll taxes or merchandise sold.
Full understanding of the circumstances surrounding the business. While the business itself may be the initial focal point of a small business valuation appraisal, the circumstances must be understood before the final value appears.

Those are the two components of a small business valuation appraisal. They are typically called the standard of value and the premise of value. Both are necessary to complete a full small business valuation appraisal, which is a process of measuring business worth. Business worth isn’t absolute. It can vary over time.

The two key starting points toward completing a small business valuation are determining why you need a small business valuation and assembling all the necessary information. There are three approaches:

By comparison to the recent sales of similar businesses.
Based on the business’s earning power and risk assessment.
Based on the business’s assets.

It is an economic exercise, one that requires the ability to analyze information pertaining to your business’s financial information. The key documents needed are the income statement for your business and the balance sheet. For a stronger small business valuation appraisal, those documents need to cover a three to five year period.

The income statement should contain all the ways in which your company is performing in terms of monetary value. Items on the income statement can vary according to the type of company but generally they include merchandise sold and services rendered. Looking at a three to five year period can give you a good understanding of how well the company has performed over a long period of time, which will give you an idea of projections.

The balance sheet should cover how your income is matching up with your expenses. Essentially, if your business is in the red or the black. Expenses can include employee wages, payroll taxes, bills, and debt, among many other expenses that can be a large amount of money or small.

The trickiest part of a small business valuation appraisal is the premise of value. This involves the circumstances surrounding your business and can entail many different influences. Influences on your business can include the local economy, the local market for your goods or services, and larger markets if your business has reached that far.

A company valuation is useful to understand where your small business has been and where it is going and give you information for the road ahead.

Three Reasons Why Having an Initial Public Offerings (IPO) Service is Beneficial

October 26, 2016 Finance Tips

Individuals who choose to invest may not have considered the many benefits that an Initial Public Offerings (IPO) service offers. Here are three reasons why having an IPO is helpful for anyone who wants to invest money with the chance of getting a better return than going the traditional way.

Getting an IPO Allows Those Who Are Buying to Potentially Save More Money

When buying an IPO, it is not uncommon for them to be cheaper than trading the traditional way. An IPO can cost anywhere from 13 to 15% less than buying traditional stocks, allows the buyer to save money in the process. Having an IPO can also help those who would like to buy a great deal of stock before it officially debuts on the market. There have been cases where the stock was sold right after becoming available on the market, and the return was triple what investors paid for it. Using an IPO service can help investors make the most of their money.

Having an IPO Can Be Viewed as Having Regular Stocks with More Return

For individuals who choose to get an IPO, the learning curve is not as difficult as one would expect. Even though an IPO varies from the traditional stock market, it can be viewed in the same way. If experts agree that a particular market is going to do well, then the IPO will also do well. If the IPO is up, the chances that it will out-perform the market is very good. Professional traders will find that an IPO service can be very helpful in getting a better return than expected.

IPO Services Have Been Around Longer Than Most People Realize

Although those new to trading may be unsure about what type of IPO company to go with, or if is it even worth it to use one, they can rest assured that IPOs have been around longer than many think. Since the late 1990?s, brokers and stock traders have been using the word when talking about IPO news.

Given that IPO service can allow individuals to save money, as well as offer a greater return, it makes sense that prime brokerage services encourage trading with it. It is not a new fad, and has actually been around for a while. With these factors in mind, it is helpful in reviewing IPO data, and knowing that it is a solid investment to make.

Commercial Real Estate Investment Groups In Your Area

October 18, 2016 Finance Tips

Commercial real estate investment groups could be the answer you need if you are looking into American capital partners who can help you. Often times these investment firms will offer you the best financing options for a piece of your businesses profit. While this might seem bad initially, if you employ the top real estate investment companies, you could wind up making three to four times as much as you were before.

Real Estate Investments Are Important

When it comes to your financial future, it is important to understand just how important things like real estate will be for you. As a millennial, you are already set in your ways a bit, but you need to make sure that you are taking investment seriously. As you grow older, you will begin to regret the time you wasted not investing in real estates, your 401k and other areas. This is why you should hire some of the best commercial real estate investment groups to help you out as needed. You deserve this much and it’s time you look into your financial future.

They Can Help Set You Up with Long-Term Revenue

If you need an investment firm, they might be able to help you with investing in REITs. These are properties, usually involving commercial real estate, where you can invest your money into. As a commercial real estate property owner, this could be your solution to getting the funding you need, quickly.

You need to know that you are going to be able to cover costs as a business owner. Failure to do so will result in your business eventually closing down. This is not something you want to happen to you. This is why you should take your investment in REITs now, so that you can get it back later when you build your business even further.

Initially, you can have people investing into your commercial real estate and then you can then hire real estate investing companies to come help you out with setting up your own investment. With the investments you are getting for your building for being under the REIT and you getting REIT stocks, you’ll be able to have a lot more financial freedom than you ever thought before.

Look for Commercial Real Estate Investment Groups with Experience

When it comes down to it, you need to know that the company you are hiring is reputable and is going to be able to give you the best commercial real estate investment opportunities. Most companies who have been in the business for a few years have the connects to private-listings and other public-nondisclosed properties as well. Having this can help with your investment opportunities and getting you the money in the stocks you want.

Real Estate Trading Market Should be Taken Seriously

You should take real estate seriously because the market is just as valuable as the stock market. With people always in demand for homes and businesses, you can easily invest in properties and join their “stocks” to get the most returns.

This is going to be a long-term solution that will require only the best services and groups by your side. If you are new to the real estate market, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether a company can help you or not ? they should just be able to do it no problem. Commerical real estate investment groups need to be the best and you need to make sure you’re looking into them thoroughly before trusting them with your finances.

7 Tips to Help You Get Started in Commercial Real Estate Investing

October 16, 2016 Finance Tips

Are you looking to change up your investment strategy? Do you own your own home? Have you considered commercial property investing? Whether you have thought about it or not, there are a lot of reasons to invest in commercial real estate. If you are not sure how to get into this area, here are some tips to help get you started.

Commercial real estate investing success relies on planning. People who are not involved in commercial real estate investing look at people who do well and may think, “that person is very lucky.” While that may be true, the simple fact of the matter is that success in this area is really more about property preparation and planning and less about luck. This is one of the commercial real estate investing basics.
Look for areas that are being developed. When you are looking at commercial real estate investing opportunities, it makes a lot of sense to look at up and coming areas and less to established neighborhoods. For example, a decade ago, the Anacostia section of Washington, DC was probably the toughest part of town. Today, it is one of the trendiest parts of town. If you were looking to invest in an area of the nation’s capital and you invested in this part of town, you would be in great shape. Look to these areas that may develop. This is something you can research and you can find trends to give you an idea of what areas may be on the verge of renewal.
Keep an open mind about the kinds of properties you look at. It is easy to look only at retail space for instance but when you have your blinders on, you may miss great opportunities in apartment buildings or office parks. Commercial real estate investing is not limited to one kind of building or business. You may have a preference for what kind of buildings you want when you start the process but do not let that limit your options or blind you to other opportunities.
Go big or go home. Well, not really but if you are looking at apartment buildings, do not limit yourself to smaller buildings, for instance. Whether you are renting to retail tenants, residential tenants or office space, if you have 20 units that are as easy to manage as if you had only 10. The main difference is the amount of money you will make every month. Again, be open to new ideas as you scour the commercial property investing sector for new opportunities.
Get advice from someone “in the know.” If you are new to the world of commercial real estate investing, you should by all means talk to someone who is not. Find someone you trust and see if you can pick their brain about the market and your ideas. Be prepared to get some news you do not like. Do not be offended by that. Just take it in stride and listen to the advice.
Consider taking on a partner or two. The really big deals are not made by one person, for the most part. If you are looking to get started in this, it is a good idea to take your thoughts to someone who is more experienced with commercial property investing and see if they will partner with you. There are a few good reasons to do this. On a human level, you will have someone to talk things over with and vent to. On a more practical level, you may find that you have more access to needed financing or real estate secured lending when you have a partner. Remember, two heads are usually better than one.
Patience is absolutely your friend. You may have bought residential real estate but the process of buying commercial real estate is very different. In the first place, it will take you a whole lot longer to get the commercial property investing deal finished and done than it does to buy a house. If you go into the process with that in mind, you will be much less frustrated and will be more sane when it is over and done.

Finding the Best Ways On How to Invest in a Reit

October 13, 2016 Finance Tips

American real estate partners buildings earn leed

If you’re wondering to yourself, “Should I invest in property right now,” the answer is yes! This is the time for you to go ahead with your plans and make a successful career for yourself as a real estate partner. You don’t even have to necessarily be a real estate agent to join the perks of the real estate world. We will explain a little bit in this guide what we mean. You will be looking into how to invest in a REIT and get the most benefits from your real estate partnership.

What Are REITs Exactly?

A REIT is also referred to as a Real Estate Investment Trust and is a company that owns or finances to different real estate properties that generate a lot of income. REITs allow you to invest in them, similarly to that of a mutual bond system. This will help you with generating more dividends, as a shareholder.

How to Invest in REITS

If you want to know how to invest in a REIT, then you are on a good path because this could be a huge financial cash out for you. Essentially, you are able to invest in portfolios of large-scale properties. This works similarly to that of the stock market, giving you the ability to have dividends instead of stocks. This is what most people are looking into doing now because it replaces the need to have to go out and purchase the physical property.

Are There Major Stock Exchanges?

Yes, there are major stock exchanges, similar to the stock market. However, there are multiple types of REITs that you will need to look into if you are looking into this investment opportunity. You will have an open market, public non-listed market, and private market. Each of these will depict where your REIT stands and if it?s a worthwhile building to invest in.

There are also two types of REITs right now that are the most popular and dominate the market. These include Mortgage REITs and Equity REITS, which generate income in slightly different ways. Equity REITS are for renters and they generate income via renting out to other people and the final sale of the property in the long-haul. Mortgage REITs work slightly different when investing and they are invested in mortgage loans. These can be tied to both residential and commercial residences.

New Sector for Equity REITS

As of August, 2016, when you begin learning how to invest in a REIT, you need to know that equity REITs are now considered to be part of a new sector in the real estate industry. They will no longer be considered part of the Financials Sector in the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS), which is going to be great for getting better returns on your finances here.

You Should Always Look into Your Stock Options

Sometimes, it is just necessary for you to look into your stock options. This could be with the stock market or with the real estate market. Most Millennials, which are coming into the working industry, are beginning to learn about investment and the best practices. This is definitely one of the better practices if you are looking for a quick, easy start in the real estate industry. You just need to be thorough when you learn how to invest in a REIT and get the right financial planner to help you.

Even if you have a little knowledge, hiring someone for the first initial startup of the process can help land you better success and learn more actual tips when learning how to invest in a REIT. The more that you can learn from someone, the better off you will be when you go on your own and start investing in different REITs on the market.

Invest in Your Future

You are investing in your future when investing in a REIT. This is going to be something you can carry over and eventually cash out on when investing in your kids’ education. You could also use this as an investment for when you want to purchase a new house for yourself in the future. Whatever you plan to do with your investments, it will have a major impact on your future.

Understand All About IPO News

October 5, 2016 Finance Tips

If you are wondering about the stock market and recent IPO news, you have come to the right spot! We want to help you understand IPO information a little better and get you prepared for the stock market. Being in the know-how of an IPO company and the news surrounding it can help you make better decisions with the stock market.

What is IPO News Exactly?

Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are essentially when a company “goes public” for the first time and opens its stocks up to the public. This could mean several different things, but for companies looking to do this, it means they are looking for more capital to continue to grow.

IPO Benefits for CEOs

If a CEO puts up their recently priced initial public offerings, it usually means that they are looking to grow their capital. When they are able to put their product on the stock market, it usually means that it has gotten too big to be able to sustain itself from the inside. So investors look at the CEO to outsource its funding source through the use of IPOs.

When a CEO goes public, they often control a large percentage of the stocks because they want to remain in control of the company. They are then able to convince others — like executives — to come join them without offering much salary, rather offering the IPO stocks which will be much more in value than getting a pay check once they are able to sell these stocks.

For most companies, this is the only option left to continue their growth process.

IPO Disadvantages for CEOs

For a CEO who just went released their IPO news, they are likely going to be under a lot more scrunity than if they were privately operated. They don’t have to release all of their information if they are private. However, once a person employes an IPO company and gets the process started, they have to release all information related with their business to the public.

This is the only way that people who are buying stocks from the company, can assure that they will get more money on their return than anything else. So for a company looking to keep their business strategies and techniques a secret, going public is not a good idea.

In addition, after getting IPO service and getting most of the stocks, CEOs can’t sell off their stocks and really cash in on those because it will look bad on the company. It can also make a CEO lose majority hold over his company and force the control into another persons’ hand. This is something every CEO fears and is why most won’t sell their stocks.

Advantages for Stockholders

When the initial IPO news is broken, you have the opportunity to buy them immediately. If you purchase the IPO stocks within the first day, you are guaranteed to usually get an investment return within a month. Most IPOs skyrocket in the first few months because the growth of the company becomes so transparent.

Although you have to wait 30 days after the release of IPO news to sell the stocks, which can cause prices to drop dramatically, this is still a good option, especially for people first looking to invest in the stock.

Read Up On Each Company First

It’s important to learn about a company first before deciding to purchase stocks from them during the break of their IPO news. Although going public is usually a good sign for a company, it doesn’t mean they will thrive and you could potentially lose all the money you made on your stocks.

Hiring a person to help you understand IPO news and how you can manage yourself through it is advisable. As a beginner, you don’t need to be troubled with how the market works. Your focus should be on understanding the essentials of trading and how you can be a success in the bond market. Get help with your financial future with an IPO company that cares.

How Can I Pay Off My Student Loan Debt?

September 28, 2016 Finance Tips

Are you interested in cash for your structured settlement? If you’re not sure what a lump sum payment is or how it works, you may want to continue reading below. More and more Americans are struggling with debt nowadays — from medical bills to student loans, the various factors that can sink you into thousands of lost dollars seem never-ending. With a structured settlement annuity you can see your debt gradually paid off over a fixed period of time with minimal interest and fuss, allowing you to get back to your life sooner than you thought possible. Let’s take a look at how this process works and whether or not it’d be right for you.

What Are The Most Common Forms Of Debt?

While debt can occur from many different situations, there are a few that are becoming increasingly common for the average American. Nearly one in five Americans under the age of 24 describe themselves as being in ‘debt hardship’, after all, so it stands to reason this is becoming a foundation everyone can relate to. Over 70% of Americans believe the greatest debt stigma concerns underpaid credit and debit cards. Medical bills, student loans and home payments are also common sources of debt hardship for many.

How Do People Generally Pay Off Their Debt?

Some choose to save up their money gradually, while others attempt to use whatever resources are at their disposal to shave away at stubborn debt. The average American household with debt carries over $15,000 in credit card debt and a whopping $129,000 in total debt — although household income has grown by 25% in the past 12 years, the cost of living has nearly doubled. Even now one of the most effective and popular methods of getting rid of excess bills and fees is getting cash for your structured settlement.

What Is A Cash For Settlement Payment?

Also known as a structured settlement annuity, selling a structured settlement is an incredibly effective way of tackling debt in a gradual manner. The average structured settlement payout in the United States is around $324,000, with over $6 million paid each year to fund new structured settlements. In fact, it’s been found that consumers vastly underestimate or overestimate how much debt they have — as of 2013 lender-reported credit card debt was a stunning 155% greater than overall borrower-reported balances.

What Is A Lump Sum?

Similar to a structured settlement annuity, a lump sum is a fixed payment you can receive to help pay off your bills. More than 37,000 Americans use structured settlement money on a yearly basis and over 90% of claimants who sell their structured settlement are ‘very satisfied’ with their decision. When the average American household pays a total of $6,000 in interest every year, it helps to have something you can rely on to reduce your day-to-day stress.

What Is An Annuity?

Compared to the one-time payment of a lump sum, an annuity is paid over a period of time. Selling off an annuity can surrender charges of around 10%, but the trade-off is a more feasible way of tackling your debt. Structured settlement payouts can reach over a $100,000, which is perfect for when medical bills and student loans are getting too high. If you want to get started on the right track to getting cash for settlements, look below for some simple tips.

How Can I Get Started?

Consumers have a wide variety of options for reducing pain and eliminating credit card debt, according to financial experts. Since a low credit score can impact your ability to apply for loans or buy a home, one of the first things you want to do is go to the source — a survey conducted by CreditCards.com found that people were able to successfully waive fees 80% of the time when meeting with credit card companies, allowing them to eventually balance out their score. Personal loan rates can be as low as 5% if you have a good credit score, giving you convenient monthly payments with accessible interest. Debt isn’t forever — with a structured settlement annuity, your goals can be realized in good time.

Three Ways Professional Debt Management Services Help

September 25, 2016 Finance Tips

Today, debt is an easy trap for anyone to fall into, and it has become inevitable for many people. The average household in U.S carries about carries $15,355 in credit debt. If you have been hit by a debt snag, and it is really twisting you, then it may be time to get some help. You can get the help of a professional debt management service before the who thing impacts your credit score. There are several ways these services can relieve the burden of a debt by focussing on debt negotiations, financial planning, and payment distribution.

1. Debt and Credit Counseling

First, it is important to understanding the financial situation of a debtor. This is the essence of debt counseling. It strives to highlight the details of the debt and the different expenditures a person has. By outlining the current budget of the debtor, a debt management firm helps to identify options and ways the person can use to reduce their debt.

Normally, one has a contract that stipulates the details of the debt management process and the timespan for the process. Throughout the term, the debtor needs to seek counseling to find more ways to cut the debt.

2. Payment Distribution

With a professional debt management service, you don’t need to keep track of the due debts and minimum payments. The service handles all the bill payments, paperwork, and phone calls, so you can have peace of mind. Throughout the contract period, the service maintains contact with the creditors to see that the debt is settled in full.

Still, this should not be a reason not to monitor your debt. It is necessary to continue keeping a close eye on your debt to see that the company is on track. This also helps to understand what areas affect your financial life and how the can be handled.

3. Professional Negotiation

Working alone on debt management can be quite a tricky process, especially when you have to deal with several creditors. With a professional debt management company, you get to enjoy the power of negotiation. In situations where the debtor has failed to pay a loan for a particular period, the interest continues to accumulate making it even more difficult.

With a debt settlement help, you can enjoy reduced interest rates, payments or even a lower total amount if your case is reasonable. However, it is important to note that creditors are not obligated to reduce the fees and the debtor is still expected to pay taxes on the loan amount even if the debt is forgiven.

Debt management is a lengthy process and the time depends on the amount of the loan a debtor is expected to pay. The other important aspect is the dedication of the debtor and the money sources that should cover the debt. Therefore, careful planning and commitment are essential to ensure the whole debt is sufficiently paid. With a debt management professional, the whole process is simplified to allow the debtor to focus on rebuilding their lives and planning their financial situation.

The Basics Of Initial Public Offerings

September 8, 2016 Finance Tips

Initial public offerings are about more than business decisions. An IPO represents the moment when a company transitions from being small-time to running with the big leagues. Certainly, it can be frightening for any business owner. But it also opens up companies to new and exciting opportunities that would be otherwise impossible to even imagine. Still, there are business decisions to be made, and plenty of tasks to handle — from quarterly snapshots to secondary offerings. There’s a big difference between running your company’s daily tasks to making it public. This is why many business owners choose to hire professional help when opening their company to the public. In this case, they’ll often end up looking into an IPO firm. IPO firms employ prime brokers, and can therefore offer prime brokerage services. As exciting as IPOs are, however, they also make or break the future of some companies. Below, we’ll look into the basics of IPOs — what they are, how a business can ensure a better possible outcome for their IPO, and much more. You would be amazed by how much a difference small details can make. The information attained from a quarterly snapshot could completely change the way you plan your IPO.

The Basics Of An IPO

It’s not as if you can simply open your company up to the public and hope for the best. There are plenty of things you need to do when conducting an IPO. There are quarterly snapshots to consider, as well as the all-important lock-up period. The lock-up period is a legally binding contract between the underwriters and the insiders of a company. This prohibits them from selling any stock for a specified period of time. Depending on what they agree upon, this period of time could last anywhere from three to 24 months. Another thing to take into consideration is how much of the company is going to be offered up in an IPO. This could be another thing judged in part based off of a quarterly snapshot. Usually, an IPO involves offering up about 10% to 15% of the company. This ensures that the owners still have enough stock to exert the control that they need to over how the company is run. The prices of an IPO will be, on average, 13% to 15% less than the trading price. Now, there is no way of looking into the future and knowing how an IPO will turn out. But there are ways in which you can make a good prediction.

Understanding The Probability Of Your IPO’s Outcome

Think about how the market is going before you take your company public. Typically, an IPO will go well if the markets are going well. If you have reason to believe that the SandP 500 is going to reach double digits next year, the IPO will likely outperform that benchmark. Think too about those who benefit from IPOs. They usually benefit institutional investors willing to buy large amounts of stock before the company’s debut. They can provide companies triple-digit gains on their first day of trading. One of the simplest ways of understanding how your company is going to do following an IPO is by looking at how similar companies have fared following their IPOs.

Looking Into The Outcomes Of Other IPOs

In recent years, many strong private companies have gone public. For example, the makers of Fitbit offered 36 million shares at a public offering valued at $741 billion. Their stock has since risen by 50%. Fitbit is proof that you can value your company with a strong estimate and succeed. Other top-performing companies include Etsy Inc., which opened up 94% from its indicated price and Shopify Inc. which opened up 52%. If your company falls into this sector, you can take cues from these companies. If it doesn’t, however, you should look to past IPOs from companies that do fall into your sector for guidance.

Who, What, Why and How of Settlement Payments

September 2, 2016 Finance Tips

If you have recently won a settlement or inherited a large sum of money, you know the annuity and lump sum differences. You have several payout options when getting a lot of money and you shouldn’t feel limited to simply abiding by what you’ve been told you should do. Here are a few considerations to think about.

Why Selling a Structured Settlement Helps
This will be the first choice you have to make. Annuity and lump sum differences basically come down to this: Annuity gives you the payments over time, be it monthly or annually. Lump sum gives you the money all it once. How you decide to get the money really depends on what you want to do with it. If you don’t think that you can handle having all that money and are afraid you wouldn’t use it wisely, then you don’t have to sell your annuity payments. However, if you want to purchase a house or travel or go to college or pay off debt, then getting the money as a lump sum might benefit you a little more. If you got the amounts annually or even monthly, you would likely have to save up to do any of the above mentioned things just like you would if you were making a regular income.

What the Annuity and Lump Sum Differences Are
Now, keep in mind that just because you have decided to sell your payments does not mean that it will not come without it’s own set of disadvantages. There is a good side and a bad side to both options. The problem with getting a lump sum is that overall, it might actually give you less money than if you got the amounts incrementally. However, you probably wouldn’t even notice because you’d never have all your money at one time getting it through annuity anyway.

Another difference is that by getting annuity, you deal only with your lawyer and their lawyer and the courts. If you decide to sell then you will be adding in a third party to the decision making process. Keep in mind, however, that they are only around until you receive your funds and then you don’t have to deal with them again.

How to Make the Right Decision
The best thing that you can do for yourself is get a financial adviser. You could even take it one step further at hire someone to completely manage your finances for you. This way, you could sell your payments, get the lump sum and not be afraid that you are going to use it unwisely. The only catch here is that you need to listen to your money manager or adviser. Realize that you hired them for a reason and if they advise you against making a certain decision then you need to abide by what they say. They are not going to force you to make the right decisions. The money still does belong to you and you have the final say but the reason they are there is because they know how to deal with money and they even know how to make it, make you more money.

Who Not to Listen to
It’s common for people coming into a lot of money to hire a money adviser but then spend all their time getting advise from family and friends. Unless your family and friends have as much money as you now do, they will not be able to give sound advise. Loved ones are well meaning and want to help but unless they have the experience, they might be leading you in the wrong direction.

When You Should Make the Decision
You are probably on a time limit with the courts. Speak with your lawyer about when you need to decide how you’ll receive your payments. Keep in mind that if you do decide to sell your payments, then it might take somewhat longer to receive it because the buying company has to have a little back and forth with you and a judge in order to make sure everything is done properly and in your favor.

The bottom line here is, listen to your lawyer and your financial adviser regarding annuity and lump sum differences and you can’t go wrong.