Education: AA Liberal Studies, Limestone University
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader’s Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
One form of relief offered to small businesses is the Employee Retention Tax Credit. First introduced in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this tax credit could be claimed by eligible employers on quarterly tax returns. This program was expanded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law in December 2020, making the credit accessible to more employers.
The SBA offers a variety of loan programs that vary according to business needs. Its flagship program is the 7(a) loan program, which offers loans for most general business purposes. However, it also offers special programs such as microloans and disaster loans. Find out more about SBA loans, including who qualifies.
QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software. It has the complex accounting capabilities that small business owners need and supports numerous integrations. Quickbooks Online has a lot to offer in terms of features, accounting, and usability.
In order to receive offers through Amazon Lending, you must have a U.S.-based Amazon business. Amazon does not disclose its lending criteria, but it does state that you may qualify for one or more products at any time. To see if you have any offers, simply check the homepage of your Seller Central account.
The best POS software for a tanning salon should be easy to use, allow you to accept multiple types of payments from customers, and offer the features you need for your business, such as appointment booking and inventory tracking.
You can sell physical or Square gift cards to your customers that can be used online or in-store. These cards work the same as cash when customers purchase your products or services.
Ex-felons can apply for most government and private grants, provided they meet all requirements for receiving the grant. Those requirements may include owning a business in a certain industry, being located in a specific area, being in operations for a minimum amount of time, and demonstrating a specific need for funds.
While merchant account fees are definitely irritating (and expensive!), they’re often an inevitable cost of doing business. Even if you sign up with a payment service provider like Square that doesn’t charge monthly fees, you’ll still be paying the costs associated with maintaining your account in the form of higher transaction processing rates.
Overall, Colorado isn’t the most tax-friendly state in the nation, but it does rank fairly well when compared to the other 49 states. It is actually considered one of the more tax-friendly states for retirees, according to several studies.
QuickBooks offers a checking account to business customers who also use QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payments. The QuickBooks Checking account comes with a high APY, no monthly fees, and no minimum balance requirements.
Axos is a direct bank and FDIC member and not a financial services company offering banking services as part of its total package. That sets Axos Bank apart from some other online-only competitors, such as Novo or Square. Will it make a difference for Axos customers? This Axos bank review will answer that question and help you decide if Axos is a good choice for your small business.
Stripe Payments can be a great tool for tech-savvy nonprofits, particularly those that take most of their donations online. Stripe’s nonprofit discount is significant and competitive; just keep in mind that not all donations qualify for the discounted rate.
Though the residential construction market is booming, it isn’t without its challenges. As a result of the pandemic, building supplies, from windows to lumber, have increased significantly in price and have been in short supply. Despite these issues, Ambria Properties, a residential construction company based out of Greenville, South Carolina, continues to prosper. But this isn’t the first obstacle that Ambria Properties has faced.
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The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
