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.
Loans expert Erica Seppala talks inflation with Nasdaq.
Financial expert Erica Seppala analyzes in Real Simple what people in their 40s can do to strengthen their finances.
Loans expert Erica Seppala tells Real Simple why an app might help people pay down their debt faster.
Customers who have the option to pay for their purchases in smaller installments with BNPL solutions are less likely to click away from your site at checkout, and more likely to spend more per order. PayPal Pay In 4 was created so that online businesses of every size could easily implement their own buy now, pay later programs.
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. Â
Whether you want a way to sell your own original art online or your business involves selling reproductions of other artists’ work, this list of the best places for selling art online can help you find the resources you need to pick the right method for you. We’ll dig a little deeper into each option, so you can see how easy it can be to show off your artwork, promote your business, gain exposure, and make the sale.
With multiple pricing plans, systems, and features, businesses of all sizes can use SpotOn. Throw in an easy-to-use and intuitive UI, plenty of add-ons and integrations, and numerous positive reviews from past and current customers, and it’s not hard to see why SpotOn is a worthy contender in the POS space.
altLINE can factor high-value invoices, but the flexibility allows you to pick and choose what (if any) invoices you want to factor in any given month. The rates are good to reasonable, with minimal nickel and diming.
Should you choose Square or Toast for your restaurant? Both are terrific options for small businesses — particularly for small to mid-sized quick service and full-service establishments. Read our Toast VS Square comparison to see which is better for you!
With the world slowly reopening and returning to some semblance of normalcy, wineries could see a spike in both sales and visitors and need to prepare for whatever the next trend is within the industry. Here’s where an excellent wine-focused point of sale system can come in handy.
Grant writing is a year-long endeavor that can take up a lot of your time and resources, including the emotional labor of hoping and grieving as announcements are made and the cycle continues. Read on for our top tips on how to write a winning business grant application, and what not to do when you’re applying for a grant.
Working capital loans are one of the most versatile kinds of business loans you can get. Want to find the best working capital loans for small businesses? Read on to learn about your options for short- and long-term working capital, lines of credit, new businesses, & more.
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been harsh, particularly on small businesses. Fortunately, there have been a number of loan and grant programs open to small business owners to offer financial help during these tough times, one being EIDL.
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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.
