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.
As a restaurant or retail business owner, pairing with one ore more of these companies can potentially bring in a boon of new revenue. However, with so many choices, are certain services better than others? Let’s take a look at what separates some of the more popular third-party delivery services in the industry, and hopefully, you can decide which one, if any, makes the most sense for your company.
This corporate credit card, issued for Stripe by the Utah-located Celtic Bank, boasts a 1.5% cash back rate alongside a strong portfolio of extra perks. Plus, as this bit of plastic is a Visa card, your team members shouldn’t have problems using the card worldwide.
The processing industry is simply not the sort of place where you can expect everyone to be honest and treat you fairly. People in this business can and will take advantage of you – if you let them. Reading your contract before you sign up is your last line of defense against being stuck in a bad deal. Here are our best tips for reading and understanding your merchant contract.
Take a look at our picks for the best small business loans for cash flow issues, business expansion, debt consolidation, bank financing, and other common business financing needs.
Square’s free software and affordable payment processing appeal to many nonprofits on a budget. Learn how Square’s platform can help you run your organization, collect donations, and more.
Restaurants can use self-ordering systems — or kiosk POS software — to run their businesses more efficiently. See whether a kiosk POS is right for your eatery, discover the best options, and learn how you can afford the investment.
Business owners need to be proactive in managing their credit card processing accounts. Learn what risk factors processors look for to keep your merchant account safe and what to do if you do run into a funding hold or account termination.
Learn about the best small business loan options for franchisees, whether you need funding to open a franchise, purchase an existing franchise, or keep your franchise business functioning optimally.
Using PayPal to accept donations online is super easy, but nonprofits can also take advantage of PayPal’s many tools and features to fundraise pretty much anywhere.
If you can’t afford restaurant equipment up-front, an equipment lease is a great way to get the appliances you need. Find out how restaurant equipment financing works and check out some of our favorite lessors in this article.
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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.
