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.
When overwhelmed by debt, it’s tempting to look for the quickest, easiest path out. Unfortunately, paying down debt is a process that takes time. Even if you are a good candidate for credit card debt consolidation and have the credit score to unlock low rates on a balance transfer card or a loan, this doesn’t mean your debt will go away overnight.
Liability insurance is crucial to protecting your small business from lawsuits and accidents, but not all liability insurance policies are the same. So what exactly is garage liability insurance, and do you need it? And the big question: How much is it going to cost you? Keep on reading to find out.
Tired of telling customers, “Sorry, cash only”? With a credit card reader, you can take payments almost anywhere, access customers who only carry cards, and even get paid faster. Check out the best mobile card readers for small businesses.
Since your personal cash and assets are still on the hook with an unsecured loan — particularly if the lender requires a personal guarantee — it’s usually best to get a secured loan in order to qualify for a higher lending limit and lower interest on your payments.
Whether you run a service business that mostly interacts with clients over the phone, a retail or restaurant business that regularly takes phone orders, or you just want to offer your customers more ways of settling billing with you, a virtual terminal may be a savvy choice.
Fidelity bonds are one form of risk management you may need if you’re looking to protect your business, employees, or customers from financial fraud, employee dishonesty, or outright theft. This type of insurance policy is also referred to as a commercial crime policy. In fact, fidelity bonds are a requirement in some states to acquire a business license.
You need a loss run report to negotiate lower premiums with your existing or new insurance provider, determine risks associated with running your business, and establish a plan to help mitigate potential hazards.
Every year, employees and businesses are held liable for things out of their control, and no matter how diligent you are, mistakes happen, and people can be over-served. Don’t risk your business because of someone else’s poor decisions. Protect yourself with liquor liability insurance or host liquor liability insurance, and take the time to review the liquor laws in your state.
In recent years, charitable contributions online and crowdfunding have become extremely popular. At the heart of online donations is a way to take money, which means payment cards, ACH/bank transfers, and similar. We’ve gathered a few highly-rated tools that can help you design and manage a fundraising campaign.
We all make mistakes, and when we do, you may be liable for the effects of those errors if you gave the advice in a professional setting or hurt someone while providing your service. Professional liability insurance protects your business from lawsuits that claim you gave bad advice or made a mistake.
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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.
