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.
If you are a small business owner and are starting to look at your business insurance options follow these five steps, and you’ll be well on your way to buying appropriate insurance coverage!
The best restaurant POS systems help restaurant owners do much more than just take payments. Cloud-based restaurant POS software includes tableside ordering, ingredient tracking, ApplePay, and customer loyalty. And each top POS system for restaurants has a different specialty.
Can you afford not to insure your business? Business insurance is a small cost to pay to keep yourself safeguarded from financial ruin.
If you’ve been shopping around for a new credit card, whether for personal or business use, you’ve likely come across a Chase credit card or three. In fact, it would be hard not to — between its own branded credit cards and its co-branded partner cards, Chase has 30 credit cards on offer. We’ve written up a rundown of every Chase credit card and what each one has to offer you.
If you’re new to the world of credit and debit card processing, you may be wondering what interchange fees are and how they impact the cost of processing transactions and maintaining a merchant account for your business. We’ll also show you how these fees fit into each of the different processing rate plans that your merchant account might use.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed about how much things will cost, but since business insurance is a must (and possibly even a legal requirement) for your small business, we will break down how much you can expect to spend to protect the business you love.
A cross border fee is a credit card processing fee charged whenever a merchant in one country (e.g., the US) accepts payment from a customer whose card originates from another country (e.g., Mexico). Cross-border fees are fixed, non-negotiable fees set by card networks.
US Business Funding offers many different financial products to help business owners score the capital they need. It is a great choice for equipment financing, SBA loans, or working capital loans. US Business Funding has earned a 95% approval rate and 60-second approvals.
Take a look at the best small business credit cards and learn how to choose the right credit card for your small business.
If you default on your SBA loan, you’ll be notified by the lender. If you’re unable to get on track with your loan, your lender may seize your assets. The lender will later reach out to the SBA to receive the guaranteed portion of the loan, and the SBA will contact you seeking payment. If payment isn’t received or an agreement isn’t made, the SBA will report the loan to the Treasury Department, which can take further action against you.
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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.
