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.
Wonder how long it’ll take to improve your credit score? Learn what you need to know in our guide!
You will need your Employer Identification Number, or EIN, for completing various legal tasks related to your business, such as filing taxes. If you have misplaced your EIN or aren’t sure if you even have one, you have come to the right place! Read on to learn what an EIN is, how to find your EIN, and how to apply for an EIN if you don’t already have one.
Health care is daunting, complicated, and time-consuming. So, for small businesses without a large HR department, navigating the health insurance process can suck up time and energy that you simply don’t have. Check this complete guide on small business health insurance.
The insurance industry might be in the business of worst-case-scenarios but a general liability insurance policy doesn’t have to set you back significantly — and the protection it provides is priceless. Read this informative article about the type of incidents this kind of insurance covers, discuss costs and plans, and steer you in the right direction if you’re ready to buy.
In retail, your POS system isn’t just a cash register. It’s your lifeline to sales reports, inventory management, customer loyalty, and a whole lot more. These seven retail POS systems make running your business less stressful and more profitable.
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.
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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.
