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.
The debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is a financial tool used to measure the relationship between a person’s debt and income. The DTI ratio is calculated by dividing recurring monthly debt payments by gross monthly income.
A point of sale system for small businesses isn’t just a point of sale system. It’s a hub of operations. These POS apps will give you everything you need to run a business so it can succeed.
QuickBooks Premier is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses that have outgrown QuickBooks Pro and need more users, more reports, and industry-specific features. The downsides? More features come at a higher cost and there’s still a learning curve.
Payment service providers (PSPs) streamline the process of obtaining credit card processing services by aggregating all users into a single merchant account. This eliminates the need for a lengthy underwriting process before a merchant can be approved for an account, but also increases the chance of a hold, freeze, or account termination. Your business will not receive a unique merchant ID number if you sign up with a payment service provider. Well-known PSPs include Square, PayPal, and Stripe.
Biz2Credit is an alternative lending platform that offers multiple types of financing to small businesses. Biz2Credit is a viable option for many young businesses. It has relaxed borrower requirements but potentially expensive terms and fees.
QuickBooks Capital is a good option for existing QuickBooks Online users looking for an easy application and fast funds. QuickBooks Capital loans are ideal for inventory purchasing and working capital, but may not be ideal for long-term needs, such as business expansion.
Come prepared to your tax meeting by knowing exactly what information your accountant needs to file your small business taxes.
For smaller creators looking for a more seller-friendly platform on which to host their campaigns, Podia isn’t a realistic alternative; the monthly cost is simply too high.
With interchange++ pricing, your transaction statement will include three elements for each transaction: the interchange fee paid to the issuing bank, the card association fee paid to the card brand (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, etc.), and the processor’s markup fees. Note that card association fees are typically very low and do not constitute a significant portion of your credit/debit card processing fees.
Are you ready for small business tax season? Here are our expert tips and a free tax prep checklist to help you get your taxes in order.
Want to help shape the future of the Merchant Maverick website? Join our testing and survey community!
By providing feedback on how we can improve, you can earn gift cards and get early access to new features.
Help us to improve by providing some feedback on your experience today.
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.
