Applying for a Business Credit Card

If you’re a business owner, you understand the importance of having your finances in order to keep your operation running strongly and smoothly. Whether you have a long-running, thriving business, or you’re in the midst of a startup, having a business credit card can be a strong asset in keeping your business expenses separate from your personal expenses. Having a business credit card also allows for flexibility in spending that you might not have if you’re simply managing your expenses from a checking account.

If you’re giving thought to applying for a business credit card, here are a few reasons why you should consider doing so:

• The flexibility and freedom to expand your business.  You have to spend money to make money, and there might come a time when you need to make a purchase for your business, but don’t have the funds immediately earmarked for it. A business credit card gives you the freedom to make purchases as needed without having to resort to dipping into your checking account, and you can make payments on it later. It’s important to note, however, that you should avoid solely relying on a credit card for your business expenditures to ensure you’re not playing catch-up every month.

• Keeping your personal and business expenses separate.  While most if not all business owners invest their own money in their operation, it’s important to keep your personal finances separate from those of your business. Your business credit card is meant to solely be used for expenses pertaining to keeping your operation running smoothly, and it secures the liability protection that comes with running a business entity, such as an LLC.

• Building credit for your business.  Just like we all need a strong credit score to ensure we can borrow funds when needed, having a strong credit history for your business can help you with growth in the long run. If you have plans to expand your business in the future (i.e. opening up additional locations), that credit history can affect your ability to obtain mortgages or leases, or borrow additional money to keep things running.

If you’re a business owner who may be interested in Polam’s variety of business services, we encourage you to reach out to us or visit one of our branches. We’re happy to help you get started.