Film Tax Credit Financing – Cash Flow your Canadian Film Tax Credits!

Canadian productions continue to enjoy increased tax credit benefits in the film, television, and animation industry in Canada.Aside from other financial benefits of ‘Hollywood North ‘the federal and provincial governments in Canada have significantly increased tax credit incentives

Financing these tax credits, either when they are filed and eligible, or, in advance of your filing can add significant cash flow and monetization to your projects in the area of film, televison, and digital media can be the make or break point in your overall financial success in any initial production.

The reality of the current environment in this industry as a part of Canada’s business landscape is very compelling. Filmed productions are increasing, and the Canadian government has very publicly stated and realized that it recognizes the revenue and tax benefits to Canada of this industry. They clearly have stepped up to the bar and show that commitment by increasing in the past year tax credits in almost every major category , and at the same time implanting first time tax credits in other aspects of the industry, i.e. the new digital media and animation sectors . Employment has started to grow again in the industry, and hundreds of projects are on the go.

Key to the financial success of your productions is the ability to monetize, either now, or later the key tax incentives that the Canadian federal and provincial governments have provided.

To highlight these tax credits as aggressive in some ways is almost an understatement. Production and labour credits have been increased – and several nuances have even further added to the mix. As an example, productions outside of major centres such as Toronto can add additional financial backbone to your tax credit. Just changing the locale of some you’re your shootings to outside suburbs and other towns and cities in Ontario (we will use Ontario as an example) simply increase your tax credit refund.

It goes without saying that all the government tax credits in this area have simply assisted the private sector to come back strongly into the picture. In some cases even our famously conservative Canadian banks have stepped up to the plate a created some niche departments within the banks to address film financing.

Let’s focus back in on the financing of our tax credits. Film tax credit financing in Canada is a boutique niche industry and we would recommend that you seek out and utilize the services of a credible and experienced financing partner in this area of business financing in the entertainment industry.

Your Canadian tax credits can be financed as soon as they are filed, that’s simply a strategy of ‘why wait for your cheque? In many instances if you can document a track record in the industry, solid budget and financial records, and certification eligibility then you can be considered for accrual financing. That is a very powerful financing strategy, allowing you to receive fund along the way prior to final tax credit filing. That’s a solid cash flow and working capital strategy for your production.

In summary, the current tax credit environment in Canada is very conducive to tax credit financing assistance. Tax credits can be monetized significantly in advance of your final approvals and cheques from the federal and provincial governments. Productions with strong validation can be financed on an interim accrual basis. Investigate film, televison and animation tax credit financing today.

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http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/Film_Tax_Credit_Financing_Cash_Flow_Claim_Now.html

SR ED Financing -Canadian SRED Financing

The only thing worse , we think than not knowing about Canada’s SR ED grant program is probably the fact that Canadian business owners and financial manager don’t know that their claims can be financed immediately to access cash flow and working capital now .

Yes, SR ED claims in Canada can be financed. Clients are always asking us how these claims are financed, what amount can they receive, and how can a SR ED claim be financed when it fact it could be challenged by a SR ED reviewer. Let’s cover off some of those issues.

First of all your Sr Ed claim is generally financeable a 70% loan to value. That technical jargon of course for simply meaning that if you can receive, as an interim cash flow and working capital loan approximately 70 cents on the dollar now for your claim. You of course are fully entitled to the other 30% - we are simply saying that portion is not financed – It essentially works as a buffer for any reduction in the claim by Ottawa. Those reductions in your claim might be a simply temporary clarification that is needed by CRA in Ottawa to approve that claim in its entirety.

Clients ask us if there is a sure fire way of allowing their claim to be approved in full. Probably the best answer we can provide is simply to say that by working with a good SR ED claim preparation consultant you are of course ensured more integrity in your claim. Your accounts can in fact submit a claim on your behalf, but we caution Canadian business owners and financial managers to ensure that they have a solid understanding of their accountant’s specialization in this very boutique area of accounting and business.

Quite often if a claim is temporarily clawed back and credible and experienced SR ED advisor can submit additional proper back up on your behalf to help ensure FULL approval of the claim!

All Sr Ed claims can be financed – however it is a bit easier to obtain full financing of your claim if you have successfully filed in the past. That’s just simple logic which indicates that your firm has a higher ability of being approved. However the bottom line is that a first time SR ED claim can be financed- if properly documented and preparedit is fully eligible for the 70% loan to value – in some cases the first time claim might be financed at a lower loan to value ratio . The bottom line, cash flow and working capital are still accessible for that claim!

The total advantage of financing your SR ED claim is very simple. You have the choice of waiting for your cheque from Ottawa. (That might also involve delays in the final adjudication of the technical aspects of your claim). Alternatively, you can access cash flow and working capital now for your Sr Ed claim.

The process for financing your claim is simple. We strongly recommend you work with a trusted, credible, and experienced financing advisor. The overall process simply involves a standard business financing application, proper documentation of your claim and its filing, and then standard legal doc’s surrounding collateralization of the claim being financed.

In summary, if you are filing SR ED claims take advantage of financing those claims. Cash and working capital are available now. Monetize your claim and use that cash flow to further increase your sales and reduce business liabilities. That is a solid financial strategy!

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http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/SR_ED_Financing_Canadian_SRED_Financing.html

How to Be A Success in Financing a Franchise in Canada

Financing a franchise in Canada should be an integral part the entrepreneurs business planning when acquiring a franchise in Canada. Our shared information here is applicable to franchisees who are buying a new unit directly from the franchisor, or alternatively an established business opportunity from an existing franchisee.

The excitement often pales a bit after the entrepreneur has chosen a franchise opportunity to focus on and then realizes that he now has to focus on financing that business. Typically clients ask us if financing a franchise in Canada is different from starting up any other business opportunity.The reality is that there is some pro’s and cons to financing a franchise, and the basic premise of our advice is to ensure that the business owner is well informed about his financing options .

Depending on the type and size of the franchise that you purchase you will have to make some sort of personal investment in the business. Naturally clients are always asking us to quantify how much they must put up as owner equity. You can perhaps guess the answer, and it is of course, “It depends!”

That is simply because each franchisor must insist upon, based on their own experience in their multi unit business experience, that a certain specific amount of owner investment helps to guarantee success.The other side of the coin is simply this, which is that the type of financing that you choose will in many times dictate what amount you are required to put in as owner equity. The final piece of the puzzle simply that depending on the overall breakdown of assets and intangibles in your business that will play a large role in what can be financed and what cannot.

In Canada various different options exist for Canadian franchise financing. The most popular method by far is a loan program that is underwritten by the Canadian government; the formal acronyms for the program are BIL, or alternatively CSBFL. In our experience 90% of franchises in Canada, in some manner are underwritten within this program.

By spending some time and working with a recognized franchise financing expert who has credibility, experience and success in franchise financing will pay a multitude of benefits for the budding Canadian entrepreneur.

As challenging and difficult it might seem to both purchase and successfully finance a franchise in Canada it simply often is a questions of sitting down either on your own or with a trusted advisor and determining how cash flow works in the franchise business you are considering purchasing .

The most successful franchisees that we work withare in a position to make at least a ‘ reasonable ‘ investment in the new franchise and have carefully considered the cash flowsinn’s and out’s of the business they are acquiring .

The optimal position you should be in is to be in a relatively solid personal financial position, have a decent personal net worth, and have some financial ‘buffer ‘in place to ensure the franchise investment can get off to a good start. In Canada, generally speakingyou need to have a Credit Bureau beacon score of 650 to ensure financing approvals.Higher is better of course.

In summary, Canadian franchise financing is both a business opportunity as well as a challenge. The majority of franchises in Canada are financed under a special government program. Other forms of financing such as equipment loans and working capital loans often supplement the entire process. Work with a trusted, credible financing advisor to ensure you understand your options and have planned well from a financial perspective.

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http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/Success_Financing_Franchise_in_Canada.html

Working Capital Financing for Canadian Business

Canadian business owners and financial managers know that working capital planning and assessment are key any businesses growth. The term working capital is used in various contexts, and at the end of the day is simply a synonym for operating liquidity.

Text books tell us that there is a clear definition of working capital, namely going to your balance sheet and subtracting current liabilities from current assets. That’s a great textbook definition, but let’s visits the real world together on what that means.

Your working capital allows you to plan and pay for your daily operating needs, plus of course to reduce your long term obligations that you might have in leases or loans. The absolute number of dollars in your net working capital as defined by our definition above does not really matter. (Although positive working capital is better than negative working capital!)

What is important is the turnover and management of your working capital accounts – those accounts are:

Inventory
Receivables
Account Payable

Simple business logic tells us that if your inventory and receivables are turning over properly, and you’re managing your payables (by delaying them to the maximum amount possible per your terms with suppliers) you will be achieving working capital management success.

When you business is building up receivables and inventory the pressures on liquidity are increased. They can only be addressed by injecting permanent working capital into your business via a working capital term loan, also called “subordinated debt ‘when it’s a larger loan, or by implanting traditional or alternative financing strategies to increase cash flow turnover.

So what are those options to managing and improving your short term working capital and cash flow requirements? The most traditional one is of course an operating line of credit from a Canadian chartered bank or credit union. This type of facility has the lowest overall cost and can be accessed anytime on an ongoing basis.

Many clients tell us that they address some of their working capital needs through use of Business Visa credit cards. This clearly adds additional capital, you are paying for what you use, but in our opinion does a poor job of separating the owners personal credit from the business – as these types of cards are closely tied to personal net worth’s and credit scores of the owners.

Two other very viable solutions come into play for consideration of working capital gaps. They are the use of factoring, which allows you to generate same day cash flow for your invoices, although you pay a discount fee to get the money immediately. While somewhat unheard of in previous years this method of financing gains more traction everyday.

The other solution in a more traditional sense is to ensure you are using lease financing or sale leaseback financing to minimize cash flow out when you are considering purchases of assets. Solutions such as this save the business owner from committing additional funds into the business via owner equity which he may not be able to, or not want to do. It certainly isn’t unusual in Canada to see business owners ‘lend ‘their company money in times of need, often with no fixed repayment schedules. However, as we have noted, the better solution is effective turnover of receivables and inventory or accessing alternative working capital solutions such as factoring, inventory financing, as well as purchase order financing for large contracts.

In summary, business in Canada always has working capital challenges. Those challenges are diminished when you are focusing on proper turnover of A/R and inventory. When additional funds are required you should turn to operating facilities to meet your needs, which can be traditional or alternative in nature. Speak to a trusted and credible business advisor to understand which options make sense for your firm.

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Stan Prokop is founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial. Originating financing for Canadian companies, specializing in working capital, cash flow, and asset based financing , the 6 year old firm has completed in excess of 45 Million $ of financing for companies of all size . For info and free consultation on Canadian business financing and contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/working_capital_financing_canadian_business.html

Equipment Leasing – Canadian Solutions

Equipment leasing in Canada is a trusted and well worn way to acquire assets for your Canadian business.Leasing has always been popular in Canada – it continued to be a dominant method of equipment acquisitionduring the 2008-2009 economic woes because it was an alternative form of financing to many traditional areas of business financing that had temporarily dried up, or in some cases ‘ disappeared ‘!

We can’t think of any business asset that can’t be financed via leasing. It goes without saying that your firm has to demonstrate the ability to pay for that asset over the period of the lease.In many case acquisition of assets through lease financing is part of a long term strategy for Canadian business owners and financial managers who wish to ensure they have productive, up to date assets that are being acquired at the lowest cost method, including flexibility that often comes with lease financing.

What is that flexibility? It comes in various forms – some of the basics are flexible payment arrangements,a term in the lease that meets your firms anticipated use of the asset, and, probably as important as anything, a lower cash outlay for the acquisition of the asset.

As bank lines and term loan facilities in Canada tightened up a lease financing strategy become ‘job one ‘for many Canadian firms who wished to continue to remain competitive within their industry.As analysts and bankers focused on a company’s ability to generate cash and working capital leasing became a tool that allowed them to do that. Cash flow is probably better used to allow your firm to build up receivables, inventories and generate profits from same.

When clients share their stores about equipment financing one of the key points they continue to make is that lease financing is simply easier to arrange and get approved. That is true for a variety of reasons, but simply speaking it’s that lease firms are in one business only, they know their collateral, and they are focused on optimizing rates, terms and structures that work for themselves and the customer. A large amount of emphasis is always placed on collateral, while a similar application at your bank or term lender might focus more on overall balance sheet and income statement health.

That is simply why in many cases Canadian business owners and financial managers should assume that a decline from a bank or term lender will mean the same from an equipment financing firm. In some , perhaps most cases leasing actual overall interest rate will be higher than a bank or term lender, but cash outlay, credit covenant restrictions,and flexibility structure make that higher rate generally worth it !

If you speak to your account or lease advisor you will also find there are a number of balance sheet, income statement and tax advantages to leasing equipment. We find that each firm wants to maximize those benefits but some are more important than others. More sophisticated and larger firms tend to gravitate toward operating leases – in this case transaction tend to be larger, the debt on the transaction is not on the balance sheet, and the company has the right to return, upgrade, or purchase for fair market value the equipment at end of term . That is true flexibility!

Your firm should always consider a lease financing strategy when your asset acquisitions involve technology. That technology is changing and your ability to buy the best, newest, as and when you need it is why lease financing is such a driver in technology asset acquisitions. Those assets tend to be computers, medical equipment, etc.

Down payments are often required in leasing, but they tend to be minimal – 10% is a common number, and that certainly beats an outlay of valuable cash and working capital of 100!

The main challenge and focus of your firm should be to ensure you, or your trusted lease financing advisor position your application properly. That involves a solid identification of who your firm is, what asset you wish tot acquire, the structure desired, and most importantly, the ability to show that the weight of evidences suggests you can pay for the asset over the desired term. Solid financial statement presentation is key.Working with credible lease advisors and lease firms is also key – fostering a long term relationship in that area will reap many benefits over the years.

In summary, equipment leasing in Canada provides a multitude of solutions for asset acquisition. It’s a direct way of acquisition without utilizing your bank and term loan credit lines. Flexibility is key in leasing, and you should focus on which benefits and structures work best for your firm as every company and industry has different business models and challenges.

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Stan Prokop is founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial. Originating financing for Canadian companies, specializing in working capital, cash flow, and asset based financing , the 6 year old firm has completed in excess of 45 Million $ of financing for companies of all size . For info and free consultation on Canadian business financing and contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/Equipment_leasing_canadian_solutions.html

– Sale Leaseback Financing Canada

Canadian business owners and financial managers realized in 2008-2009, despite economic and financial challenges, that they had significant equipment and assets that were available to generate additional working capital and cash flow for their firms.In essence they were equipment rich and cash poor, as a significant amount of assets was tied up.

How can your firm free up the cash flow and working capital in these assets and put those funds to work for sales and profit generation? The answer is a sale leaseback strategy.

In many instances if you owe money on the equipment those payments can be stretched out to lower amounts, and at the same time improve working capital and liquidity.

Is it difficult to engineer a sale leaseback financing. The answer is categorically no if you employ a trusted, credible and experienced advisor in lease financing in Canada.

The one caveat that we warn clients on is that the sale leaseback should not be greater than the book value on your financial statements of the asset being financed.

If in fact that value was greater you would incur a tax on the financing which might negate the positive aspects of the sale leaseback.

So how do you get your sale leaseback financing completed? In effect you are selling your equipment back to the lease company, so you are required to prepare an invoice and a bill of sale. That invoice of course means that you are warranting that the equipment is free and clear of liens and that you have valid title to the asset.

So how does the lease company register their interest in your asset? In Canada they do this under a simple filing under the Personal Property Security Act – ‘PPSA ‘.

There are a large number of assets that actually hold their value, sometimes increase in value, and in some circumstances only depreciate a modest amount. In that case we recommend to clients that they invest a nominal amount in an appraisal – this may well generate a larger amount of working capital and cash flow coming back into your firm. Prudent customers will generate an appraisal known as a fair market value appraisal – unfortunately many lenders will focus on a liquidation value appraisal, which is of course much more conservative .

Are there different documents used in a sale leaseback transaction? No! They are the same lease type of documents that you would expect in any type of equipment financing transaction.

Carefull attention should also be paid the ‘type ‘of lease that you consider in such a transaction. You essentially have two choices in Canada regarding such a structure; they are capital leases and operating leases. If you choose the former you have a stated intention to own the equipment again when all payments have been made; an operating lease signifies your intention to use the equipment, upgrade it, or return it at the end of term. Each of these two types of structures has different balance sheet and income statement effects.

In summary, sale leaseback financing allows you to generate working capital and cash flow from unencumbered assets. It can be done for any asset, including real estate by the way. Work with a trusted, credible, and experienced lease advisor to ensure you structure your transaction properly for maximum cash flow and working capital gain.

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http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/sale_leaseback_financing_canada.html

Factoring in Canada – Receivables Financing that works!

Factoring in Canada is four things:

-New and increasingly accepted

-Misunderstood

-Different than in the U.S.

-Growing more popular every day as an alternative vehicle to business financing

Canadian business owners and financial managers keep hearing about factoring , and when we talk to clients who are pursuing this financing option it is increasingly clear there is a lot of mis information and‘ noise ‘ about this unique type of financing that needs to be clarified .

So why is there so much mis information about factoring and how can business owners in Canada get the ‘real story ‘. Part of the problem is that factoring, in our opinion, means different things to different people, both within the industry itself, and also to the Canadian business owners. Similar to the terms ‘ cash flow ‘ and ‘working capital ‘the use of the term is interchanged in a variety of ways .Also, factoring isn’t a home grown solution, and migrated to Canada from the U.S. and Europe, where it has been in place for hundreds of years.

Factoring, also know as receivables financing, or ‘ invoice discounting ‘ is best utilized when firms are growing rapidly, have sales and verifiable invoices, and require injections of working capital for that a/r investment that otherwise might not be available through traditional sources such as the bank .In 99% of cases that we deal with where a client is a ‘ start up ‘ the initial financing through a factoring facility is a critical and valuable tool in the early growth of the company .

Let’s get back to the confusion around factoring. Traditional factoring in Canada is in fact simply the sale of your receivables, and their purchase to a factor firm. The most immediate benefit is the immediate receipt of cash, which eliminates the need to wait for anywhere between 30-90 days for payment from your customer. Over the years it is inherently obvious that every firm out there recognizes that delaying payments to your suppliers is an instant form of cash flow. However, when you are on the receiving end of that, waiting for your money, that is poor consolation!

Does your business receive 100% of the invoice value when you sell your invoices either individually, or bundled in a larger amount of invoices? The answer is ‘no’ – You generally receive on the same day anywhere form 75-90% of the invoice value. The balance is held back as a hold back or buffer, and paid to your firm immediately on final receipt of payment from your customer. At that point factoring would be ‘free ‘, but it isn’t, there is a further deduction for the commission or financing cost by your factor firm. That cost is one of the greatest issues facing Canadian business owners, because it is anywhere in range from 9%/annum to 2-3% / month.

The costs associated with factoring in Canada have to be viewed in the context that although they are higher than traditional bank financing that point becomes moot because your firm probably cannot qualify at this point for a true Canadian chartered bank operating facility. So factoring simply allows you to grow your firm when you can’t obtain sufficient financing otherwise.

So now we have understood what factoring is, and why it has become a tool within the Canadian business financing tool kit.That’s the easy part. The challenge for Canadian business then becomes –

-What type of firm is the best one for my company and industry

-How does this financing work on a daily basis

-Am I comfortable enough to let the factor firm notify my customers regarding invoice verification and payment

-Is there an alternative to involving my suppliers and customers into this financing process

We advise clients that the best factoring facility in Canada is one in which your firm can bill and collect its own receivables. That type of facility is called non notification and is as close to traditional financing mechanics as one can get.

So whats our bottom line summary – it’s simply as follows. Factoring in Canada is only mis understood because business owners don’t have access to solid unbiased information on how it works, what it costs, and how it benchmarks as an alternative to traditional financing. Certain factoring facilities in Canada exist that are very transparent to your firm and its customers. Factoring has higher costs, but those costs can grow your sales and profits considerably. Seek out the advice of a trusted, credible and experience advisor in this somewhat misunderstood area of Canadian business financing.

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http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/Factoring_canada_receivable_financing_that_works.html