How To Finance Your Film tax credits in Canada - Cash Flow your Incentive Grant Today

Many producers, directors and owners of Canadian projects in film, television and digital animation are not aware of their potential capability to finance film tax credits and monetize those tax incentives into real cash flow, working capital, while enhancing return on equity for their projects.

Let’s examine how these credits work, who they are available to, and why Canadians and foreign owners of projects should consider the monetization of these valuable non repayable film tax incentives. Although we traditionally talk to clients around ' film ' you should never forget that both television and animation in Canada is eligible for these same incentives.

In essence you are simply taking advantage of the Canadian federal and provincial governments desire to in effect ' subsidize’ the cost of your productions. If they're offering, why aren’t you taking?!

In essence its basically about geography and content -as the two levels of Canadian government are focused on attracting employment and foreign capital to Canada - it is their belief ( and why would we even question it ) that these productions advertise Canada, bring capital spending to Canada and, probably most importantly, stimulate employment - thereby generating tax revenue . But enough of our economics lecture - let’s get down to real world basics on film tax incentives and film tax credit financing in Canada.

Owners of productions are eligible for pure non repayable grants under approximately 6 different programs based on the four genres of film, tv, animation, and the sometimes forgotten ' music’ industry .

The grants, as we mentioned are non repayable, and very generous, often approximating 30 - 40% of your production budgets in various categories. We tell clients it is essential to tie yourself to a solid entertainment accountant who focus and expertise will allow you to craft a budget that maximizes the most eligibility of your expenses. Certain categories of expenses are known as ' qualifying ‘and the include labor and actual non labour expenses. The government issues guidelines on these budgets and what qualified - you can spend 1 , 5 or ten hours looking through government literature, or, alternatively, do as we recommend, speak to a trusted, credible and experiences film tax financing consultant who can guide you through the whole process of film tax credit financing in Canada .

Film tax incentive financing can be accomplished when you have received your final approval and certificates - for example, if you are shooting or filming in Ontario you would file under what is known as the OPSTC -- The Ontario Production Services Tax Credit.

So you have filed your claim, and completed your production. Next item on the agenda - waiting! Care not to wait - then finance you claim, which essentially is the financing and discounting of your claim with the claim as the key collateral. Want an even more supercharged solution - finance your claim while you are in production and receive cash flow and working capital to enhance the overall financing plan.

Film tax credit financing in Canada - its available, its generous, use it, and, if you need to, finance your claims!

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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/film_tax_credits_canada_film_tax_incentives.html

How The Right Franchise Financing Will Successfully Solve Your Franchise Cost Challenge !

You have selected, or are selecting a Canadian franchise. You're down to those two last seemingly minor questions - how much does the franchise cost, and what franchise financing is available! Pardon our questions, but those are hardly minor points.

Franchise opportunities in Canada seem unlimited these days as the industry continues to grow and grow. A huge portion of the Canadian economy is services by franchisors and their franchisees in Canada.

There is no one method that serves all you’re financing needs for your new proposed business. However several tried and true methods of financing are utilized successfully everyday in Canada; let’s explore some of those methods and hopefully provide you with tips, strategies and tactics to successfully complete you business acquisition. In most cases you will be buying, or building a franchise with your franchisor partner, in some instances you are negotiating with an existing franchisee to purchase their business. Both of these scenarios are financed differently.

In the case of purchasing an existing franchise a more formulaic approach is available to you. The basic process involves negotiating a fair price around the business, validating the financial statements of the owner, and, more often than not, obtaining an appraisal of any of the hard assets and leaseholds of the business. The appraisal value is a key point in your overall financing strategy. We also caution business clients to take some time to ' normalize' the financial statements of the existing business. This is what even sophisticated financial analysts do when they are looking at a merger or acquisition type scenario. The process simply involves taking a look at all the costs and expenses and eliminating those that might not be relevant as you move the new business forward.

Quick example on the above: Previous owner is taking 80,000.00 out in salary; you feel you can continue with a 50k salary - that obviously allows you to put 30k of profit and cash flow back into your business assumptions. You might well want to utilize the services of a trusted, credible and experienced financial advisor who can assist you in this area if you are a non- financial type!

The most common method of financing a franchise in Canada, existing or new, is a BIL .Great says our clients, now what is that?! It’s the technical name for the Canadian governments Small Business Financing program, and it provides up to 350k in financing for your business. Sounds great, right?

The challenge our clients face is typically understanding the criteria of the program , how it works, what information and back up is required to process a financing, and what other types of financing might compliment this proven and popular strategy. (We have found equipment financing or leasing to be a great add on complement to the government loan strategy)

Franchise financing around the franchise cost should not be viewed as coming from your franchisor, they are in the business of building their empire, not financing yours! That is a common misconception among clients.

However, in the case of purchasing an existing franchise you may well want to negotiate at least a nominal (or greater if you can!) vendor take back to compliment the overall financing. It’s a great strategy that motivates you and the current franchisee to work together to continue the success of the business.

Our final point and tip around franchise cost is clearly to assess what your own investment will be in the business. Typically franchise lenders are looking to get a very reasonable owner equity or down payment on the transaction, which is of course relative to the size of the business you are buying or starting.

Speak to a trusted Canadian business financing advisor to ensure you have a clear strategy and a solid plan to finance your entrepreneurial vision.

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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/franchise_financing_franchise_cost.html

3 Ways To Supercharge Access To Business Lines of Credit And Asset Loans

Canadian business financing has a new success story when it comes to business lines of credit and asset loans. Although it’s clearly been around for awhile we run into tens of clients who haven’t even heard of the solution, but boy do they know they have a business financing problem! The ' supercharger' we are referring to is an ABL; an asset based business line of credit.

Let's make sure you understand the basics first - and it’s actually quite simple. An ABL facility is a revolving line of credit, which, surprise, surprise, is typically offered by an institution other than a bank! That’s what really surprises some of our clients. These business lines of credit, or asset, or asset loans are credit facilities that support your receivables and inventory, just as they would if your firm qualified or had access to a Canadian chartered bank facility.

Can we add a little more ' supercharging' to the mix - yes we can. The Abl facility can actually include equipment and real estate which can be bundled into the facility if your firm has those assets for additional leverage. So what is happening is that you as a Canadian business owner or financial manager are using your ' asset rich' status and monetizing that into temporary working capital and cash flow. That’s a good thing.

So who in Canada is already ' supercharging' their credit facilities outside of the bank environment? Literally thousands of companies, including some of the largest corporations in Canada. We would point out though that the general lower end of this type of facility typically is 250k, but after that the sky is the limit with respect to transaction size. There is a common perception out there that this type of financing is for companies that are experiencing financial challenges - and to be fair , because the program is asset based these business lines of credit and asset loans are available to firms who are doing well, and those not doing well or experiencing dire challenges . That accessibility for corporations and industries of all types is what is fueling the asset based line of credit facility growth in Canada.

It's never a perfect world, so we advise clients to expect a higher cost of funds than that of a Canadian bank facility - but at what cost would you pay more for a facility that margined all your assets, including fixed assets and real estate. When proper value is agreed upon with your firm and the asset based lender you can actually margin and utilize cash flow on your unencumbered equipment and equity in real estate.

In summary, first, you can supercharge your working capital and cash flow via an ABL facility, which is a direct alternative to any method you are utilizing today. Secondly, your liquidity could literally double if you are in a position to monetize some of your equipment and or real estate, without taking on any additional debt! And, thirdly the facility does not exclude any type of firm from applying, so you can take advantage of Canada's newest form of financing today! , thereby accelerating your growth and profits.
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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_lines_of_credit_asset_loans.html

Alternatives and Tips On Working Capital Finance By Banks

Canadian business owners and financial managers seeking working capital finance by banks or other sources are generally experiencing growth in sales and profits. That’s the good news, which is of course offset by the fact that this type of success requires additional working capital.

Liquidity has become the name of the game and ' cash is king' even today never seems like a worn cliché. A recent study by the Conference Board of Canada indicated that the key worries of business owners were working capital cash flow. (Also referenced were ' regulatory issues and competition')

So you have assets... but can those assets generate workign capital finance by banks or other alternate sources.

For working capital purposes it’s all about ' current assets ' which include typically receivables and inventory. As you invest in those two assets to generate sales your working capital needs go up, and your ability to manage and turn over those assets plays a key role in the sourcing of working capital by banks, and non bank institutions.

You should not be afraid to enter into traditional or alternative working capital solutions if you have properly managed current assets - you are simply monetizing for liquidity, and that’s rarely a bad thing.

So are Canadian chartered banks the solutions to your working capital needs. Probably, possibly, maybe is our answer, meaning that if your firm is capable of meeting bank criteria for a revolving line of credit your needs typically can be met. Of more and more concern to our clients is their ability to not be able to generate sufficient financing for the sister of receivables, aka inventory.

That then takes us into an alternative for bank financing, which is the fast growing area of asset based financing, in particular asset based lines of credit. These facilities cost more, but give you total margining of the market value of your receivables, inventory, and , guess what, we'll throw in equipment and real estate if you want to temporarily margin them for working capital. And remember, your balance sheet is not taking on debt when you enter into either a bank or alternative asset based line of credit, you're simply monetizing your financials for cash flow.

The reality is that alternative methods of financing are growing more popular - yes they are more expensive, but if your firm generates sufficient margins and return on equity your ability to tap into virtually unlimited working capital can prove to be a very positive experience.

The reality of working capital finance by banks or alternative methods is always the same - you need to determine your asset turnover, there will always be times when you need a bulge in inventory and A/R to fund your growth.

Liquidity, that’s what it’s all about. Speak to a trusted, experienced and credible Canadian business financing advisor in order to ensure your traditional and alternative business financing options are first, clear, and second, available!
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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/working_capital_finance_by_banks_alternatives.html

Take Back Productivity With Equipment Financing Leasing in Canada

Yours customers have heard the news - you have invested in new assets to better serve their needs and demonstrate your firms long term commitment to their business. That’s a clear, however intangible, benefit of equipment financing leasing in Canada.

The ability to increase production or streamline your business processes is often served by asset acquisition - acquiring those assets via a lease financing option is clearly the smart thing to do .

Competition is heating up everywhere, locally, nationally, and of course globally. That’s why your ability to invest in new assets such as production equipment, computer technology, business equipment, etc will put you at the top of the pile when it comes to today’s highly competitive environment.

Investing is always a long term strategy, so it is necessary to finance long term assets with a finance strategy such as equipment financing leasing - you are matching the long term benefits you will achieve through the assets with a same long term financing strategy. Your accountant calls that ' matching means to your needs ' - Intuitively to you as a business owner it’s simply cash flow 101!

It clearly does not make sense to any Canadian business owner or financial manager to pay cash and deplete cash flow and working capital resources and then to only receive the benefits of that cash outlay over a longer period of time.

Many of the production assets that we see clients acquire come from either the U.S, Europe, and in some cases even Asia. The 2010 strong Canadian dollar lends itself to strong buying power based on the currency and the willingness of the foreign suppliers to make sales.

When we thing of shop floor and production equipment we think of long term assets that will have a very useful economic life - in many cases they will even hold a residual value many years ago . But then... theres computer and technology. Those assets cost a lot, depreciate quickly, and as they become more and more productive that is offset by the need to constantly upgrade - think servers, pc's, laptops. Etc. Once again, equipment financing leasing to the rescue! Your ability to upgrade, replace, or extend current leasing of technologies is enhanced by a lease financing option. And think of those cash flow advantages. We pity the poor Chief Information Officer at medium sized and larger firms that constantly must wrestle with capital expenditures in such large and constant amounts.

We all here about ' crunching the numbers ' - in leasing, with the aid of a financial calculator you can very quickly identify budgeted amounts and cash outflows. There are only 5 simple parts of an equipment lease calculation- the term of the lease, the interest rate, the value of the equipment, the end purchase option, and of course the payment . Knowing any 4 of those allows you to quickly calculate the final remaining piece of the puzzle in your budgeting scenarios.

One of the greatest financiers of all time, J P Getty is often quoted as saying - ' if it appreciates buy it, if it depreciates, lease it '. That’s the strategy you probably should adopt on every asset acquisition, and utilizing the variety of equipment financing leasing options is the common way to approach that lease versus buy decision.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor that will help you achieve and overcome your obstacles to competitive innovation.

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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/equipment_financing_leasing.html

How To Decide if Financing Receivables Is a Solution for Your Working Capital Funding

We call it the R R factor. And we are not talking about rest and recuperation! The R R factor will give you a sense it its time to consider whether a newer, more popular method of financing receivables is your working capital funding solution .

We're going to provide you with a quick but easy and powerful tool to determine if your cash flow challenges need to be addressed in a more positive fashion. It's the receivables to revenue ration - hence the term R R . First, take you year end balance of A/R, which is of course your uncollected sales revenue at that point in time. Then determine how many weeks of sales that represents. Calculate this ratio historically and you have a method of determining whether your cash flow and working capital requirements are changing.

So how does business address the challenge of working capital funding when it’s as challenging as ever to borrow. Many companies are assessing factoring, or financing receivables. It’s a simple process that is only made complex and difficult when you don’t understand the pricing, how it works on a daily basis, or the important need to align yourself with a partner that offers and matches your business financing needs.

The process is actually quite simple --- On a daily, weekly, or monthly basis - it’s your choice, you sell your receivables. So what happens next? Simply that the day you generate that sale you have the same day cash for those receivables. Therefore the Canadian business owner and financial manager have created a true ATM machine out of the investment the company has in accounts receivable. Readers will also begin to immediately appreciate that they have just stumbled upon the ultimate cash flow solution, because every time they sale they have instant cash. So whats the catch?

We believe there are 2 catches, and when the business owner understands and addresses them the receivable financing solution becomes much more clear and common sense.

The first ' catch ' is the cost. The typical Canadian cost of financing a receivable is 1.5- 2% / month. The firms offering the service do not call that an interest rate, they call it a discount fee. You sold something, for cash, i.e. you’re receivable, and it was discounted by 1 or 2% for that privilege. Is that expensive. Absolutely ... maybe! That is because most business owners don’t pick up on the fact that they are in effect carrying those receivables already, which is a cost that is often not intuitively calculated by the business owner. Secondly, the term ' opportunity cost ' comes in to play, because the reality is that if your firm can generate a good return on investment you can use the cash flow from your receivable financing to generate higher profits .

So why isn’t factoring or receivable financing the choice of every Canadian business for working capital funding? The reality is, and this is a surprise to many, that the largest firms in Canada utilize this financing. They simply have a stronger ability, due to their financial strength, to determine how the facility works on a daily basis, the best type of facility we recommend to customers is one in which your firm is able to bill and collect its own receivables, which is not offered by 99% of firms in the Canadian marketplace. Search out that 1% solution is what we tell our clients - at that point you will have a competitive financing vehicle for working capital and virtually unlimited cash flow growth.

Speak to a trusted and credible business financing advisor who can assist you to put together a solid working capital funding solution.

The Myth Of Inventory Finance Companies

Your company carries it. You need to finance it. We're of course talking about inventory. Discussions with clients reveal a lot of misconceptions around inventory financing in Canada. Let's try and resolve some of those myths around the financing of your inventory, who the players are , who they are not ( that’s the most common myth ) and we'll also try and provide some straight forward direction on next steps in your inventory financing challenge .

The overall quality of your inventory management will play a large part in your ability to finance your products, which are a part of the current assets component of your balance sheet. You cannot overlook the importance that an inventory lender will place on your ability to report and count your products. The reality is that most firms are either carrying a ' continuous' or ' 'periodic' system of inventory control.

So here is solid tip # 1 - be aware that inventory lenders prefer a continuous type of inventory accounting, for all the obvious reasons. Essentially you are counting and monitoring inventory (with the use of software of course!) at all times. That’s a good thing when it comes to a lenders valuation on an ongoing basis and their ability to lend.

You're company is growing. Unfortunately so is your inventory! And that places a huge drain on your cash flow. The working capital cycle dictates that cash turns into inventory which turns into receivables and then we start all over... that lag can be anywhere from 60 - 120 days, sometimes longer . Never underestimate the problem that higher sales will bring to your inventory financing needs.

Clients typically are looking for inventory financing because the level of investment that you have in product and receivables drains your cash flow. As sales volumes increase your cash flow decreases based on your overall collection period of A/R and of course those inventory turns.

Your sales staff of course never wants to be in a position to tell a customer you don’t have the product they have worked so hard to sell.

Does your company have an inventory financing strategy? The majority of firms we talk to in Canada, certainly in the small and medium business sector do not have access to the inventory financing they need. Do true inventory financing companies exist in Canada? We feel that the answer is generally ' no ‘, they do not. However if your firm would consider an asset based lending scenario that in effect takes the place of inventory finance companies in Canada .

Under an asset based lending strategy your inventory is margined for what its worth, by experts who categorically know what its worth. You will enhance your ability to finance your product if you have the controls, reporting, and inventory accounting system in places that makes the inventory and asset based lender ' comfortable ‘.

Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced business financing advisor with regards to inventory financing companies and asset based lenders who will give your product the financing it deserves!
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Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial - http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/inventory_finance_companies.html