How to Effectively Manage and Eliminate your Company Debt

Is your company struggling with debt? 
 
Don’t worry, getting into company debt is something that happens even to the best of companies at one point. Uncontrollable factors such as stagflation, lockdowns such as the occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic and mergers and acquisitions usually happen to cause this. The good thing is company debt is manageable if handled the right way.  

One of the most important things you can do is to effectively monitor your payables. Payables are the amounts of money you owe to your suppliers. By closely monitoring your payables, you can get a better understanding of your overall financial health and identify any potential problems early on.  

How to Effectively Manage your Company’s Debts 

Organize a copy of your receipts  

Maintaining an organized record of your receipts is the key to effective bookkeeping. By keeping copies of the payments you have made, you can ensure that your debt records are well organized. Additionally, this practice allows you to create an accurate inventory of your debts, providing you with a comprehensive overview of your financial obligations.  

Moreover, organizing your receipts makes it easier to reconcile payments and develop a well-informed business budget. By having a clear understanding of the cash, you need to allocate for loan repayments, you can make informed financial decisions and manage your resources more efficiently.  

To streamline your receipt, consider using Xero or QuickBooks, which are designed for managing expenses. These can help you digitize your receipts, categorize expenses, and generate expense reports effortlessly. By leveraging technology, you can save time and reduce the chances of losing or misplacing important financial records.  

Read: 4 Reasons You Should Always Keep Your Receipts  

   
Schedule your required payments  

When you take out a loan or credit, the creditor will give you a payment schedule. This schedule will tell you how much you need to pay each month and when the payments are due. It is important to follow your payment schedule consistently to avoid late fees and other penalties.  

There are a few things you can do to make sure you pay your debt on time:  

• Set up automatic payments. This is the easiest way to make sure your payments are always on time. You can set up automatic payments through your bank, credit card company or loan lender.  

• Create a budget. A budget will help you track your income and expenses and make sure you have enough money to cover your monthly payments.  

• Pay more than the minimum payment. If you can afford to, paying more than the minimum payment will help you pay off your debt faster and save money on interest.  

If you are having trouble making your payments, contact your lender or creditor as soon as possible. They may be able to work with you to create a payment plan that you can afford.  

Keep a record of your loan agreement  

When you take out a loan, you are essentially entering into a legal contract with the lender. This contract, known as a loan agreement, will outline the terms of the loan, such as the interest rate, repayment schedule and any fees or penalties. It is important to read and understand the loan agreement carefully before you sign it.  

Once you have signed the loan agreement, you must keep a copy of it in a safe place. This will help you to stay informed about the terms of your loan and to make sure that you are meeting your obligations. If you have any questions about the loan agreement, you should contact your lender.  

In most cases, loan agreements include specific arrangements that can affect your loan. For example, some loan agreements may state that the interest rate will double if you miss a payment. Others may state that you will lose any special agreements, such as a grace period, if you make late payments.  

The best way to avoid any surprises is to stay informed about the loan agreement that you signed. By reading and understanding the agreement carefully and keeping a copy of it in a safe place, you can ensure that you are aware of all of the terms and conditions of your loan. By following these tips, you can ensure that you are in good standing with your loan and that you are meeting all of your business debt obligations.  

Read Next: How to Avoid Bad Debt in Business  

  
Look over the loan’s interest rates  

Always consider the interest rate of a loan before taking one. The interest rate is the amount of money you'll pay in addition to the principal amount of the loan over its duration. The higher the interest rate, the more you'll pay in total interest.  

Type of the loan: For example, personal loans typically have higher interest rates than business loans.   

Credit score: The better your credit score, the lower the interest rate you'll likely qualify for.  

It's important to compare interest rates from different lenders before you take out a loan. This will help you ensure that you're getting the best possible deal. You can use a loan comparison website to compare interest rates from a variety of lenders.  

In addition to the interest rate, you should also consider the loan amount, the repayment term and any fees associated with the loan.   

Refinance your loans when possible  

Refinancing your loans can be a great way to save money and improve your cash flow. When interest rates drop, you may be able to refinance your loans at a lower interest rate. This can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the duration of your loan.  

Refinancing can also help you consolidate your debt into a single loan with a lower monthly payment. This can free up cash that you can use to pay down other debt, invest or save for a rainy day.  

If you are thinking of refinancing your loans, it is important to compare rates from multiple lenders. You should also make sure that you understand the terms of the new loan, including the interest rate, fees and repayment period.  

Refinancing your loans can be a smart financial move. However, it is important to do your research and make sure that it is the right decision for you.  

Here are some of the benefits of refinancing your loans:  

• Lower interest rates can save you money on your monthly payments.  
• Consolidating your debt into a single loan can make it easier to manage your finances.  
• A shorter repayment period can help you pay off your debt faster.  
• You may be able to access cash to use for other purposes, such as investing or starting a business.  

Here are some things to consider before refinancing your loans:  

• The cost of refinancing. There may be fees associated with refinancing, so make sure you factor these into your decision.  
• The terms of the new loan. Make sure you understand the interest rate, fees and repayment period of the new loan before you sign anything.  
• Your financial situation. Make sure you are in a good financial position to make the monthly payments on the new loan. 

While debt is a normal thing to have as a growing company, there’s always healthy ways to mitigate and manage this debt and instead turn them into opportunities for wealth diversification and growth. By taking the time to sit down and assess your finances, you and a trusted finance and accounting professional can decide on your best course of action to effectively eliminate your debt.  

Need help with your Company Finances?  

When it comes to accounting, the services provided by an accountant are imperative. You have two options when it comes to this: hire an in-house accountant or outsource a business accounting service. You can check out our blogs if you want to know more about outsourcing your functions to a reliable partner.  

You can also grab a copy of our whitepaper Outsourcing: How to Make it Work to know how we can make outsourcing engagement work for your growing business.   

This post was first published on 16 October 2014 and edited 08 March 2024. Edited by: Aly Tagamolila