A bank statement is a record of all transactions for a bank account over a set period of time, usually a month. It lists all deposits, withdrawals, checks, interest earned, fees charged, and Business Loans the ending balance.
Bank statements provide an important overview of a business’s financial health and cash flow. They allow the business owner to reconcile accounts and track expenses. They also serve as a critical document when applying for financing like a small business loans.
Lenders want to review bank statements to verify a business’s revenue, expenses, and overall ability to repay debt. The statements help lenders assess the stability and reliability of the business. Qualified applicants tend to have consistent revenue deposits, manageable operating expenses, and adequate cash reserves.
In this article, we will explore what business lenders look for in bank statements when underwriting loans. We’ll also provide tips to business owners on preparing statements to present in the best possible light when seeking financing. Thorough bank statements can help demonstrate creditworthiness and lead to loan approval.
Parts of a Bank Statement
A bank statement is a record of all the transactions that occurred in your bank account over a specific period of time, usually one month. It contains important information that gives you and your lenders insight into your finances. The key parts of a bank statement include:
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Dates Covered: The statement will show the time period it covers, usually the first day of the month through the last day.
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Account Number and Info: Your full account number, bank routing number, and personal info like your name and address will be listed.
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Balance Info: The starting and ending balances for the month are shown, so you can see how your balance changed.
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Transactions: All deposits, withdrawals, checks, transfers, fees, and other transactions are listed in detail with the date, description, and dollar amount.
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Deposits: Any money deposited into your account like your paycheck, cash deposits, or transfers from other accounts.
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Withdrawals: Debits like ATM withdrawals, online bill payments, wire transfers, and checks you wrote.
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Fees: Monthly account fees, overdraft charges, ATM fees, and other service fees the bank deducted.
Having all your transactions documented gives you a full picture of your spending, income, and account usage during the month. Lenders will analyze the details closely when reviewing your statement for a loan application.
Using Bank Statements for Loans
When applying for a business loans, lenders will thoroughly review your bank statements to assess your creditworthiness and ability to repay the loan. The bank statements provide insight into the financial health and cash flow of the business.
Lenders want to see consistent revenue deposits that indicate a steady cash flow. This gives them confidence that your business generates sufficient income to make the loan payments. They will look at deposits over several months to determine averages and stability. Income from sales, services, contracts, or other sources should appear frequently.
In addition to revenue, lenders also look at expenses to calculate your net income and cash flow. They want to see that money is available after covering business costs and overhead. Too many large withdrawals or payments can signal potential issues.
Your bank statements also help lenders identify existing debt obligations. They can see regular payments made to creditors, which reduces the cash available for a new loan. Too much existing debt is a red flag.
By analyzing the patterns and details in your bank statements, lenders gain critical insight into the financial position of your business. Statements that demonstrate healthy earnings, cash flow, and low debt obligations can help secure loan approval. Clear and accurate bank statements are vital for financing.
Preparing Bank Statements
When using bank statements to apply for business loans, it’s important to take steps to prepare your statements to present your finances in the best possible light. Here are some tips for preparing bank statements before sharing them with lenders:
Reconcile accounts – Before sharing your statements, be sure to reconcile all your accounts to ensure the balances match your records. This avoids any discrepancies or errors that could raise red flags. Reconciling accounts also helps you identify any unauthorized charges or other issues needing correction.
Highlight key info – Use highlights, underlines, or notes on your statement to draw attention to important information like large deposits, payroll, inventory purchases, or loan payments. This helps lenders quickly identify key details.
Organize and consolidate – If you have multiple bank accounts, consolidate the most relevant info into a single statement summary. Organize them chronologically or by category. This gives lenders a clear snapshot without overwhelming them with extraneous transactions.
Review for errors – Carefully review all statements for any errors, fraudulent charges, or inconsistencies before sharing with lenders. It’s important to correct any issues rather than providing inaccurate information that could hurt your chances.
Taking these steps allows you to put your best foot forward with clear, organized, and accurate bank statements. It enables lenders to easily analyze your finances and builds trust by demonstrating you have command of your accounts. Preparation is key for using bank statements effectively when seeking business loans.
What Lenders Look For
When reviewing bank statements for a business loans application, lenders are looking for signs of a financially healthy and stable company. Specifically, they want evidence that the business has:
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Steady cash flow – Regular deposits, stable balances, and consistent revenue show the business has dependable cash flow. Dramatic fluctuations in deposits or balances may be a red flag.
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Revenue and growth – Lenders want to see steady or increasing revenue over time. This demonstrates the company is established, and there is demand for its products/services. Stagnant or declining revenue can indicate problems.
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Debt obligations and management – Loan officers will review bank statements to ensure existing debts and obligations are being managed and paid on time. Missed payments or overdraft fees may indicate poor financial management.
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Consistent income – Lenders prefer regular, predictable income vs volatile income. Steady deposits each month reassure them the business can reliably repay a loan. Highly erratic deposits from month to month are riskier.
By scrutinizing bank statements, lenders gain insight into the financial health, stability, and management of a business. They look for signs of steady cash flow, revenue growth, responsible debt management, and consistent income patterns over time. This helps them determine if the company is a good credit risk.
Red Flags
Lenders will be on the lookout for any red flags in your bank statements that may indicate you are not a reliable borrower. Here are some of the main red flags they watch for:
Inconsistent deposits
If your income deposits are irregular or vary wildly from month to month, this raises questions about the stability of your income. Lenders want to see a predictable and steady stream of deposits that align with your reported income. Sudden large deposits or cash deposits may also draw scrutiny if they don’t align with the rest of your statement activity.
Overdrafts and low balances
Frequent or repeated overdrafts demonstrate poor money management and indicate you may struggle to make loan payments. Maintaining very low balances can also be a concern, as lenders want to see you have cash reserves and some savings built up.
Suspicious transactions
Any deposits, withdrawals or transfers that appear suspicious or questionable may cause concern. This includes large cash transactions, transfers to high-risk entities, or activity in jurisdictions known for money laundering. Your statement activity should make sense and be consistent.
Unexplained activity
If there are any transactions that seem unusual or out of the ordinary for your financial profile, lenders will want an explanation. This includes large sums arriving from unknown sources or any activity that doesn’t align with your stated occupation and income sources. You should be prepared to clarify any discrepancies.
Scrutinizing bank statements for red flags allows lenders to spot potential risks and make more informed decisions about loan applicants. Being aware of the common red flags can help you avoid any activity that might jeopardize your chances of getting approved. Maintaining a clean and consistent statement history is key.
Tips for a Positive Review
When preparing bank statements for a business loans application, you want to put your best foot forward. However, most businesses have some irregularities or anomalies in their finances. Rather than trying to hide these, it’s better to explain them upfront.
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Explain Any Irregularities: Don’t let a lender discover confusing transactions or spikes and dips in cash flow. Bring these to their attention first, and explain the reasons behind them. For example, if you received a large insurance payout, explain why.
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Provide Context: Give the full story behind your bank statements. Explain seasonal revenue fluctuations, new customers or expenses, staff changes, etc. Help the lender understand your statements.
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Showcase Growth and Potential: If your revenue has been increasing over time, point this out. Explain business expansions and your future plans. Lenders want to see future potential.
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Be Transparent: Trying to hide anything usually backfires. Being upfront about problems or inconsistencies shows you have nothing to hide. Explain one-time events and outline what you’ve done to improve.
Taking these steps allows lenders to fully understand your finances. Rather than leaving them with questions, address any red flags or issues proactively. This demonstrates you are trustworthy and have a solid business with growth potential. A little context goes a long way in presenting your bank statements in the best possible light.
Alternatives to Bank Statements
While lenders generally require bank statements as part of the loan application process, there are some alternatives that borrowers can provide to supplement this requirement. However, it’s important to note that these alternatives do not replace the need for bank statements entirely.
Tax Returns
Submitting tax returns can help provide additional insight into a business’s financial health. Income statements and other details from tax documents can demonstrate revenue streams and expenses. Lenders may allow tax returns to partially take the place of bank statements, but likely not replace them completely.
Financial Statements
Some lenders may accept financial statements, such as profit and loss statements, in lieu of bank statements. These documents can illuminate the financial workings of a company. However, financial statements are usually not sufficient on their own, as lenders still prefer to see the raw transactional data contained in bank statements.
Profit and Loss Statements
Profit and loss statements outline business revenues, costs, and net income over a set period of time. Providing these statements along with bank records can give lenders a fuller picture of finances. But profit and loss statements are crafted by the business itself and don’t provide the objective transaction details shown in bank statements. So lenders are unlikely to waive bank statement requirements.
In summary, while tax returns, financial statements, and profit and loss sheets can supplement bank statements, they are generally not adequate replacements. Lenders still prefer to review bank statements to make direct observations about cash flows. But providing additional financial documents can potentially strengthen a loan application.
Common Requirements
When applying for a business loans, lenders will typically request bank statements as part of the application process. This allows them to review the financial history and cash flow of the business. Here are some common requirements lenders have for bank statements:
Multiple months of statements – Lenders will want to see statements for the past 3-12 months. The longer the period covered, the better understanding they will have of the business’s finances over time. 12 months of statements is standard, but some lenders may request less if the business has limited operating history.
Business vs personal accounts – Lenders want to see statements for the business’s accounts, not personal accounts. They may request personal statements as well to cross-check, but the focus is on the business accounts used for operations. All business bank and credit card accounts should be included.
Frequency and recency – Lenders prefer frequently updated statements, such as monthly rather than quarterly. The most recent statements are also important, as they give the clearest picture of current cash flow. Statements should be from within the past 1-3 months to be considered recent. Gaps and outdated statements can raise concerns.
Providing complete, frequent, and recent bank statements from all the business’s accounts demonstrates transparency and facilitates the loan review and approval process. Borrowers should be prepared to supply quality statements meeting the lender’s requirements.
Conclusion
Your bank statements provide lenders with proof of your financial history and stability. They help verify your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and overall cash flow. When applying for a business loans, your bank statements are one of the most important documents in your application.
Lenders analyze bank statements to assess risk and determine if you qualify for financing. Be sure to review statements carefully before submitting them. Look for any discrepancies, large fluctuations in balances, overdrafts, returned checks, and other red flags. Always provide complete, accurate statements covering the required timeframe.
The key things lenders look for are regular revenue deposits, steady expenses, positive account balances, and no signs of financial trouble. Keep these factors in mind when managing your finances and accounts. Maintaining a healthy financial profile will give your business the best chance of loan approval.
With thorough preparation and diligent bookkeeping, your bank statements can be a valuable asset in securing financing. They help build trust and confidence with lenders when paired with a strong loan application. Taking steps to optimize your statements will pay dividends as you seek funding to start or grow your business.
