What Are Interest-Only Business Loan Payments?
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How much do you need?
When does it make sense to ask for interest-only payments?
You’re struggling to keep up with payments
You’re expecting a lag between investment and revenue
Calculate your interest
Pros and cons of interest-only business loan payments
Pros
Temporarily lowers monthly loan payments.
May help avoid missed payments or loan defaults.
Can preserve your relationship with your lender.
Cons
Increases total interest paid over the life of the loan.
May delay your payoff date.
Could require additional collateral or a higher interest rate during the interest-only period.
Not all lenders allow interest-only payments.
How to request interest-only payments
- Figure out your financial position. Determine how much relief you actually need. For example, if interest-only payments won’t be enough to help recover, consider other options such as modifying the loan’s terms.
- Reach out to your lender early. Contact your lender as early as possible, ideally before you miss a payment. This keeps more options open and shows you’re committed to repaying the loan.
- Make your case. Explain what your financial difficulty is, why it’s temporary and how you plan to get your business back on track. Be ready to provide documentation, such as financial statements or cash flow forecasts.
- Review the agreement carefully. If approved, ensure you understand and can accept all terms of the new agreement. Lenders may add conditions like additional fees, collateral or a higher interest rate during the interest-only period.
Consider other options
- Request a pause in payments. Instead of switching to interest-only payments, you may be able to pause payments altogether. This can give you greater short-term relief, though interest will continue to accrue during the pause.
- Use a business line of credit. A business line of credit can be a flexible way to cover loan payments, manage unexpected costs or bridge a gap in cash flow. Some lenders also offer interest-only payment options on lines of credit.
- Negotiate a loan modification. If your financial hardship appears long term, consider asking your lender to restructure the loan. They may agree to extend the repayment term, lower the interest rate or even reduce the principal balance.
- Refinance your loan. Refinancing can lower monthly payments if the new loan has a lower interest rate or longer repayment period. But it may increase the total interest paid over time and could contribute to a cycle of debt.
- Consolidate your debt. If you’re juggling multiple loans, a business debt consolidation loan could simplify repayment and reduce your financial burden if the new loan results in lower interest costs or a longer repayment term.
- Consider a zero APR business credit card. Because you won’t have to pay interest for a set time, opening a 0% APR business credit card and making minimum payments on it can be a good way to recover from a short-term setback. Just make sure you can fully pay back what you borrowed before the promo period ends. You’ll also likely need a personal FICO score of 690 or higher to qualify.
