There is a few ways to go about getting commercial equipment financing and leasing. The most important tool today you have at your disposal is the internet. You can search for literally hundreds of companies who provide equipment finance and leasing. This allows you to shop around and find the best deal and in today’s environment, it can make all the difference.

The first thing you should look for is a company that provides financing for your industry. A lot of companies over the past few months have moved out of certain industries citing that they are high risk. It is best to call finance companies before filling out any paper work just to make sure they are still in your industry or in current times, still in business. Once you have put together a list of companies offering finance and leasing, your next step is to prepare the necessary paperwork. All finance companies will have their own standards, but I will try and point out the standard documents.

The first paperwork you will be asked to fill out is the application. This will include information such as your full name, address, social security number, employment and information on the equipment you need financed. It’s pretty self explanatory why the company needs this information but the most important reason is to check your credit score. In today’s world, your credit score matters more now than it ever did. In the past, you could still get a loan with bad credit. Those days are long gone. Most finance companies are looking for people with a quality credit score and won’t give you the time of day if you have bad credit. In some cases, banks and finance companies will work with you but will require significant collateral. It is best to wait until your credit improves as you will also get a better interest rate.

After you receive an initial approval from the finance company, some companies can approve application only depending on the amount requested. However, you may have additional steps such as collecting your bank records and tax history. Some companies will want two years of tax history and six months of bank statements. Based on the equipment you are buying, you may need a specification sheet (spec sheet). This can be sent from the dealership or equipment supplier to the finance company directly. This for most part covers the standard documents needed for getting your equipment financed. After the loan documents have been signed and returned, the lender will wire or overnight a cashier’s check to the vendor. You can then pick up your equipment.

Finally, I would like to conclude with some important tips about obtaining your finance or lease agreement. It is very important to read over each piece of paper to make sure that you fully understand the terms of the lease or loan. In most cases, your lease or loan payment will be anywhere from 24 months to 72 months. If you do go with leasing, try to get a one dollar buy-out clause attached to end of your term. This is very important as the life of the equipment being leased will last much longer than the term you leased for.