Introduction

Are you thinking of changing your invoice financing (factoring) company? If you're not happy with your current one, it might be a good time to make a move. Here's what you need to understand before switching:

Understanding UCC and its Role

A UCC, or Uniform Commercial Code, is a standard way for lenders, including factoring companies, to claim a business's assets as security. This way, they ensure their loans are safe. It's like a company's mortgage. Since invoices are constantly changing as some are paid and others are issued, lenders apply a 'blanket' UCC. This covers all invoices even if you're only factoring part of them.

Process of Switching Factoring Companies

To switch factoring companies, the new company pays off the old one. It's similar to refinancing your house. This is called a 'buyout'. The old company's claim is removed, and the new one files theirs.

Costs and Timeframes

How Much does the Buyout Cost?
The cost of a buyout can vary. If you have new invoices that the new company can use to pay off the old ones, it won't cost you anything. Any payments from the old invoices will be forwarded to you by the new company for free. However, if you have to reuse some invoices already factored by the old company, you might end up paying fees to both companies. In this case, you could end up paying more in the first month after the switch.

How Long does a Buyout Take?
Switching factoring companies could take a couple of days longer than setting up a regular factoring arrangement. This extra time is needed to confirm invoice details and get the final buyout amount approved by you.

Complex Situations

In some situations, the old and new factoring companies might agree to share the rights to the invoices until the old company is paid off. However, this is not common.

Questions You Should Have Asked Your Current Factoring Company

Before signing up with your current factoring company, you should have asked these questions:

• How many factoring companies can I use at one time? (You can only use one)
• What's the process and penalty for leaving without giving notice?
• Do you use a bank lockbox to process my customer payments? If so, how long does it take for my customer's payments to reach my account?
• How long do you keep my original invoices before sending them to my customers? (This should be done the same day)
• Who will be my contact at your company? Is it one person, or will I have to deal with new people every time I call?
• Do I need to pay for postage for mailing my invoices? (This should be included in the fees)
• Do you charge me for credit checks on new customers?
• Do you hold my invoices in batches and charge fees on all invoices in a batch until the last one is collected?
• Do you start holding reserves once a customer's invoice is 60 days old, even though I have a 90-day recourse period?

Conclusion

Understanding these factors will help you make a better decision when choosing a new factoring company and avoiding unnecessary costs or complications in the future.