Understand Your Needs and Goals Before looking for a financial advisor, be clear about your financial objectives, whether it’s retirement planning, investment management, debt reduction, tax planning, or a combination of these. Understanding your needs will help you find an advisor specializing in the areas you require assistance with.

Experience of Financial Advisor

Consider the advisor’s experience in the financial industry. An experienced advisor may have encountered various situations and developed expertise in handling different scenarios.

Education and Qualifications of a Financial Advisor

Fee Structure Understand how the financial advisor charges for their services. Some advisors charge a percentage of your assets under management, while others charge a flat fee or an hourly rate. Avoid advisors who earn commissions on financial products they sell, as this may create conflicts of interest. Look for advisors with relevant specialized training and licensing, who adheres to ethical standards.

Financial Advisor Transparency

Look for an advisor who is transparent about their process, fees, and potential conflicts of interest. Avoid advisors who are evasive or pushy.

Referrals and Reviews

Seek recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who have had positive experiences with financial advisors. Additionally, check online reviews and ratings to gauge the advisor’s reputation.

Interview Multiple Financial Advisors

Don’t settle on the first advisor you meet. Interview at least three different advisors to compare their approaches, expertise, and personalities. This will help you find someone you feel comfortable working with.

Specialization If you have specific financial needs (e.g., retirement planning, estate planning, or tax optimization), consider finding a consultant who specializes in those areas.

Communication and Accessibility

Choose a professional who communicates clearly and is accessible when you have questions or concerns about your financial plan.

Avoid High-Pressure Sales

Tactics Be cautious of advisors who use high-pressure sales tactics or make unrealistic promises about returns on investments. A good advisor will focus on educating you and helping you make informed decisions.

Remember, finding the right financial advisor is a personal process, and it’s essential to choose someone you trust and feel comfortable working with. Take your time, do your research, and make an informed decision that aligns with your financial goals.

Financial Advisors Fight a Lack of Awareness

Though there are many programs designed to benefit small and midsized businesses, the business owners these programs were created for, often don’t know they are eligible to benefit. Others are concerned using the programs will raise red flags on their tax returns. The truth is that our government creates programs to encourage certain types of businesses, and behaviors.  Sadly, many businesses and their financial advisors remain largely unaware of the financial opportunities available.

Thought America is seen as a country built on self-sufficiency, all of us can benefit from help now and then. Why not take advantage of programs that will accelerate the growth of your business? Dennis Bays has spent a career familiarizing himself with programs that increase personal wealth or business cash flow, including growth funding. He can walk your team through options that can save money or increase your cash flow. He does this without charging anything up front. If you don’t benefit, neither does he.

Entrepreneurs are Frustrated With Application Process

Sometimes people tell us that they already applied and got denied for a certain program. Those same people tell us “It’s not worth the time and effort only to get turned down anyway.” Since many of the programs are government programs, there are forms and procedures that must be exactly followed. This is where an Americore professional like Dennis Bays can make the difference. Dennis can walk your team through the application process. He know what information is critical to the application decision process. He also knows what information the forms are requesting and how to complete them correctly. Often a denial is really just incorrect or incomplete forms. When Dennis helps with an application, the application package will be complete AND correct. He has years of experience and knowledge in this area, with a great record of Blue Apple, KNA Blue Partner program approval.

Concern Over Program Legitimacy

When we attend events, we repeatedly hear concerns that funding/incentive programs might be illegal scams, or IRS red flags. The opposite is true. There are many programs created by the government, to benefit small to midsize businesses. The federal government created these legitimate programs to encourage behaviors like hiring more employees, or offering health benefits. Federal Workforce Programs and the Employee Retention Tax Credit, subsidize critical desired employer behavior. There are also R&D programs for inventing or improving products and the manufacturing process. Funding and incentive programs are legitimate ways to save on taxes or increase your cash flow. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of a benefit designed just for you?

Assumption of Ineligibility

When times are tight, business owners may not be able to invest in research and development. There is a federal program that can help. Many business owners assumed their business isn’t eligible to receive R&D funding. That assumption is often wrong. Before you slash your budget, let’s start a conversation. A program designed with your situation in mind can take some of your burden off your shoulders. Contact us here or call (747) 224-8110 to speak directly with Dennis Bays and learn how to move your goals within your reach.

An Apple by Any Other Color

Apples come in many colors.  You can find bright red apples, pink-red, purple-red, golden yellow, creamy white and of course, green apples.  But blue apples are extremely rare and difficult to discover.

Blue Apple’s Meaning Applied to Financial Solutions

Americore’s reference to Blue Apple’s meaning, describes rarely used, but absolutely legitimate programs that loan, give, or save funds for your use.  We perform a deep exploration of a host of programs which appear to be quality financial opportunities on the surface. 

In the end, only the best of those programs end up in our Blue Apple Solutions. Surprisingly, many of the Blue Apple financial gems are drastically underused by even the most skilled financial advisors. We pride ourselves in discovering those barely known programs that offer the greatest advantages. 

At Americore, we collaborate with clients and their existing advisors to ensure their enjoyment of those programs and the funds they free up. You, more than anyone, know where your funds can do the greatest good.  We know how to free up those funds for your use.

Examples of Blue Apple Solutions

Our Blue Apple Solutions includes programs like off balance sheet financing and tax credit health benefits among others that enhance your business and/or retirement options.

Off Balance Sheet Financing

Blue Apple Off balance sheet financing is different from a commercial loan.  Instead, financing is based on supply chain related solutions.  In this example of a Blue Apple Solution, a supplier ships the goods and requests payment from you, the retailer.  Then, you share a soft copy of your invoice and BL with the financier. Once the transaction is approved, you transfer 20 percent of invoice value to the financier, and they transfer the full amount to your supplier.  You then pay back the 80 percent balance, plus charges after 30 to 90 days. For businesses suffering crippling shortages during their supply chain reconstruction, a non-credit source of funds can be a game changer.

Capital Access Solutions

Venture Capitalists offer funds, but take as much as half of your company that you worked so hard to create.   Banks are low cost, but limited in what they can approve. 

An Americore Blue Apple Capital Access Solution opens access to capital.  When the banks say no, Capital Access Logic Based solutions can say yes.  Yes is based on your sales and growth, or account receivables, purchase orders, inventory or equipment.  When the numbers are logical, these investors have a reason to say yes to financing.  Americore Blue Apple Capital Access Solutions are like a bank that thinks like a Venture Capitalist.

Tax Credit Employee Health Benefits

Are you getting your $2500 per employee savings?  As an employer, you must provide health care benefits to all full time employees.  To avoid the monetary responsibility, some employers decided to cut back hours of full time workers, converting them into part time employees. There is a better way.  Offering your full time employees health benefits, shows them you value them and their contribution to your business.  A preventative healthcare benefit costs less than traditional healthcare benefits and delivers a $2500 credit per employee.

Blue Apple’s Meaning Applied to Government Rebates and Incentives

This Blue Apple’s meaning is important because it has the power to put money into your business.   These Government rebates and incentives are generally industry or activity based, but underused and misunderstood.  We can help.  Wouldn’t you like to know if the government has money earmarked for you?  Ask your Americore Representative about which Blue Apple Solutions would best benefit you.

Electronics Donations in Charitable Contributions

Stuck with that old phone system?  Donate it. Another business strapped for cash might benefit from below-retail pricing on electronics and you get a tax deduction. Meanwhile, an item is being reused, which is even better than recycled. When you donate electronics to a qualified nonprofit you can write off the donation amount equivalent to fair market value. Donated Electronics could include game consoles, old computers, cell phones or even phone systems.  

There are no forms to fill out for donations valued at less than $500.   However, once your total contribution deduction exceeds $500 you do need to submit form 8283.  This form lists the types of donations you made to which organizations for your tax return.  Make sure you get a receipt when you donate, so you have it for your files and give yourself an earth day pat on the back.  If you need bigger sustainability incentives, think illumination and power at your business site.

Convert to Renewable Energy and Get Saving Incentives

This savings is a hot topic on Earth Day, since the 2022 theme is “investing in our planet”. Businesses that install renewable energy systems can save tax money of up to 26% of the installation cost.  Once you install the system, costs are minimal, saving businesses thousands of dollars a month in electric costs.  The US Department of Energy notes total commercial energy expenditures were around $172 billion in 2012. 

Big retailers like Target and Walmart have already begun doing this, and several of their stores sport rooftop solar panel arrays to quietly power their business. Since beginning, Walmart has enjoyed cost savings on electricity of 5-30 percent per store.  Over the life of the renewable energy system those savings will continue to rise. Now combine it with the tax credit and you should be seeing green.

Get Help On Worker’s Wages

Americore Blue Apple programs are structured to offer a variety of solutions to small and medium business owners.  One program helps make your wage offer look better to new hires.  Is your business still struggling to find qualified new hires following the great resignation?  Federal and states are offering wage subsidies to help incentivize interning college students find work in environment and tech friendly fields.  You bring on fresh creative workers. The federal government is so relieved to get people back to work they offer a wage rebate program. 

Research for Sustainability

The R&D program is still available, and if you haven’t checked into it yet, you could be missing out on money meant for you.  This program is far more flexible than you might think.  Qualifiers are broad and the savings are large. To figure out if it is worth investigating, ask yourself these four questions.

1. Have you tried to eliminate uncertainty about development or improvement of your product or process?  (We are talking about at a core level, not cosmetic changes.)
2. Can you prove your process of experimentation with simulations, modeling or testing?
3. Are your endeavors science or engineering based?
4. Is there a measurable improvement in quality, reliability or performance?

If your company uses an automated manufacturing process, tool design, patents, environmental testing or is developing any of the above, talk to your Americore representative about whether this program is for you. 

Financial incentives is moving renewable energy projects rapidly in residential, commercial and utility sectors. As the world moves toward a low emission sustainable model, opportunities for sustainability savings multiply.  On this Earth Day 2022, Americore is posing the question, are you ready to invest in our planet and save money doing it?

A businesswoman – let’s call her Cassie – who produces health drinks, recently checked crowdfunding as an alternative to traditional business loans.  She wanted to put money into the research to expand her product line.  Cassie knew she would need not only R&D money, but would need additional funds.  Being familiar with the regulatory obstacles when introducing a new food product meant Cassie was acquainted with the costs.  Cassie was looking for means of capital access.

Crowdfunding.

One source of funds called crowdfunding, looked interesting to Cassie.  Crowdfunding looks attractive, but can hold hidden trapdoors.  In loan based crowdfunding, investors get their money back, usually with interest.  In investment based crowdfunding, people put money in, usually for a share of your business.  A third type of crowdfunding is donation based.  Funds can be donated because donors feel the business activities are worthwhile. Contributors may also want to help that type of business flourish in their community.  In rewards-based crowdfunding, people contribute a certain amount for a reward, such as a t-shirt or product sample.  Cassie was interested in reward based crowdfunding, but the amount raised did not cover her R&D costs.

Finding Alternatives.

Cassie assessed her situation.  She had ongoing, consistent orders for her current products  and felt her new creation would explode her business revenues.  Unfortunately, regular banks were uncomfortable with her credit and reserves.  This meant a bank loan would not be a great option for Cassie.

Venture Capitalist investors were interested.  Cassie wasn’t ready to trade a big chunk of her business in exchange for the expansion capital.  She worked too hard to hand it over.  The VC contacts Cassie met wanted nearly half her company.  Unwilling to lose so much of what she labored for, Cassie put off the expansion indefinitely.  Then she talked to her Americore Professional. 

The Americore Blue Apple Capital Access Solution.

Americore is proud of its Blue Apple Capital Access programs and the investors that provide unexpected, but workable financing options.  The rates are not as low as bank interest rates, nor are the origination fees.  But entrepreneurs are often relieved to learn that they don’t have to sign away nearly half of their company. 

According to Dennis Bays, CEO of Americore, their Capital Access investors “act like a bank but think like a Venture Capitalist”.  With loan approval criteria midway between a bank and a Venture Capitalist, entrepreneurs hear yes more often than in banks.

So, how does it work?  Capital access programs are logic based, not so much credit based.  With sufficient sales, growth, purchase orders, accounts receivables, inventory or equipment, you may have grounds for loan approval.

Blue Apple Capital Access Programs are only some of the unexpected ways Americore helps entrepreneurs reach the next level.  Americore is known for its knowledge of programs that are underutilized, but which are incredibly beneficial to business owners.   You’ll find the guidance in uncovering programs that save or produce money for your business.  This can free up millions of dollars for operations.  Find out how much money you could uncover.  Contact Americore today to start the conversation.   

There are many ways an Americore business consultant can help a business financially, from investment advice, to tax shelters, to guidance on the right business initiatives for your company’s growth. Sometimes access to the right business initiatives is the critical element behind an entrepreneur’s secret superpower.  Enter Americore’s Blue Apple programs, a collection of  rarely known, but safe to use business solutions.  These initiatives not only build employee loyalty, but also improve employers’ cash flow and business standing.  What makes initiatives especially effective at Americore is the experience and expertise to know when to apply which program to achieve business goals.  Below are some examples of both regular and blue apple plans that benefitted employers and their firms.

Employee Healthcare and Retention

Jack (not his real name) owned a small online order fulfillment business.  In 2020, Jack’s employees were extremely sensitive to healthcare and safety measures.  He instituted mask and social distancing protocols immediately, but was concerned when workers expressed reluctance to come in to work.  To offset worker’s concerns and encourage them to come in to fill orders, Americore introduced Jack to telemedicine.  We combined telemedicine and a blue apple healthcare initiative that gives rebates to employers.  Now Jack’s workforce not only felt safer but no longer needed to take a whole day off for doctor visits.  Employees can now login to a session for real time medical care by licensed, qualified medical professionals.  He was relieved of much of his burden of healthcare cost.  Meanwhile, his business thrived with willing workers who felt Jack had heard their concerns.  Employee retention is not just about payroll, but also healthcare and respect.  Jack had answered his employees’ concerns.

Travel Reward Bonus Plans

Linda has a team of professionals who must travel for work.  Once the lockdown was lifted, travel resumed.  Unfortunately, with restricted revenues due to COVID-19, Jill needed a more cost effective way for her staff to travel.  Americore was able to show Jill a plan that uses combined miles and travel expense of her team on one traveler account.  This is a separate program from standard frequent flier plans and allows double travel awards when you fly.  Jill had been leaving free miles on the table, but is now able to maximize awards to cut total flying expense.  It is a small difference, but the savings made Linda’s bottom line more attractive in the post pandemic climate.

Employment Rebates

Max was in a bind.  He needed to hire more skilled workers in order to expand.  He knew his products are in demand, but there was a lag between the jump in revenues and that demand.  When Max spoke to Americore, we guided Max toward an employee hiring program called the job growth grant fund.  This fund offers rebates for employers willing to hire skilled labor at hourly wages that exceed minimum wage.  Max could get a reimbursement of more than half the wages of his new hire.  The reimbursement happened monthly.  The regularity of the rebates improved cash flow fairly quickly and allowed Max to proceed with the expansion he needed. 

Americore is more than a collection of programs.  Our professionals consult on market, cash flow plans, business strategies, retirement planning and much more.  We are able to guide businesses with their challenges to a fresh approach that takes them from productive to remarkable.  Our approach is to work with your team, not to replace your team.  Americore shows teams a new approach to challenges, and how to use that tactic for the firm’s benefit.  Your team will flourish right along with the company, as you realize new avenues of revenue and cash flow.  There are many ways Americore can help businesses thrive, and each starts with a conversation.  Start your Americore conversation today at Contact, or call (747) 224-8110.  You’ll be glad you did.

Recently I came across an article on things your financial advisor may not tell you.  It was a poignant reminder that it is vitally important for your financial advisor to have business financial advisory experience. Americore professionals have that experience and are willing to provide references.

Experience Blue Apple Programs

Americore professionals have decades of financial experience.  They spent those decades becoming excruciatingly familiar with “Blue Apple” programs so their clients can benefit from these programs.  Ask your Americore professional about incentives, and he might tell you about one recently revealed incentivized health care plan.  Especially in this time, employees are concerned about healthcare coverage.  Employers funnel an inordinate amount of money into covering their employees with a good, but “affordable” healthcare plan.  But Americore found a healthcare plan for employees that pays employers to implement.  Imagine actually getting paid while your employees get the care they needed. 

Employee Retention

Perhaps you are looking at employee retention.  Motley Fools at fool.com reminds us that hiring replacement employees is expensive. Can cost you up to $15,000.  Americore offers consulting services that can help guide you in ways to first, make sure you find the right candidates.  We can guide you to onboarding best practices.  And once you have the right people, let Americore connect you to incentive programs to offset your employee recognition and appreciation costs.  The perks are another way you communicate to your employees that you appreciate them. 

Growth Funding

It may surprise some to learn that many businesses flourished in 2020.  The business models changed, and may continue to change for the future.  While some retail waded through 2020, others fortified their online presence, offering more robust online consumer experiences.  That is a change financial pundits do not see reversing itself in the near future.  It merely speeded up online consumer buying trends that were already shifting.  Americore connects clients to growth funding programs that facilitate changing now to take advantage of opportunities in 2021 and beyond.

Telemedicine

This is another fairly recent evolution in employee care.  What is great about it, other than reduction in spread of COVID19, is the reduction in down time.  Instead of taking a whole day off to visit a doctor, an employee can login to a session to real time medical care by licensed, qualified medical professionals. 

Rebates

In 2017 Florida’s economic development officials decided the way to attract businesses to the sunshine state was to offer more incentives.  Florida officials were especially frustrated after the space Command headquarters went to Alabama after incentives were cut.  What followed was the Qualified Tax Incentive program offering tax rebates to targeted industries.  The QTI program offered tax refunds ranging from $3,000 to twice that in rural counties.  Another job creation program, known as the job growth grant fund, is available on a national level.  The job growth grant fund offers rebates for employers willing to hire skilled labor at hourly wages that exceed minimum wage.  These are only a few of the hundreds of programs that Americore tracks across the United States. 

We don’t replace your team of advisors; we empower them to facilitate the growth and wellness of your business.  Enjoy the difference that an experienced Americore business advisor offers. We should have a conversation.  You’ll be glad we did.