Business Loans from Family - A Good Idea?

Can I Ask my Family for a Loan to Pay Off my Debts?
Debt has always had a degree of shame attached to it and admitting to having problems with debt is like saying you don't know how to handle your own affairs. Some people may get into a situation where unless they get immediate financial help there is a possibility of losing their family home, or their business.

One option is to ask your family for help. Asking for financial help is always a tough decision, but sometimes it is the best option. In most cases a loan from the family would be interest free, but it is a good idea to add on interest or include something extra when the loan is repaid.

Remember, that any money loaned to you from a family member would have earned interest for that person, so it is a good idea to recompense in some way equal to the interest lost.

The important thing is that if you borrow from your family they must be repaid. Put in place a plan that will enable repayment of that debt, plus interest if necessary, within a particular time.

Don't take the loan for granted and don't at any time "use" your family. Any losses you cause to your family will bring about irreparable damage to the relationships, as well as financial losses to the members concerned.

Loans among Family Members
If you borrow money from a family member, one of the steps you should take to avoid trouble is to clearly document that the money has been received as a loan. You should also document that it is received with or without interest payable.

It is a good idea to document things because that family member or you could die and the details of the loan would be hard to put together. It doesn't have to be a legal document, but it should clearly outline who is the lender and who is the borrower and the amounts concerned. It should also outline the interest payable and the repayments that have to be made, either monthly or quarterly.

The final thing it should contain is the date the loan should be repaid by. Make sure the document clearly establishes that it is not a gift, but that it is a loan. There are a few things that create problems within families and destroy relationships more than loans that are made and not repaid. Set out a plan for repayment and keep to it.

Copyright 2005 StartRunGrow
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StartRunGrow (http://www.startrungrow.com) is a global online information organization that specializes in creating, developing and marketing business help information specifically with the aim of "making business easier" for entrepreneurs around the world. The StartRunGrow objective is to become a dominant player in the business help arena providing end to end solutions for the millions of small and medium businesses worldwide who continue to struggle daily with the difficulties of starting, running and growing a successful business.