Credit lines and cards for an LLC: where to start

Banks look at three things: the company's age, turnover on the business account and the owner's personal credit. The order of products adapts to that.

• 0–6 months. A business card with a personal guarantee and net-30 vendors. Keep the turnover in the company's account, not your personal one.
• 6–12 months. A second card, limit increases, a first line at a credit union or online bank.
• After a year. A bank business line of credit: they'll ask for a tax return, 3–6 months of statements, sometimes a business plan. SBA programs go through partner banks and require a clean personal history.

What spoils an application: personal late payments in the last year, utilization above 50%, zero turnover on the company account, address mismatches in documents.

The owner's personal report is almost always checked. Get it in order first, then apply for the line.