The remainder of the funds you have provided to the firm is represented by your shareholder loan. On the other hand, it also means the money you have taken out of the business. Through a shareholder loan, you can either borrow money from your corporation or lend money to your business. You can utilize your shareholder loan right now with understanding how it functions or for what purpose.
Without the business owner’s knowledge, bookkeepers and accountants frequently record transactions to a shareholder loan account. For instance, an e-transfer from your bank account can be mistaken for a shareholder withdrawal by the book keeper when it is actually a payment to a contractor. Below listed are the advantages and disadvantages of shareholders:
Advantage:
- Working capital:
The companies occasionally need rapid finance for their operating capital needs. As a result, it may take the form of a shareholder’s Loan because it frequently requires money and needs it fast otherwise, its daily operations suffer.
- Expansion:
A company may decide to grow into a new geographic area or add another product line after feeling confident about its current product line, so it may need to seek additional capital. Again, a shareholder’s Loan might be a better alternative because it typically has fewer restrictions. For example, the loan length may be indefinite, or there may be no interest.
- Business operations:
Sometimes the Loan’s objective needs to be stated because there is no specific use for the money. A business, for instance, might require more money. Therefore, it prefers to raise debt money rather than more stock, and instead of turning to a third-party lender, it asks its shareholders for the same.
- Debt refinancing:
Sometimes a company wants to pay off an old debt that it had taken on with stricter terms and conditions or a higher interest rate. To do this, the company needs money, so it issues a shareholder’s Loan, which it may be able to negotiate for a better rate or at the current market rate, which is lower than the previous rate. However, the business wants to approach a third-party lender.
Disadvantages:
- CRA has established procedures to stop you from doing this since they know this technicality. Therefore, don’t even consider attempting it.
- Be cautious because your shareholder loan will be included as an asset on your balance sheet after the fiscal year and reported to CRA.
- Having a sufficient comprehension of the stated economic-legal presumptions for the application of subordination in the execution of specific loan agreements between the shareholder and the firm were the terms, conditions, methods, and timing of loan repayment.
Bottom line:
The shareholder loan is a helpful instrument for managing the financial flow between the owner and their firm and for tax planning. If a company cannot afford external debt or does not have the time to do so, it may raise funds through a shareholder’s Loan, which is a quicker and more flexible method of financing. It has both advantages and disadvantages.
