
Should I Lease?
Many companies fail to take advantage of the many benefits gained
from leasing hardware, software and services. Monettech believes that
leasing should be considered by any organization upgrading their voice
or information systems.
More detailed information is available from the Association for Equipment
Leasing and Finance. For more information on leasing visit elaonline.com.
The Benefits of Leasing
Leasing offers numerous advantages over other financing methods:
Tax Treatment. The IRS does not consider an operating
lease to be a purchase, but rather a tax-deductible overhead expense.
Therefore, you can deduct the lease payments from your corporate income.
Balance sheet management. Because an operating lease
is not considered a long-term debt or liability, it does not appear
as debt on your financial statement, thus making you more attractive
to traditional lenders when you need them.
100 percent financing. With leasing, there is very
little money down - perhaps only the first and last month's payment
are due at the time of the lease. Since a lease does not require a
down payment, it is equivalent to 100 percent financing. That means
that you will have more money to invest in revenue-generating activities.
Immediate write-off of the dollars spent. Leasing
payments are treated as expenses on a company's balance sheet, therefore,
equipment does not have to be depreciated over five to seven years.
Flexibility. As your business grows and your needs
change, you can add or upgrade at any point during the lease term
through add-on or master leases. If you anticipate growth, be sure
to negotiate that option when you structure your lease program. You
also have the option to include installation, maintenance and other
services, if needed.
Customized solutions. A variety of leasing products
is available, allowing you to tailor a program to fit your month-to-month
or year-to-year cash flow needs. You are able to customize a program
to address your needs and requirements - cash flow, budget, transaction
structure, cyclical fluctuations, etc. Some leases allow you, for
example, to miss one or more payment without a penalty, an important
feature for seasonal businesses.
Asset management. A lease provides the use of equipment
for specific periods of time at fixed payments. The lessor assumes
and manages the risk of equipment ownership. At the end of the lease,
the lessor is responsible for the disposition of the asset.
Upgraded technology. If the nature of your industry
demands that you have the latest technology, a short-term operating
lease can help you get the equipment and keep your cash. Lease equipment
that you expect to depreciate quickly. Your risk of getting caught
with obsolete equipment is lower because you can upgrade or add equipment
to meet your ever-changing needs.
Speed. Leasing can allow you to respond quickly to
new opportunities with minimal documentation and red tape. Many leasing
companies can approve your application within one or two days and
you can have your equipment very quickly.
Improved cash forecasting. By leasing equipment you
know the amount and number of lease payments over the life of the
leasing period, so you can accurately forecast cash requirements for
your equipment.
Flexible end of term options.
There are several options for disposing of equipment after the lease
term ends including returning the equipment, renewing the lease or
purchasing the equipment.
Tax benefits. Lessors often pass the tax benefits
of ownership on to the lessee in the form of lower monthly payments.
Improved earnings. Operating lease accounting provides
a lower cost than a capital lease in the early years of a lease.
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