As a small-business owner (and if you have a private practice, you own a business), you need a credit card. Whether it’s to pay for extra memory in that sleek new smart phone, place orders on Amazon, or just so you don’t have to carry a lot of cash or an unwieldy checkbook to the store when you buy supplies. The question is, should you use a personal credit card, or get a business credit card?

Here's What You Need to Know About Using a Credit Card for Your Business

There are five main things to consider when choosing whether to get a business credit card for your practice, or simply dedicate a consumer credit card for this purpose.

Separating business transactions doesn't require a business credit card, just a card dedicated for your business

Americans usually have more than one card. According to Credit Karma, the average number of cards carried by Americans is between 2 and 3 (credit Karma members have an average of nearly 5). If you too have more cards than you usually use, you can take the one you use least, pay off any balance on it, and start using it for your business.

Using credit cards simplifies your tax reporting, no matter the type of card

First, your card statements give you a record of transactions even if you lose receipts. Second, paying with a card reduces the number of Forms 1099 you need to send out at the end of the year. Even if you pay over $600 to the company that cleans your offices, if you charged it, the card issuer will send them a Form 1099 so you don’t need to.

You can get rewards for business spending, even if you use a consumer credit card

Business expenses are a fact of life. You have to spend money to make money. However, if you use a credit card that offers say a 2% reward, and charge an average of $5000 a month, you’ll get an average of $100 a month back on those deductible expenses. Sweet! This is just as true using a consumer credit card with rewards as a business credit card.

Business credit cards are often linked to your personal credit and hold you personally liable

Setting up your business as an LLC or S-corp protects you from business creditors. This means that if you default on paying the minimum payments to your business card or loan, the creditor should be limited to going after your business assets. This is true, unless in the small print they got you to add yourself as personally liable for any balance owed. In that case, being late on payments will still ding your personal credit score, and they could go after your personal assets too.

The Credit CARD Act doesn't protect business credit cards

The 2009 Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (Credit CARD Act) stopped some of the worst abuses heaped by credit card issuers on consumers. However, this doesn’t apply to business credit cards. The small print of such cards’ agreements often hide a bunch of traps for the unwary. Most business credit card contracts allow issuers to do things like:

• Change terms at any time, including raising rates on balances you already owe
• Apply penalty interest rates without notice for any violation
• Apply penalty fees that can be far in excess of the value of your violations

These are things they cannot do with a consumer credit card.

What You Should Do When Choosing a Credit Card for Your Business

In my opinion, if you’re like most small business owners, it’s best to dedicate a consumer credit card for use in your business. the Credit CARD Act protects such cards, so the small print likely hides far fewer “gotchas.”

The Bottom Line

Consider these 3 things if you have your eye on a business credit card that offers seemingly great perks and rewards

1. Are the requirements to cash in on those special offers ones you can easily meet (and are they worth it)?
2. Are there annual fees, and if so, do the benefits of the specific card outweigh that cost?
3. Does the small print hold you personally liable for charges on the card?

If you still decide to go this route, choose the best business credit card you can qualify for (NerdWallet offers a useful list), read the fine print carefully, and set up a system to pay off the card in full each month, even if you have to cover it from another source such as putting money into your business account from your personal checking.

If you'd like to see how financial strategy services can help you navigate these kinds of pitfalls, drop me an email and we'll set up a free, no-strings-attached call.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be considered financial advice. You should consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.