Factoring in Panama: everything you need to know to invest if you are from Chile
Some companies that offer various goods and services often encounter challenging situations when they confront the risk of having outstanding accounts receivable, which can result in a loss of liquidity and time for administrative tasks. Hence, factoring companies have emerged as their primary choice to tackle these issues.
A factoring company is a financial entity that specializes in offering financing services to companies by purchasing their accounts receivable or outstanding invoices. This kind of firm provides immediate liquidity to its clients by acquiring these documents at a reduced price, assuming the risk of collection and the responsibility for their administration.
Legal Solutions Panama assists you in efficiently establishing a company in this country.
How does factoring operate?
The factoring process typically functions as follows: a company sells goods or services to its customers and generates an invoice with a set payment term, which could be 30, 60, or 90 days.
Rather than awaiting payment from the customer, the company opts to sell the invoice to a factoring company, promptly acquiring a percentage of the total value of the account, usually around 70-90%. Upon the customer settling the invoice, the factoring company disburses the remaining balance to the company, deducting a fee for the provided service.
Advantages of factoring for companies
Some of the benefits of factoring are:
Enhanced liquidity: businesses obtain rapid access to funds without needing to wait for their clients to settle their invoices.
Risk management: they transfer the risk of non-payment to the financing company. This means the factoring company assumes the risk if the client doesn’t pay, according to the agreement between the Factor and the Assignor.
Decreased administrative workload: the factoring company handles invoice management and collection, enabling businesses to concentrate on their primary operations.
Help for small and medium-sized companies: factoring companies are especially useful for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that need to improve their cash flow and do not have easy access to other types of financing, such as bank loans. In addition, this service can be an effective tool for improving a company’s financial management and planning, ensuring a steady flow of income.
Open a factoring company in Panama
Panama’s legislation offers several advantages that facilitate the establishment and operation of factoring companies in the country. Here are some of the most important laws:
Corporation Law: Panama has flexible and modern legislation for the incorporation of corporations (Law 32 of 1927). This law allows for the quick and efficient creation of companies, with minimum capital requirements and an adaptable corporate structure, which is ideal for establishing a factoring company.
Regulation: although there is no specific law regulating factoring in Panama, private companies perform this activity that comply with the minimum requirements for commercial licenses in Panama. In addition, there is regulation of credit assignments, which is the backbone of factoring, therefore it is not an activity that is unregulated or unprotected. This type of regulation allows flexibility with the rates and the number of participants in the business.
Protection of foreign investments: Panamanian laws ensure parity in treatment between domestic and foreign investors. This safeguard encompasses protection against expropriation and the unrestricted transfer of capital and profits, fostering a secure setting for the investment and functioning of factoring companies.
Sound financial system and prudential regulations: The Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá (SBP) and the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores de Panamá (SMV) oversee Panama’s financial system, guaranteeing a secure and closely monitored financial landscape. These regulations are vital for factoring companies, which rely on a dependable financial system for their activities.
Legal Solutions, the perfect assistance for launching a factoring company in Panama if you are from Chile
As can be seen, Panama is a country that helps foreign investors undertake different financial initiatives thanks to the legal advantages it provides. However, it is necessary to know the legislation meticulously to achieve a successful business, taking advantage of all the benefits of the Central American country.
In this context, Legal Solutions is a Panamanian law firm that provides information and assistance for investors from Chile. They provide a complimentary 30-minute consultation with their team of experts to address queries and assess potential business opportunities and establish a company in Panama.