Benefits are an ongoing cost, so they should come from operating cash flow; short-term funding can bridge a renewal while revenue catches up.
Check my optionsRunning the business
Offering health insurance can help a small business hire and keep good employees, but premiums are an ongoing monthly cost. That makes them a poor fit for short-term financing on their own, and a good fit for planning within the operating budget.
Amount to request
$85,000.00
Funding range$25K to $5M
*Sample amounts shown. Your actual offer depends on your business and is reviewed before approval.
You can apply at 500; stronger credit opens more products.
A human reads the file, not just an algorithm score.
Approved files are usually funded the next business day.
A person reviews your revenue, time in business and bank activity, often within hours.
Fast decisions. Applying takes about 5 minutes.
A short application. A soft credit pull to start.
We review revenue, time in business and bank activity, not just a credit score.
You see the amount, the schedule and the full repayment amount before you sign.
Funding in as little as 24 hours for qualified businesses.
Understand the options. Small employers can buy group health plans through brokers or the federal Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) marketplace, where available, or offer an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) or a Qualified Small Employer HRA (QSEHRA) that reimburses employees for individual coverage. Employers with fewer than 25 full-time-equivalent employees and average wages under the IRS threshold may qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit when buying through SHOP.
Recognize it as a recurring cost. Premiums continue every month for as long as the plan is offered. Financing a recurring expense with short-term capital simply shifts the cost forward and adds a funding charge. Benefits should be funded from operating revenue, with pricing and margins set to support them.
Where funding can help is with transitions and one-time costs. If adding benefits is part of a plan to hire key staff who will generate revenue, short-term capital might bridge the first months while those hires ramp up. Setup costs for a new HR or benefits platform, or a broker fee, are also one-time and potentially fundable if the payback is clear.
Run the numbers on retention. Replacing a skilled employee can cost a meaningful share of their salary once recruiting, training and lost productivity are counted. If offering benefits measurably reduces turnover or helps you hire faster, the savings belong in the decision.
MFE considers credit from 500 for revenue-based options, best used for one-time transition costs rather than ongoing premiums.
Here is short-term capital for a one-time benefits and hiring transition. Illustrative numbers.
| Funding for the project | $50,000 |
| Total payback (factor 1.40) | $70,000 |
| Term | ~44 weeks |
| Payment per week | $1,591 |
| Monthly payment the project must cover | $6,889 |
| Your estimate of added monthly profit | $20,000 |
| Verdict | Pays back within the term |
Illustrative. Replace the estimate with your own numbers before applying.
| Group plan via broker | Traditional employer coverage |
| SHOP marketplace | May unlock a tax credit for eligible small employers |
| ICHRA | Reimburses individual coverage |
| QSEHRA | For employers under 50 FTEs |
| Funding role | One-time transition costs, not ongoing premiums |
Good fit:
Probably not yet:
It is better suited to one-time transition costs than ongoing premiums.
A credit for eligible employers with fewer than 25 FTEs buying coverage through SHOP.
An arrangement reimbursing employees for individual health coverage.
A reimbursement arrangement for small employers with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees.
They often help recruiting and retention, which reduces turnover costs.
From operating revenue, with pricing set to support them.
Example uses for illustration only.
Before you apply:
One secure application. A soft credit pull to start. No obligation to accept an offer.
Apply for Funding