Question

Name at least three consequences of excessive debt.

Answer 1

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is likely the most extreme danger of excessive business debt. In a sole proprietorship, your business finances are not separate from your individual finances, meaning you could face personal bankruptcy. For other common business set-ups, if you cannot meet the repayment requirements of your lenders, they may eventually force you into bankruptcy. This typically means the end of your business, or at least the end of your ownership. Your business assets may be seized to allow creditors to recover some of their money.

Limited Flexibility

High debt leverage is less severe than bankruptcy but often a signal of impending doom. This means you have too much debt and your debt ratios show difficulty keeping up with your short-term and long-term debt obligations. This makes you susceptible to late fees, default and eventually bankruptcy. It also makes your business unattractive to prospective lenders or creditors. This gives you limited flexibility to find new financing or to buy new equipment or supplies on credit. New investors may also have concerns about your high debt.
Poor Profits
Even if your business stays afloat, too much debt leverage makes profitability difficult to achieve. Your business has fixed monthly expenses for building costs and labor. You also have variable costs of production or operations and sales. When you add high monthly principal and interest payments, bringing in enough revenue to make substantial profits becomes unlikely. Plus, if you cannot pay down debt quickly, you carry it longer and pay more in interest over time. Without profit or funding sources, you also cannot expand or grow your business.