Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Deduct merchant fess or avoid paying them!

 

It's Tax Time...AGAIN! 

Merchant Paid Processing Fees: 

  • Merchant processing fees are tax-deductible. They are part of running your business.
  • Your processor is required to provide a 1099-K no later than January 31st.
  • This deduction doesn’t affect your company’s total tax liability; the tax deduction is subtracted from your gross earnings which will lower the total taxable income amount.
  • Only Businesses are eligible to deduct credit or debit card processing fees associated with paying taxes, not individuals. 
  • Remember this year Cash App/Venmo/Zelle will also send 1099-K forms! 

Customer Paid Processing Fees: 

  • Customer Surcharging and Cash Discount is allowed in the state of Florida. 
  • Instead of the merchant paying the processing fees from their sale, the merchant account "legally" adds the up to 3% surcharge or the up to 4% Cash Discount fees. No need for guessing.
  • Documentation must be present within the environment indicating that these fees would be paid by the customer. 
  • The merchant keeps the full cost of the purchase and the customer paid fees cover MOST of the credit card acceptance fees! 



Merchant Processing Solutions wants to know...which are you interested in knowing about? 
  • Do you want to wait until next year to deduct the fees charged for credit card processing?
  • Do you want to keep your sales revenue on products and servics by letting the customer pay for priviledge of using their credit card? 
Start this new 2024 with keeping more money in your pocket for the growth of your business! Call us to learn more! 

Merchant Processing Solutions Inc.
954-938-2420







Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What's worse than software integration?

Trying to intergrate your industry software with a reasonally priced merchant processing company can be very challenging! Why... you ask? It's because software companies have partner agreements with a exclusive processing companies to integrate. These partnerships are legal and most software companies recieve a percentage of each sale along with their monthly fees! This is why most software integrated processing is higher then those without the software. But there are a few steps you could
do to take advantage of your software and get much lower processing rates! 

So here are a few tips BEFORE you sign with a specific software company:

  • Can your software processor do Surcharge of Cash Discount? 
  • Ask how do I process my credit cards using your software? 
  • Do you have a exclusive credit card processor that you are associated with that would be the ONLY processor I can use? 
    • If they have several options; ask the rates and functionality of each.
  • Does your software for invoicing allow me to put my own Payment Link in the invoice so my customers can click on that to pay me?
  • If the software uses Authorize.Net or USAePay, you would be able to shop around for the best pricing while having complete integration with your software.  (Best of Both Worlds!)
  • Retail business want to know if the software integrates with a credit card terminal/swiper to capture RETAIL RATES CREDIT CARDS & PIN DEBIT CARDS! Retail credit card rates are about 30 bases points lower while Pin Debit rates average around 1%. This is a huge savings to be missing due to the lack of functionality on a software provider. 
So what's the solution? 
  • Many of our merchants are saving 1-2% by have a retail terminal in their location that captures the data and uploads it to the payment software gateway. 
  • Some of our merchant use our QuickBooks Plug n'Play to bring in all the sales into their accounting software and not pay the high prices of processing with QuickBook. 
  • Both of the options above may require a 1-2 step reconciliation process from you or you office team but saving anywhere from 1-4%, if you are set up for Pin Debit/Surcharge/Cash Discount Pricing Methods. 
One final example: We had a merchant ask us about Surcharge/Cash Discount, she was already told that her current Industry Software Company was unable to accomodate that request. She call Merchant Processing Solutions to discuss possible options. She choose:
  • The change processors to us and add Cash Discount to her quotes when accepting credit card payments. 
  • We added a line in the invoice that directed the customer to copy and paste the link and following the Payment Portal Instructions.
  • Each week she reconciles 10 - 15 payments in her software. It takes her about 15 - 20 minutes to do. 
She is projected to SAVE over $10,000 this year in merchant processing. 

Want to know about your options with your software, CALL US! 

Merchant Processing Solutions Inc.
954-938-2420








Sunday, February 11, 2024

2024 Merchant Processing Industry Trends You Should Know About!

Merchant processing industry continues to undergo significant transformations in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. In 2024, both businesses and consumers will experience new trends that promise to make payments more secure, efficient, and convenient. Understanding these new trends will help you increase revenue while maintaining secure, effectient and convenient forms of payment connections for your customers!

  1. Contactless Payments will Surge - it started during COVID-19 and has grown exponentially over the past couple of years. Tapping your card is cleaner and faster than handing over to someone to swipe or insert for EMV approval!                               
  2. More Instant Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Payments - Zelle/Venmon/Cash App have gained a lot of traction over paying with checks & cash. However in 2024, these companies will be sending out 1099K IRS Forms to both businesses and individuals that make more than $600 per year!                                                        

  3. Enhanced Data Security - Every merchant services company is required to secure the merchant and their customers' data. PCI Compliance has been around since 12/2004 so we are amazed when our merchants do not understand what it is and how ignoring their PCI Compliance Certification can impact their business in many ways: 
    1. The merchant processor will charge a hefty monthly penalty on top of the monthly fee if the PCI Certificate is not completed with 90 days of the opening of the account. 
    2. Up to $100,000 in fines due to breach
    3. Customer Chargebacks with a $30.00 each plus the cost of the charge
    4. Loss of business due to ruined reputation
    5. Account Closure by processor due ton chargebacks                                     
  4. By completing the PCI Compliance Certification merchants get the following benefits: 
    1. Companies like TSYS offer $100,000 in breach coverage for their merchant that complete the Annual PCI Compliance Certificate.
    2. Their merchants are trained and understand how to handle customer data to avoid a breach.
    3. A monthly fee is charged instead of a huge Annual Fee or penalties
    4. PCI Compliance is especially important for ONLINE Businesses               
  5. Biometric Payment Authentication Will Gain Traction - some of the industry brands like MasterCard are now introducting SELFIE PAY. This program allows a customer to use a biometric checkout program creating more security for the merchant.                                                                             
  6. More Personalized Payment Experiences like BUY NOW/PAY LATER payment options are currently available  with more programs are expected to hit the payment industry soon customizing to customer experience.                    
  7. Worldwide credit card brands are working on Cross-Border Payments which will help increase business reach and revenue. 
Merchant Processing Solutions is a local processor for Nationa Reach! We understand that each merchant/business has specific wants and needs for collecting payments. We are help to help you consider your options and help create the payment collection program that not only meets your needs, but your budget! 

Call Merchant Processing Solutions today 954-938-2420



Tuesday, January 23, 2024


Visa / MasterCard Interchange Fee Settlement Recovery.

The lawsuit is about claims that merchants paid excessive fees to accept Visa and Mastercard cards because Visa and Mastercard, individually, and together with their respective member banks, violated the antitrust laws.

The settlement creates the following Rule 23(b)(3) Settlement Class: All persons, businesses, and other entities that have accepted any Visa-Branded Cards and/or Mastercard-Branded Cards in the United States at any time from January 1, 2004 to January 25, 2019, except that the Rule 23(b)(3) Settlement Class shall not include (a) the Dismissed Plaintiffs, (b) the United States government, (c) the named Defendants in this Action or their directors, officers, or members of their families, or (d) financial institutions that have issued Visa-Branded Cards or Mastercard-Branded Cards or acquired Visa-Branded Card transactions or Mastercard- Branded Card transactions at any time from January 1, 2004 to January 25, 2019. The Dismissed Plaintiffs are plaintiffs that previously settled and dismissed their own lawsuit against a Defendant, and entities related to those plaintiffs. If you are uncertain about whether you may be a Dismissed Plaintiff, you should call 1-800-625-6440 or view the list of Dismissed Plaintiffs for more information.

The Notice has important information for merchants that accepted Visa and Mastercard from January 1, 2004 through January 25, 2019. It explains the settlement in a class action lawsuit. It also explains your rights and options in this case. The court also issued a “Notice of Exclusion” to the Dismissed Plaintiffs and an additional notice to those merchants explaining their right to file claims.

Click Here to Submit a Claim


Need for information? Please give us a call! 

954-938-2420


Merchant Processing Solutions Inc.


Monday, January 8, 2024

Start 2024 with No Merchant Fees!

 Merchants no longer have to carry the burden of their customer's credit card fees! Here why and how! 


MERCHANT BENEFITS: 
  • Merchants have been paying the credit card fees to entice customers to pay now and pay later! 
  • Merchants get their credit card fees with 24-48 hours with credit cards helping the revenue flow of the business. 
  • Merchant are able to sell immediately higher prices product and services when the customer have a credit card with the available. 
CUSTOMER BENEFITS: 
  • Customers can purchase more, higher priced products and services without needing cash. 
  • Customers can pay off their purchases when they want to but enjoy the purchase immediately! 
  • Customers have 180 days from the date of purchase on the receipt to do a CHARGEBACK! 
  • Customers have protection against FRAUD on their credit cards. 
  • Customers can track their credit card purchases for taxes. 
  • Customers can receive REWARDS/POINTS/CASH BACK from their credit cards to enjoy for a multitude of activities and products! 
  • Most credit cards offer some time of warrantee/guarantee with the purchase.
  • Credit Cards, different from Pin-Debt Cards, protect the customer from potential hacking into outside vendor accounts and gaining access into the customer's 
It is legal in ALL 50 States to offer the Cash Discount Program promoting the acceptance of CASH by the merchant which lowers the cost of purchase to the customer! However, there is NO DISCOUNT for customers who want to pay with their credit cards and reap all the benefits given them by their credit card company! 

Want to know more on how your business can saves thousands of dollars a year? 

Call Merchant Processing Solutions Inc. 
954-938-2420