A freelancer or a sole proprietor is not a separate legal entity who is different from his business, unlike a company. But, this does not mean that the bank accounts should be treated the same way.
Opening a separate Current Account, in which business income and expenses are recorded, helps in bringing about a distinction between what pertains to the business and what pertains to the personal finance of the proprietor.
This not only helps in better financial planning on the personal front but also helps in portraying an exact picture of the business at any point in time. In some cases, when all the transactions are carried out in a single personal account, the proprietor may not be able to recognize that his business is running at a loss if his personal finances are healthy.
It is critical to segregate business finance from personal finance. And a Current Account can help with this.
While dealing with business acquaintances, it is very important to maintain professionalism. This helps in enhancing your image and also in the growth of the business.
A Current Account in the name of your business is an important factor in achieving this. This is because the cheques you issue and receive will carry the name of your Current Account. Having a Current Account signifies your seriousness in carrying out your business.
 Sometimes, your creditors and other lenders may want to check your creditworthiness before advancing credit to you. Operating a Current Account can help in facilitating this process.
You could give them a letter issued by your bank stating that you hold a Current Account. Alternately, inter bank connections can help check creditworthiness too.
Sometimes, if you are into export/import, there is a need to issue a guarantee/letter of credit to foreign counter parties. Having a Current Account with a reputed bank helps in easing this process as well, thus helping in establishing your creditworthiness.
Another important benefit of having a Current Account is that one can easily avail overdraft facilities when needed. This means that the account holder can overdraw the balance in his account on a temporary basis, to plug any shortfall in funds.
This is, in essence, a short-term borrowing on which the bank may or may not levy interest. A normal savings bank account does not have the facility of overdraft. A Current Account can, therefore, help in meeting your need for funding in the short term.
A Current Account by its very nature offers added benefits when compared to a personal Savings Bank Account. With increasing competition, banks are now ready to offer value-added services at no extra cost to Current Account holders.
Banks prefer opening Current Accounts since these accounts do not pay the account holder any interest. As a result, features like 24 hours phone banking, doorstep banking, internet banking and mobile alert services come inbuilt with most Current Account kits.
In addition, the account holder can also enjoy a certain number of free pay orders/demand drafts and the facility to transfer funds instantly using NEFT/RTGS etc. Some banks offer a zero balance account as well, wherein there is no need to maintain a minimum balance.
Some of the services offered are free inward remittances, deposit, and withdrawals at any location, multi-location transfer, periodical statements and personal relationship managers to cater to your requirements.
While most of these services are also available with a Savings Account, it may require you to maintain a certain minimum balance. A Current Account helps in easy and quick banking transactions, which becomes very important while running a business.
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