Efficient & Transparent Cannabis Banking Solutions

The legal cannabis industry is growing rapidly, with more and more states opting to legalize or decriminalize marijuana. However, federal regulations and legality laws have created many challenges for such businesses. 

One of the greatest issues cannabis companies experience has to do with the unwillingness of banks to take on marijuana-related clients. Even the companies that have banking access continue to face challenges with payment processes since numerous card networks refuse to work with them. Because of this, businesses in the cannabis industry are largely underbanked and mainly operate in cash, which brings about an array of risks and dangers for their growth. 

Fortunately, innovative providers of banking services for the “weed” industry such as Green Leaf Business Solutions offer informed and streamlined solutions for cannabis businesses. We help mitigate the legality problems the industry faces. We work hard to stay up to date with the ever-changing cannabis regulations to ensure compliance as well as employ high-tech solutions to help you enhance the growth of your hemp business.

Unfortunately, many banks across the country are hesitant to work with legal cannabis companies for fear of federal punishment. This has created unique challenges for the medical and retail cannabis businesses, with many banks requiring extra fees for dispensaries not present in other industries. 

The willingness of banks to open accounts for cannabis businesses tends to vary depending on the state: cannabis-friendly states such as Nevada, Oregon, and Colorado have been known to accept marijuana clients more readily, while states such as New Mexico and Arizona offer fewer options.  

We bring you possible solutions

Nevertheless, businesses in the cannabis industry can obtain the necessary accounts and avoid cash-related risks by establishing strict and structured compliance and financial measures that can prove the validity of your business to a willing bank. In order to find a compliant banking solution, marijuana businesses need to maintain the following:

• Rigorous internal SOPs
• Comprehensive internal reporting
• In-depth financial records. 

That’s where Green Leaf Business Solutions comes in. By offering specialized cannabis industry banking solutions and vetting clients through anti-money laundering processes, we are able to help our clients locate compliant banks and meet the specific requirements the banking partner may look for before they take on a high-risk business. So, if you’re looking for “weed” banking that will offer handy, personalized solutions, we’re also here to help you ensure strict compliance and streamline your business operations.

Owners of cannabis businesses encounter significant roadblocks in terms of financing and banking options. On top of experiencing difficulties with getting bank access and card payment, cannabis companies are also faced with major fees to offset the risks and additional work that banks undertake when working with high-risk industries. This makes it incredibly hard for cannabis dispensaries to grow their business without adequate third-party guidance. It’s also the reason why companies typically outsource marijuana dispensary payroll and the management of human resources.

In June 2020, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued valuable guidance on the requirements for the cannabis industry under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). The purpose of the FinCEN guide is to enhance the availability of banking and financial services for hemp-related businesses and clarify the BSA expectations for financial institutions. The FinCEN guidance recommends the following steps for bankers: 

• Verifying if the business is accurately licensed 
• Reviewing license applications 
• Obtaining information about the cannabis business from state authorities 
• Developing an in-depth understanding of the company’s daily activities 
• Monitoring possible suspicious activity 
• Enforcing procedures to keep the information on the business up to date 

At Green Leaf Business Solutions, we help our clients find willing banking partners for their cannabis business by ensuring the highest standards of BSA compliance. Before offering any solutions, we vet our clients through an anti-money laundering (AML) process that proves the availability of the necessary licenses and documentation. 

Our process also ensures that the business is not associated with any black-market or violent groups. We do all of this and more to help you secure the banking options you need to boost the growth of your business and make it in the weed industry.

Green Leaf Payroll & Business Solutions is your go-to partner if you are struggling with obtaining the necessary bank accounts for your cannabis business. We employ a rigorous vetting procedure to meet the AML and BSA requirements and offer in-depth advice and hand holding on how you can structure your financial processes to overcome the banking challenges present in the industry. 

Our transparent banking solutions for high-risk businesses are highly flexible and tailored to the needs of each client. By combining a hands-on approach with innovative and fully integrated technology, we enable our clients to streamline their processes and minimize risks.

In addition to our cannabis banking solutions, we also offer hassle-free payroll processing solutions for cannabis businesses, specialized cannabis HR consulting and management, multi-employer 401k benefits management, and much more. Our marijuana banking and other available services will help ensure your adherence to the law while, reduce your workload, and keep your staff happy. Get in touch with Green Leaf Business Solutions and carve your path to success in the cannabis industry. Call us today.