Factoring is the purchase of accounts receivables from a business for a fee. The company selling their accounts receivables receives a portion of the invoiced total without waiting the typical 30 to 90 day period for payment and the factor (investor) receives a return on their investment when the invoices are paid. Most Factoring companies look at the creditworthiness of a company's customers rather than at the creditworthiness of the company itself. This makes factoring a viable alternative to a line of credit from a bank for startup businesses, high risk businesses and others with a poor or non-existent credit history.