When a business is no longer sustainable and has debts it cannot fulfill, it may need help closing down as it cannot simply shut down and ignore the debts. If the business owner obtained an SBA loan for their business, they may receive an SBA demand letter asking for the amount paid in full. If the business owner cannot pay in full in a reasonable amount of time, they may want to look into an Offer in Compromise.
There are only certain circumstances in which an SBA Offer in Compromise will work. If the borrower is unable to make the full payment and the business has ceased with all assets liquidated, it might be possible for them to work out an Offer in Compromise with the SBA. However, this is not as simple as the remaining debt is forgiven and there are no other repercussions. It's always recommended for the business owner to speak with a tax advisor or a legal advisor before beginning something like this as it might not be the right path for them to take.
When a business owner is facing an SBA loan default or an SBA loan foreclosure, speaking with a lawyer can help them determine what all of their options are. If there are enough assets to pay off at least most of the business debts, they might be able to pay off the remainder over time and not be able to go through the Offer in Compromise. The lawyer will closely look at the business assets, debts, and other finances to see what the right steps to take will be for that particular business. The lawyer may also be able to look into other help for the business owner, like a Tax Offset Program, to help them fulfill all of the debts and finish closing the business properly.
Choosing to do an Offer in Compromise depends on quite a few factors surrounding the business's current financial situation and can be a good idea for some businesses. A business owner will want to speak with a lawyer to find out if it's the right step for their business or if there's an option that might be better for them. If you're closing a business and not sure how to handle your debts or are worried about an Offer in Compromise, contact a lawyer today for help.
Millions of Dollars in SBA Debts Resolved via Offer in Compromise and Negotiated Repayment Agreements without our Clients filing for Bankruptcy or Facing Home Foreclosure
Millions of Dollars in Treasury Debts Defended Against via AWG Hearings, Treasury Offset Program Resolution, Cross-servicing Disputes, Private Collection Agency Representation, Compromise Offers and Negotiated Repayment Agreements
Our Attorneys are Authorized by the Agency Practice Act to Represent Federal Debtors Nationwide before the SBA, The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Treasury Department, and the Bureau of Fiscal Service.
Clients executed personal and corporate guarantees for an SBA 7(a) loan from a Preferred Lender Provider (PLP). The borrower corporation defaulted on the loan exposing all collateral pledged by the Clients. The SBA subsequently acquired the loan balance from the PLP, including the right to collect against all guarantors. The SBA sent the Official Pre-Referral Notice to the guarantors giving them sixty (60) days to either pay the outstanding balance in full, negotiate a Repayment (Offer in Compromise (OIC) or Structured Workout (SW)), challenge their alleged guarantor liability or file a Request for Hearing (Appeals Petition) with the SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals.
Because the Clients were not financially eligible for an OIC, they opted for Structured Workout negotiations directly with the SBA before the debt was transferred to the Bureau of Fiscal Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Treasury for enforced collection.
The Firm was hired to negotiate a global Workout Agreement directly with the SBA to resolve the personal and corporate guarantees. After submitting the Structured Workout proposal, the assigned SBA Loan Specialist approved the requested terms in under ten (10) days without any lengthy back and forth negotiations.
The favorable terms of the Workout included an extended maturity at an affordable principal amount, along with a significantly reduced interest rate saving the Clients approximately $181,000 in administrative fees, penalties and interest (contract interest rate and Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR)) as authorized by 31 U.S.C. § 3717(e) had the SBA loan been transferred to BFS.
Client personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan to help with a relative’s new business venture. After the business failed, Treasury was able to secure a recurring Treasury Offset Program (TOP) levy against his monthly Social Security Benefits based on the claim that he owed over $1.2 million dollars. We initially submitted a Cross-Servicing Dispute, but then, prepared and filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (SBA OHA). As a result of our efforts, we were able to convince the SBA to not only terminate the claimed debt of $1.2 million dollars against our client (without him having to file bankruptcy) but also refund the past recurring amounts that were offset from his Social Security Benefits in connection with the TOP levy.
Small business sole proprietor obtained an SBA COVID-EIDL loan for $500,000. Client defaulted causing SBA to charge-off the loan, accelerate the balance and refer the debt to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service for aggressive collection. Treasury added $180,000 in collection fees totaling $680,000+. Client tried to negotiate with Treasury but was only offered a 3-year or 10-year repayment plan. Client hired the Firm to represent before the SBA, Treasury and a Private Collection Agency. After securing government records through discovery and reviewing them, we filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals (OHA) court challenging the SBA's referral of the debt to Treasury citing a host of purported violations. The Firm was able to negotiate a reinstatement and recall of the loan back to the SBA, participation in the Hardship Accommodation Plan, termination of Treasury's enforced collection and removal of the statutory collection fees.
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