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Common Causes Of SBA Loan Defaults

Understand common causes of SBA loan defaults and learn how to prevent them. Empower yourself with strategies from Protect Law Group to resolve SBA debts.

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Are You Facing Challenges with Your SBA Loan?

As a small business owner, you may have sought financial assistance from the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) through their loan programs. But what happens when you default on your SBA loan? In this article, we will delve into the various common causes of SBA loan defaults and give some insight on how Protect Law Group can help you mitigate the damages resulting from such defaults.

Understanding SBA Loan Default

SBA loan default occurs when a borrower fails to meet the terms and conditions of the SBA loan agreement. Failure to make timely payments, declare bankruptcy, or misuse of loan funds are all examples of conditions that may lead to a loan default.

What Causes SBA Loan Defaults?

Several factors can cause SBA loan defaults. These include, but are not limited to:

  1. Financial Mismanagement: Improvement of financial management skills and practices can easily prevent this root cause of default.
  2. Economic Instability: Often the character of the economy can have a profound influence on a business’s ability to repay a loan.
  3. External Factors: Unpredictable circumstances such as natural disasters or global pandemics can drastically affect a business’s cash flow.
  4. Inadequate Business Planning: Lack of sound business planning can lead a business into troubled waters.
  5. Unforeseen Operational Costs: If the costs of running the business are much higher than projected, this can render a business unable to make timely loan repayments.

Understanding the root cause of your SBA loan default is the first step towards formulating a strategy to navigate and potentially resolve your SBA debt collection matter.

How Protect Law Group can Assist with Your SBA Loan Concerns

Protect Law Group, through their team of educated and experienced attorneys, specializes in representing federal debtors and small business owners across the United States. They offer a broad spectrum of services aimed at tackling SBA loans and other Treasury debt issues.

Proactive Defense Strategies

Protect Law Group helps you develop proactive strategies to defend and potentially resolve your SBA debt collection matter. The firm applies legal authorities to support your positions and reviews the bases for filing Appeals Petitions with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals.

Investigating Errors

The attorneys at Protect Law Group are committed to examining all aspects of your case in detail. They help investigate factual, procedural, and legal errors and how to prosecute or defend against them effectively.

Responding to Notices

Notices sent by the SBA regarding your debt can be daunting. However, Protect Law Group jumps into action to intervene in response to these notices, whether they pertain to administrative offsets or federal salary offsets.

In addition to these services, Protect Law Group also provides SBA Offer in Compromise, structured workouts, administrative litigation, negotiations, and cross-servicing disputes services, among others.

Avoiding Foreclosure and Bankruptcy

Protect Law Group works diligently to help clients avoid the negative fallout from SBA loan defaults, such as foreclosure or bankruptcy. Through expert negotiation skills and a tailored plan of action, they aim to minimize damage to your personal or business financial health.

Customer Experience Beyond Expectation

At Protect Law Group, exceeding client expectations is a key objective. They pride themselves in delivering excellent customer experience, irrespective of the complexity of your case.

Summary

Navigating an SBA loan default can be a complex process fraught with potential pitfalls. However, understanding the causes of default and seeking expert help in the form of a legal firm like Protect Law Group can make the journey less daunting and more manageable. If you’re faced with an SBA loan issue, reach out for a case evaluation, as a well-armed client is best positioned for successful resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an SBA loan default?

An SBA loan default occurs when a borrower fails to meet the terms of the SBA loan agreement, which may include late payments, failure to use funds properly, or bankruptcy. This can lead to serious financial and legal consequences for the borrower.

2. What are the most common causes of SBA loan defaults?

Common causes include financial mismanagement, economic instability, lack of proper business planning, unforeseen operational costs, and external factors such as natural disasters or global events affecting business cash flow.

3. How can financial mismanagement lead to an SBA loan default?

Financial mismanagement, such as poor budgeting or cash flow planning, can make it difficult to meet loan payments, leading to a default. Improving financial management practices is essential to avoid this outcome.

4. Can economic instability affect my SBA loan repayments?

Yes, economic downturns or market instability can reduce revenue and impact a business’s ability to meet loan obligations, increasing the risk of loan default.

5. How can Protect Law Group help if I am facing SBA loan default?

Protect Law Group provides legal services to help business owners develop strategies to manage SBA loan defaults, including appeals, offer-in-compromise, and negotiation with the SBA to potentially reduce or restructure debt.

6. What options do I have to avoid foreclosure if I default on an SBA loan?

Options include negotiating with the SBA for alternative payment solutions, restructuring the loan, or pursuing an offer-in-compromise to settle the debt for less than the full amount.

7. What is an SBA Offer in Compromise?

An SBA Offer in Compromise is a settlement process that allows borrowers in default to negotiate a reduced payoff amount with the SBA, potentially resolving the debt without full repayment.

8. How does inadequate business planning lead to loan default?

Without sound planning, businesses may encounter unexpected expenses or revenue shortfalls, making it challenging to meet loan payments, which can ultimately lead to default.

9. What steps should I take if I receive a default notice from the SBA?

Contacting a legal firm like Protect Law Group is advisable. They can guide you through the response process and help you explore options to manage the default, including appeal petitions or structured workouts.

10. Can natural disasters or pandemics impact SBA loan repayments?

Yes, events like natural disasters or pandemics can severely disrupt business operations and cash flow, leading to difficulty in meeting loan repayments and increasing the risk of default.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

$150,000 SBA COVID-19 EIDL – BUSINESS CLOSURE REVIEW & COLLATERAL RELEASE | NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION

$150,000 SBA COVID-19 EIDL – BUSINESS CLOSURE REVIEW & COLLATERAL RELEASE | NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION

Our firm successfully resolved an SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) default in the amount of $150,000 on behalf of Illinois-based client. After the business permanently closed due to the economic impacts of the pandemic, the owners faced potential personal liability if the business collateral was not liquidated properly under the SBA Security Agreement.

We guided the client through the SBA’s Business Closure Review process, prepared a comprehensive financial submission, and negotiated directly with the SBA to release the collateral securing the loan. The borrower satisfied their collateral obligations with a payment of  $2,075, resolving the SBA’s security interest.

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$750,000 SBA 7A LOAN – NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

$750,000 SBA 7A LOAN – NEGOTIATED WORKOUT AGREEMENT

Client’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $750,000.  She and her husband signed personal guarantees exposing all of their non-exempt income and assets. With just 18 months left on the maturity date and payment on the remaining balance, the Great Recession of 2008 hit, which ultimately caused the business to fail and default on the loan terms. The 7(a) lender accelerated and sent a demand for full payment of the remaining loan balance.  The SBA lender’s note allowed for a default interest rate of about 7% per year. In response to the lender's aggressive collection action, Client's husband filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in an attempt to protect against their personal assets. However, his bankruptcy discharge did not relieve the Client's personal guarantee liability for the SBA debt. The SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection against the Client to the SBA. The Client then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice. After conducting a Case Evaluation with her, she then hired the Firm to respond and negotiate on her behalf with just 34 days left before the impending referral to Treasury. The Client wanted to dispute the SBA’s alleged debt balance as stated in the 60-Day Notice by claiming the 7(a) lender failed to liquidate business collateral in a commercially reasonable manner - which if done properly - proceeds would have paid back the entire debt balance.  However, due to time constraints, waivers contained in the SBA loan instruments, including the fact the Client was not able to inspect the SBA's records for investigation purposes before the remaining deadline, Client agreed to submit a Structured Workout for the alleged balance in response to the Official 60-Day Notice as she was not eligible for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) because of equity in non-exempt income and assets. After back and forth negotiations, the SBA Loan Specialist approved the Workout proposal, reducing the Client's purported liability by nearly $142,142.27 in accrued interest, and statutory collection fees. Without the Firm's intervention and subsequent approval of the Workout proposal, the Client's debt amount (with accrued interest, Treasury's statutory collection fee and Treasury's interest based on the Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR) would have been nearly $291,030.

$680,000 SBA COVID-EIDL LOAN - SBA OHA LITIGATION

$680,000 SBA COVID-EIDL LOAN - SBA OHA LITIGATION

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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