What Happens If a PPP Loan is Not Forgiven?
If your application for PPP loan forgiveness is denied by the SBA you have appeal rights. Learn more about how to assert your rights to an appeal.
Contact Our SBA Attorneys for Nationwide Representation of SBA and Treasury Debt Problems
Book a Consultation CallIf you recently received the 60-Day Official Notice from the SBA offering you the opportunity to petition for an administrative review of the debt, make an SBA Offer in Compromise or enter into a Repayment agreement for an SBA loan default, you may not know which way to turn. Not only has your SBA debt come back to haunt you but if you fail to respond to the 60-Day Official Notice within the stated time frame, your case will be cross-referred to the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, where the Government will add statutory collection fees up to 32% of the original SBA principal and interest balance.
An SBA Offer in Compromise is an out-of-court settlement option for a personal guarantor whose small business is about to shut down and there is no reasonable turnaround plan that can be executed to resurrect it from its current financial quandary. Furthermore, this remedial option is best utilized when it is apparent that the small business’s pledged collateral is insufficient to pay off the outstanding SBA loan balance and the personal assets of the owners are at stake due to the unconditional guarantees that were signed.
An SBA Offer in Compromise (OIC) is not possible without the cooperation of the responsible Borrowers and Guarantors. One of the basic elements of an SBA OIC is that the small business has ceased operations and all business assets have been liquidated. The small business owner’s assistance and help in maximizing the recovery on the business assets can help minimize the amount of deficiency balance on the SBA loan.
The amount offered for settlement must bear a reasonable relationship to the estimated value of the projected amount of recovery available through enforced collection. An SBA OIC is not available when the obligor has the financial ability to pay the deficiency in full within a reasonable time frame. An SBA OIC cannot be accepted if there is any evidence or knowledge of fraud, substantial misrepresentation, or financial dishonesty on the part of the offeror.
Each individual SBA OIC will be based on a case by case review of the Borrower’s or Guarantor’s individual financial situation and certain “litigative risks.” Factors to be considered are:
• An assessment of the debtor’s ability to pay and potential earnings capacity
• Health and life expectancy
• Local economic conditions
• Equity in pledged or reachable assets
• Settlement arrangements with other creditors
• Applicable exemptions available to debtor under State and Federal law
• The cost, time and risk of collection litigation
If you received the SBA’s 60-Day Official Notice providing you with an opportunity to submit an SBA OIC, don’t do it alone. Hire a qualified SBA Attorney to help your through this difficult and complex process.
Contact us today for a Case Evaluation.
An SBA Offer in Compromise (OIC) is not possible without the cooperation of the responsible Borrowers and Guarantors. One of the basic elements of an SBA OIC is that the small business has ceased operations and all business assets have been liquidated. The small business owner’s assistance and help in maximizing the recovery on the business assets can help minimize the amount of deficiency balance on the SBA loan.
The amount offered for settlement must bear a reasonable relationship to the estimated value of the projected amount of recovery available through enforced collection. An SBA OIC is not available when the obligor has the financial ability to pay the deficiency in full within a reasonable time frame. An SBA OIC cannot be accepted if there is any evidence or knowledge of fraud, substantial misrepresentation, or financial dishonesty on the part of the offeror.
Each individual SBA OIC will be based on a case by case review of the Borrower’s or Guarantor’s individual financial situation and certain “litigative risks.” Factors to be considered are:
• An assessment of the debtor’s ability to pay and potential earnings capacity
• Health and life expectancy
• Local economic conditions
• Equity in pledged or reachable assets
• Settlement arrangements with other creditors
• Applicable exemptions available to debtor under State and Federal law
• The cost, time and risk of collection litigation
If you received the SBA’s 60-Day Official Notice providing you with an opportunity to submit an SBA OIC, don’t do it alone. Hire a qualified SBA Attorney to help your through this difficult and complex process.
Contact us today for a Case Evaluation.


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.

Our firm successfully resolved an SBA 7(a) loan default in the amount of $140,000 on behalf of a husband-and-wife guarantor pair. The business had closed following a prolonged decline in revenue, leaving the borrowers personally liable for the remaining balance.
After conducting a comprehensive financial analysis and preparing a detailed SBA Offer in Compromise (SBA OIC) package, we negotiated directly with the SBA and the lender to achieve a settlement for $70,000 — just 50% of the outstanding balance. This settlement released the borrowers from further personal liability and allowed them to move forward without the threat of enforced collection.

Small business and guarantors obtained an SBA COVID-EIDL loan for $1,000,000. Clients defaulted causing SBA to charge-off the loan, accelerate the balance and refer the debt to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service for collection. Treasury added nearly $500,000 in collection fees totaling $1,500,000. Clients were served with the SBA's Official 60-Day Notice and exercised the Repayment option by applying for the SBA’s Hardship Accommodation Plan. However, their application was summarily rejected by the SBA without providing any meaningful reasons. Clients hired the Firm to represent them against the SBA, Treasury and a Private Collection Agency. After securing government records through discovery, we filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals (OHA) court challenging the SBA's referral of the debt to Treasury. During litigation and before the OHA court issued a final Decision and Order, the Firm successfully negotiated a reinstatement and recall of the loan back to the SBA, a modification of the original repayment terms, termination of Treasury's enforced collection and removal of the statutory collection fees.