Can a Business Loan be Forgiven if the Business Fails?
Discover key factors regarding business loan repayment obligations after a business failure. Explore SBA loan forgiveness options and consult with Protect Law Group.
If you have a SBA loan default problem and you're working with your lender to wind down the business and settle the deficiency with an SBA Offer In Compromise (SBA OIC), time is of the essence. Lenders, banks, the CDC and the SBA generally do not wait much longer than 60-90 days after the defaulted borrower has been liquidated or shut down to tender an SBA OIC for consideration which, if accepted, could potentially release the guarantors from the deficiency for a lesser amount.
As part of the process, the bank, the lender, CDC or SBA should send you what is called the “60-day letter - click here to view: Sample 60 Day Referral Letter" where you'll be given only 60 days from the date of the letter to file an SBA OIC Package for SBA consideration. If you fail to timely submit an SBA OIC Package within the administrative time frame as noted in the letter you received, the bank or SBA will probably submit the file to the United States Department of Treasury for enforced collection, and thus, you will probably lose your one (1) time opportunity to settle for less than what is purportedly owed on the SBA loan debt through this special administrative process.
The United States Treasury Department rarely collects on these bad loans directly – rather they hire third-party collection agencies to handle them. These collection agencies don’t know anything about the history behind the loans – their job is to be ruthless in their collection efforts as they generally receive a generous percent of the collected amount or actually bought the so-called junk federal debt for pennies on the dollar.
Several of these federally approved third-party collection agencies or junk debt buyers are particularly nasty and rarely settle for less than 50% of the outstanding amount as the incentives for collection, litigation, and judgment pursuit are very high. Contrast that with the results that we have reviewed and settled and it’s easy to see the importance of addressing your outstanding SBA loan debt sooner rather than later, whether you’re working with a non-attorney consultant, an SBA Workout Attorney or the United States Treasury Department Circular 230 Practitioner, or attempting to do it yourself. If you think your banker is nasty or difficult to work with, you don’t want to experience the tactics of these collection agencies or junk debt buyers.
If you have an SBA loan default problem and received the 60-day referral letter to the Treasury Department, call us at 888-756-9969 to speak to one of our SBA Workout Attorneys and figure out your options. It's a complimentary Case Evaluation, or, simply a complete form to see if you pre-qualify for an SBA OIC.
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 personally guaranteed SBA 504 loan balance of $750,000. Clients also pledged the business’s equipment/inventory and their home as additional collateral. Clients had agreed to a voluntary sale of their home to pay down the balance. We intervened and rejected the proposed home sale. Instead, we negotiated an acceptable term repayment agreement and release of lien on the home.
Clients borrowed and personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan. Clients defaulted on the SBA loan and were sued in federal district court for breach of contract. The SBA lender demanded the Client pledge several personal real estate properties as collateral to reinstate and secure the defaulted SBA loan. We were subsequently hired to intervene and aggressively defend the lawsuit. After several months of litigation, our attorneys negotiated a reinstatement of the SBA loan and a structured workout that did not involve any liens against the Client's personal real estate holdings.
Client’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $150,000. He and his wife signed personal guarantees and pledged their home as collateral. The SBA loan went into default, the term or maturity date was accelerated and demand for payment of the entire amount claimed was made. The SBA lender’s note gave it the right to adjust the default interest rate from 7.25% to 18% per annum. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but was dismissed after 3 years due to its inability to continue with payments under the plan. Clients wanted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which would have been a mistake as their home had significant equity to repay the SBA loan balance in full as the Trustee would likely seize and sell the home to repay the secured and unsecured creditors. However, the SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection to the SBA. Clients then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice and hired the Firm to respond to it and negotiate on their behalf. Clients disputed the SBA’s alleged balance of $148,000, as several payments made to the SBA lender during the Chapter 11 reorganization were not accounted for. To challenge the SBA’s claimed debt balance, the Firm Attorneys initiated expedited discovery to obtain government records. SBA records disclosed the true amount owed was about $97,000. Moreover, because the Clients’ home had significant equity, they were not eligible for an Offer in Compromise or an immediate Release of Lien for Consideration, despite being incorrectly advised by non-attorney consulting companies that they were. Instead, our Firm Attorneys recommended a Workout of $97,000 spread over a lengthy term and a waiver of the applicable interest rate making the monthly payment affordable. After back and forth negotiations, SBA approved the Workout proposal, thereby saving the home from imminent foreclosure and reducing the Clients' liability by nearly $81,000 in incorrect principal balance, accrued interest, and statutory collection fees.
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