Small Business Bankruptcy: A Guide to Chapter 11, Subchapter 5
Chapter 11, Subchapter 5 went into effect in February. Discover what the new law means for you, and how it affects small business bankruptcy.
The transcript of the video follows below for further review.
If you have defaulted on a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan and you are a federal employee, more than likely the Department of Treasury (DOT) will send you a notice stating that the DOT will offset your wages or salary, that is, take a portion of your paycheck every pay period until the debt is paid.
You can, however, appeal the wage garnishment or offset to the SBA’s Office of Hearing and Appeal (OHA). This course should not be pursued lightly and is not appropriate for a non-attorney or an inexperienced attorney in OHA cases.
The OHA assigns an administrative law judge (ALJ) to handle your appeal. The SBA will similarly assign an attorney to represent the SBA in the appeal. As stated, an OHA appeal amounts to a litigated case with provisions for motions, subpoenas, motions for summary judgment, etc. Moreover, if the law and provisions of the OHA appeal process are not followed, a petitioner may be subject to sanctions by the OHA. One should not be penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to appealing a federal salary offset or garnishment.
The OHA appeal of your federal salary garnishment or offset can, however, be an effective avenue to resolve your SBA loan default either by judicial decision or by settlement with the SBA. If you can prove that the debt does not exist or is not enforceable, you may secure relief from the debt and the wage garnishment or offset. A strong appeal may also convince the SBA that the debt should be settled rather than litigated in front of the OHA.
If you have defaulted on an SBA loan and are a federal employee, please contact Protect Law Group for a consultation at 1-888-756-9969 or visit our website at www.sba-attorneys.com.
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.
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 $212,000 on behalf of an individual guarantor. The borrower’s business experienced a significant downturn in revenue and was unable to sustain operations, ultimately leading to closure and a remaining personal guaranty obligation.
After conducting a thorough financial review and preparing a comprehensive SBA Offer in Compromise (SBA OIC) submission, we negotiated directly with the SBA and lender to achieve a settlement of $50,000—approximately 24% of the outstanding balance. This favorable resolution released the guarantor from further personal liability and provided the opportunity to move forward free from the burden of enforced collection.
Our firm successfully resolved an SBA 7a loan in the original amount of $364,000 for a New Jersey-based borrower. The client filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy but the mortgage on his real estate securing the loan remained in place. The available equity amounted to $263,470 and the deficiency equaled $317,886.
We gathered the pertinent documentation and prepared a comprehensive collateral analysis. We negotiated directly with the SBA, obtaining a full release of the mortgage for $80,000.
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