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.
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.
Clients' 7(a) loan was referred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service for enforced collection in 2015. They not only personally guaranteed the loan, but also pledged their primary residence as additional collateral. One of the clients filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy thinking that it would discharge the SBA 7(a) lien encumbering their home. They later discovered that they were mistakenly advised. The Firm was subsequently hired to review their case and defend against a series of collection actions. Eventually, we were able to negotiate a structured workout for $180,000 directly with the SBA, saving them approximately $250,000 (by reducing the default interest rate and removing Treasury's substantial collection fees) and from possible foreclosure.
Our firm successfully assisted a client in closing an SBA Disaster Loan tied to a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The borrower obtained an EIDL loan of $153,800, but due to the prolonged economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business was unable to recover and ultimately closed.
As part of the business closure review and audit, we worked closely with the SBA to negotiate a resolution. The borrower was required to pay only $1,625 to release the remaining collateral, effectively closing the matter without further financial liability for the owner/officer.
This case highlights the importance of strategic negotiations when dealing with SBA settlements, particularly for businesses that have shut down due to unforeseen economic challenges. If you or your business are struggling with SBA loan debt, we focus on SBA Offer in Compromise (SBA OIC) solutions to help settle outstanding obligations efficiently.
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