The transcript of the video follows below for further review.
If you have an SBA loan default that has been referred to the Department of Treasury for collection, you may have been contacted by a private collection agency (PCA): Pioneer Credit Recovery, CBE Group, Performant or Conserve. A recent case addressed a collection letter sent by Pioneer to an alleged debtor. Pioneer brought a motion to dismiss the case.
The complaint alleged that on April 1, 2016, Pioneer sent a letter ("the Letter") to the plaintiff, Biber and others, which was captioned in bold, capitalized letters, "Administrative Wage Garnishment Proceedings Notice." It further said:
"This may be your last opportunity to make satisfactory payment arrangements on your student loan(s)";
"If these arrangements are not made, we will begin or continue the process of verifying your employment for Administrative Wage Garnishment";
"The United States Congress has enacted a law . . . that allows guarantors . . . to offset the wages of student loan defaulters without filing a lawsuit";
"[A] guaranty agency . . . may garnish the disposable pay of an individual to collect the amount owed by the individual, if he or she is not currently making required repayment . . . [T]he amount deducted for any pay period may not exceed 15 percent of disposable pay";
"This [statutory] provision [*3] overrides all applicable state law, and allows for the garnishment of student loan defaulter's wages";
"Before an administrative order is issued, defaulters are given notice and an opportunity for a hearing as part of this federal wage offset program";
"After the completion of this administrative offset process, your employer may be ordered to deduct 15% of your disposable income before you are paid. If your employer does not comply with this order, a lawsuit may be filed against your employer";
"Because the use of this federal wage offset law could reduce your take-home pay substantially, we are providing you with the chance to establish a satisfactory payment arrangement so you can voluntarily satisfy your obligation on more reasonable terms. We are hoping we can reach a satisfactory agreement before we proceed with further action.”
The Court ruled that Biber's claim that Pioneer "falsely represent[ed] that [defendant] was going to perform an Administrative Wage Garnishment" stated a claim upon which relief may be granted. The Court applied the "least sophisticated consumer" lens, the Letter plausibly comprised a materially false, deceptive, or misleading representation that could "reasonably be read to have to or more meanings, one of which is inaccurate." The Court further noted that Biber alleged sufficient facts to move his claim--that the Letter misrepresented that wage garnishment proceedings were imminent--from possible to plausible. Moreover, the complaint plausibly alleged that misrepresentation could have "affect[ed] [the] consumer's ability to make intelligent decisions with respect to the alleged debt."
If you have been contacted by a PCA like Pioneer Credit Recovery, regarding a SBA loan default, contact Protect Law Group today online or at 888-756-9969 for a FREE initial consultation.
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.
Client personally guaranteed SBA 7(a) loan for $350,000. The small business failed but because of the personal guarantee liability, the client continued to pay the monthly principal & interest out-of-pocket draining his savings. The client hired a local attorney but quickly realized that he was not familiar with SBA-backed loans or their standard operating procedures. Our firm was subsequently hired after the client received the SBA's official 60-day notice. After back-and-forth negotiations, we were able to convince the SBA to reinstate the loan, retract the acceleration of the outstanding balance, modify the original terms, and approve a structured workout reducing the interest rate from 7.75% to 0% and extending the maturity date for a longer period to make the monthly payments affordable. In conclusion, not only we were able to help the client avoid litigation and bankruptcy, but our SBA lawyers also saved him approximately $227,945 over the term of the workout.
Our firm successfully resolved an SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in the original amount of $150,000 for a Florida-based borrower. The loan, issued on June 4, 2020, was secured by business assets and potential personal liability through the SBA's Security Agreement.
Following the permanent closure of the business, we guided the client through the SBA’s Business Closure Review process and prepared a comprehensive collateral analysis. We negotiated directly with the SBA, obtaining a full release of the business collateral for $2,910 — satisfying the borrower’s obligations under the Security Agreement and eliminating any further enforcement risk against the pledged assets.
Clients executed personal and corporate guarantees for an SBA 7(a) loan from a Preferred Lender Provider (PLP). The borrower corporation defaulted on the loan exposing all collateral pledged by the Clients. The SBA subsequently acquired the loan balance from the PLP, including the right to collect against all guarantors. The SBA sent the Official Pre-Referral Notice to the guarantors giving them sixty (60) days to either pay the outstanding balance in full, negotiate a Repayment (Offer in Compromise (OIC) or Structured Workout (SW)), challenge their alleged guarantor liability or file a Request for Hearing (Appeals Petition) with the SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals.
Because the Clients were not financially eligible for an OIC, they opted for Structured Workout negotiations directly with the SBA before the debt was transferred to the Bureau of Fiscal Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Treasury for enforced collection.
The Firm was hired to negotiate a global Workout Agreement directly with the SBA to resolve the personal and corporate guarantees. After submitting the Structured Workout proposal, the assigned SBA Loan Specialist approved the requested terms in under ten (10) days without any lengthy back and forth negotiations.
The favorable terms of the Workout included an extended maturity at an affordable principal amount, along with a significantly reduced interest rate saving the Clients approximately $181,000 in administrative fees, penalties and interest (contract interest rate and Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR)) as authorized by 31 U.S.C. § 3717(e) had the SBA loan been transferred to BFS.
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