What the SBA’s 43% Workforce Reduction Could Mean for Your SBA Loan in 2025
Defaulting on a SBA loan with the Trump Administration's reduction in SBA staff will impact your chances for resolution. Learn about the impact and how to protect yourself.
We help people avoid an SBA loan default by advising them about the SBA offer in compromise and solutions to other SBA loan problems.
Book a Consultation CallDealing with the idea that you might be facing an SBA loan default can be terrifying. The SBA attorneys in our office are skilled at helping clients understand all the facets of their situation. We will advise you as to the potential for an SBA offer in compromise. You should never face your SBA loan problems alone. It is important to retain the services of an attorney who can help you through this difficult time in your life. Please contact us for a free initial consultation.
Many times the SBA will require a borrower's spouse to sign a personal guarantee even when the spouse has no role in the borrower's business. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”) provides important protections to “disinterested spouses” who are required to guarantee the business loans of their spouses. Regulation B provides that a lender may not automatically require a qualified applicant’s spouse to execute any loan documents. In a community property state, such as California, the lender may be able to require the spouse’s signature, but only after first conducting a separate analysis of the income and assets of the business, and the income and assets of the interested spouse, and then reviewing the jointly owned assets. Although there is a two year statute of limitations on bringing a claim based on an ECOA violation, such a violation can be raised at any time as a defense. As such, a disinterested spouse that was required to sign a personal guarantee may be able to defend against enforcement based on a ECOA violation defense.
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 obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $324,000 to buy a small business and its facility. The business and real estate had an appraisal value of $318,000 at the time of purchase. The business ultimately failed but the participating lender abandoned the business equipment and real estate collateral even though it had valid security liens. As a result, the lender recouped nearly nothing from the pledged collateral, leaving the business owners liable for the deficiency balance. The SBA paid the lender the 7(a) guaranty money and was assigned ownership of the debt, including the right to collect. However, the clients never received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice and were denied the opportunity to negotiate an Offer in Compromise (OIC) or a Workout directly with the SBA before being transferred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service, which added an additional $80,000 in collection fees. Treasury garnished and offset the clients' wages, federal salary and social security benefits. When the clients tried to negotiate with Treasury by themselves, they were offered an unaffordable repayment plan which would have caused severe financial hardship. Clients subsequently hired the Firm to litigate an Appeals Petition before the SBA Office & Hearings Appeals (OHA) challenging the legal enforceability and amount of the debt. The Firm successfully negotiated a term OIC that was approved by the SBA Office of General Counsel, saving the clients approximately $205,000.
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.
The clients are personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan. The SBA referred the debt to the Department of Treasury, which was seeking payment of $487,981 from our clients. We initially filed a Cross-Servicing Dispute, which was denied. As a result, we filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals asserting legal defenses and supporting evidence uncovered during the discovery and investigation phase of our services. Ultimately, the SBA settled the debt for $25,000 - saving our clients approximately $462,981.
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