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Who Qualifies for an SBA Loan Deferment
Learn who qualifies for an SBA loan deferment as well as when. Your frequently asked questions answered in one handy guide.
When a business is no longer sustainable and has debts it cannot fulfill, it may need help closing down as it cannot simply shut down and ignore the debts. If the business owner obtained an SBA loan for their business, they may receive an SBA demand letter asking for the amount paid in full. If the business owner cannot pay in full in a reasonable amount of time, they may want to look into an Offer in Compromise.
There are only certain circumstances in which an SBA Offer in Compromise will work. If the borrower is unable to make the full payment and the business has ceased with all assets liquidated, it might be possible for them to work out an Offer in Compromise with the SBA. However, this is not as simple as the remaining debt is forgiven and there are no other repercussions. It's always recommended for the business owner to speak with a tax advisor or a legal advisor before beginning something like this as it might not be the right path for them to take.
When a business owner is facing an SBA loan default or an SBA loan foreclosure, speaking with a lawyer can help them determine what all of their options are. If there are enough assets to pay off at least most of the business debts, they might be able to pay off the remainder over time and not be able to go through the Offer in Compromise. The lawyer will closely look at the business assets, debts, and other finances to see what the right steps to take will be for that particular business. The lawyer may also be able to look into other help for the business owner, like a Tax Offset Program, to help them fulfill all of the debts and finish closing the business properly.
Choosing to do an Offer in Compromise depends on quite a few factors surrounding the business's current financial situation and can be a good idea for some businesses. A business owner will want to speak with a lawyer to find out if it's the right step for their business or if there's an option that might be better for them. If you're closing a business and not sure how to handle your debts or are worried about an Offer in Compromise, contact a lawyer today for help.
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’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $750,000. She and her husband signed personal guarantees exposing all of their non-exempt income and assets. With just 18 months left on the maturity date and payment on the remaining balance, the Great Recession of 2008 hit, which ultimately caused the business to fail and default on the loan terms. The 7(a) lender accelerated and sent a demand for full payment of the remaining loan balance. The SBA lender’s note allowed for a default interest rate of about 7% per year. In response to the lender's aggressive collection action, Client's husband filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in an attempt to protect against their personal assets. However, his bankruptcy discharge did not relieve the Client's personal guarantee liability for the SBA debt. The SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection against the Client to the SBA. The Client then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice. After conducting a Case Evaluation with her, she then hired the Firm to respond and negotiate on her behalf with just 34 days left before the impending referral to Treasury. The Client wanted to dispute the SBA’s alleged debt balance as stated in the 60-Day Notice by claiming the 7(a) lender failed to liquidate business collateral in a commercially reasonable manner - which if done properly - proceeds would have paid back the entire debt balance. However, due to time constraints, waivers contained in the SBA loan instruments, including the fact the Client was not able to inspect the SBA's records for investigation purposes before the remaining deadline, Client agreed to submit a Structured Workout for the alleged balance in response to the Official 60-Day Notice as she was not eligible for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) because of equity in non-exempt income and assets. After back and forth negotiations, the SBA Loan Specialist approved the Workout proposal, reducing the Client's purported liability by nearly $142,142.27 in accrued interest, and statutory collection fees. Without the Firm's intervention and subsequent approval of the Workout proposal, the Client's debt amount (with accrued interest, Treasury's statutory collection fee and Treasury's interest based on the Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR) would have been nearly $291,030.
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.
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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