Below are excerpts from the Department of Justice's United States Attorney's Manual addressing collection policies relating to debts owed to the Federal Government and how the DOJ collects debts purportedly "due and owing." Please review here and don't hesitate to contact us if you are facing or about to face a past-due SBA debt.
3-10.500Enforced CollectionsWhen a debtor fails to respond to the post-judgment demand letter or to cure a default on the terms of an established payment plan, immediate steps shall be taken to initiate enforced collection proceedings. The rights and remedies available to the United States, and exemptions available to the debtor, under the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act, 28 U.S.C. §§3001-3308, should be considered in determining the most efficient and effective means to satisfy the judgment.3-10.510Discovery to determine ability to payFull use shall be made of those discovery methods provided for in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure whenever financial information is not voluntarily provided by the debtor. If the debtor fails to respond to such discovery requests, those sanctions provided for under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall be pursued promptly and vigorously. All financial information which is obtained through discovery shall be thoroughly reviewed and a determination made on how to proceed to enforce the judgment.3-10.530OffsetOffset of a debtor's federal tax return, federal salary, or federal administrative benefit should be undertaken whenever permitted by law.3-10.540Depriving Debtors of Their ResidenceApproval of the United States Attorney should be obtained prior to executing upon a debtor's residence. Normally, execution on a debtor's residence should not be made if the debtor is cooperative and making reasonable efforts to satisfy the judgment. Similarly, execution upon the debtor's personal or real property should not result in the debtor's family becoming a public charge.
If you are struggling with circumstances that involve SBA loan default or a DOT collection action, you deserve professional help! Our attorneys know how to handle SBA OIC and/or DOT collection cases. If you contact us, we can help you settle SBA debt or your DOT collection problem once and for all. After you schedule an appointment, you confer with a dedicated SBA OIC attorney and Federally Authorized DOT Practitioner who can help you through your administrative legal battle. After your claim is resolved, you never again have to worry about your SBA loan default problem or DOT collection problem haunting you. Our team of lawyers has assisted many clients through the years. Now it is your turn! You truly can settle SBA debt for good!
Please contact us at 1-888-756-9969 to discuss the next steps in resolving your issues. If you do not get in direct contact with us immediately, please leave a message with the front office staff with the best day, time and phone number to call you back and we will follow through on that promise.
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 facilitated the SBA settlement of a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) where borrower received an SBA disaster loan of $150,000, but due to the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business was unable to recover.
Despite the borrower’s efforts to maintain operations, shutdowns and restrictions significantly reduced the customer base and revenue, making continued operations unsustainable. After a thorough business closure review, we negotiated with the SBA, securing a resolution where the borrower paid only $6,015 to release the collateral, with no further financial liability for the owner/officer.
This case demonstrates how businesses affected by the pandemic can navigate SBA loan settlements effectively. If your business is struggling with an SBA EIDL loan, we specialize in SBA Offer in Compromise (SBA OIC) solutions to help close outstanding debts while minimizing financial burden.
Client's small business obtained an SBA COVID EIDL for $301,000 pledging collateral by executing the Note, Unconditional Guarantee and Security Agreement. The business defaulted on the loan and the SBA CESC called the Note and Guarantee, accelerated the principal balance due, accrued interest and retracted the 30-year term schedule.
The loan was transferred to the Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service which resulted in the statutory addition of $90,000+ in administrative fees, costs, penalties and interest with the total debt now at $391.000+. Treasury also initiated a Treasury Offset Program (TOP) levy against the client's federal contractor payments for the full amount each month - intercepting all of its revenue and pushing the business to the brink of bankruptcy.
The Firm was hired to investigate and find an alternate solution to the bankruptcy option. After submitting formal production requests for all government records, it was discovered that the SBA failed to send the required Official 60-Day Pre-Referral Notice to the borrower and guarantor prior to referring the debt to Treasury. This procedural due process violation served as the basis to submit a Cross-Servicing Dispute to recall the debt from Treasury back to the SBA and to negotiate a reinstatement of the original 30-year maturity date, a modified workout, cessation of the TOP levy against the federal contractor payments and removal of the $90,000+ Treasury-based collection fees, interest and penalties.
Client personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan for $100,000 from the lender. The SBA loan went into early default in 2006 less than 12 months from disbursement. The SBA paid the 7(a) guaranty monies to the lender and subsequently acquired the deficiency balance of about $96,000, including the right to collect against the guarantor. However, the SBA sent the Official 60-Day Due Process Notice to the Client's defunct business address instead of his personal residence, which he never received. As a result, the debt was transferred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service where substantial collection fees were assessed, including accrued interest per the promissory note. Treasury eventually referred the debt to a Private Collection Agency (PCA) - Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc. Pioneer sent a demand letter claiming a debt balance of almost $310,000 - a shocking 223% increase from the original loan amount assigned to the SBA. Client's social security disability benefits were seized through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP). Client hired the Firm to represent him as the debt continued to snowball despite seizure of his social security benefits and federal tax refunds as the involuntary payments were first applied to Treasury's collection fees, then to accrued interest with minimal allocation to the SBA principal balance.
We initially submitted a Cross-Servicing Dispute (CSD) challenging the referral of the debt to Treasury based on the defective notice sent to the defunct business address. Despite overwhelming evidence proving a violation of the Client's Due Process rights, the SBA still rejected the CSD. As a result, an Appeals Petition was filed with the SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals (OHA) Court challenging the SBA decision and its certification the debt was legally enforceable in the amount claimed. After several months of litigation before the SBA OHA Court, our Firm Attorney successfully negotiated an Offer in Compromise (OIC) Term Workout with the SBA Supervising Trial Attorney for $82,000 spread over a term of 74 months at a significantly reduced interest rate saving the Client an estimated $241,000 in Treasury collection fees, accrued interest (contract interest rate and Current Value of Funds Rate (CVFR)), and the PCA contingency fee.
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