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If you have defaulted on your SBA loan, a private collection agency may start contacting you to collect the SBA loan. Who and what are private collection agencies (PCAs)?
The Department of Treasury contracts with four private collection agencies, known by their common names: Performant, Pioneer Credit, CBE Group and Conserve. If you have been contacted by one of these four PCAs, your defaulted SBA loan has been referred to the Department of Treasury for collection who has contracted with one of the PCAs to collect for the Department of Treasury. The PCAs, of course, have a financial incentive to collect on the defaulted SBA loan.
The Claims Collection Act authorizes the Department of Treasury to contract with private collection agencies. However, the Department of Treasury must retain the authority to resolve disputes, compromise claims, end collection actions and refer claims to the Department of Justice.
The PCAs are bound by the Privacy Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations relating to debt collection practices.
The PCAs are not only tasked with sending letters and making phone calls demanding payment, but they may also send notices of administrative wage garnishments. Therefore, any letters sent by a PCA should be opened and read immediately because if a notice of administrative wage garnishment is sent, you only have a short amount of time to file a request for hearing and challenge the administrative wage garnishment.
Furthermore, the Department of Treasury may use multiple PCAs to try to collect on the defaulted SBA loan; that is, by way of example, although Performant may have the first opportunity to collect, the debt may later be transferred to Pioneer for collection. As such, if a PCA contacted you regarding your SBA loan default, do not ignore the PCA, it is time to take action and deal with the debt.
If you are facing an SBA loan default, contact Protect Law Group today at www.sba-attorneys.com or 1-888-756-9969 to schedule your 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.
The client personally guaranteed an SBA 504 loan balance of $375,000. Debt had been cross-referred to the Treasury at the time we got involved with the case. We successfully had debt recalled to the SBA where we then presented an SBA OIC that was accepted for $58,000.
Client’s small business obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $150,000. He and his wife signed personal guarantees and pledged their home as collateral. The SBA loan went into default, the term or maturity date was accelerated and demand for payment of the entire amount claimed was made. The SBA lender’s note gave it the right to adjust the default interest rate from 7.25% to 18% per annum. The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but was dismissed after 3 years due to its inability to continue with payments under the plan. Clients wanted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which would have been a mistake as their home had significant equity to repay the SBA loan balance in full as the Trustee would likely seize and sell the home to repay the secured and unsecured creditors. However, the SBA lender opted to pursue the SBA 7(a) Guaranty and subsequently assigned the loan and the right to enforce collection to the SBA. Clients then received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice and hired the Firm to respond to it and negotiate on their behalf. Clients disputed the SBA’s alleged balance of $148,000, as several payments made to the SBA lender during the Chapter 11 reorganization were not accounted for. To challenge the SBA’s claimed debt balance, the Firm Attorneys initiated expedited discovery to obtain government records. SBA records disclosed the true amount owed was about $97,000. Moreover, because the Clients’ home had significant equity, they were not eligible for an Offer in Compromise or an immediate Release of Lien for Consideration, despite being incorrectly advised by non-attorney consulting companies that they were. Instead, our Firm Attorneys recommended a Workout of $97,000 spread over a lengthy term and a waiver of the applicable interest rate making the monthly payment affordable. After back and forth negotiations, SBA approved the Workout proposal, thereby saving the home from imminent foreclosure and reducing the Clients' liability by nearly $81,000 in incorrect principal balance, accrued interest, and statutory collection fees.
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.
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