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What Are Sba 7a Loans and What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
SBA 7a loans are a great way to finance an organization and options are great for businesses. Learn about the different types and eligibility.
We help people who need to avoid SBA loan default by advising about solutions to various SBA loan problems including SBA loan foreclosure.
Book a Consultation CallThe attorneys in our office want to help you figure out your SBA situation. No matter how difficult your circumstances may seem, the right lawyer can assist you. We understand that you probably have questions regarding a wide range of issues, including how to respond to an SBA demand letter, what SBA loan foreclosure actually entails, and what a tax offset program is. One of our specialists can tell you about all of these topics and more. We urge you to read our blog to learn more about subjects that are confusing to you and to contact us right away if you have specific questions. We look forward to working with you during this period of your life.
While a loan is classified in regular servicing status, it is housed in one of the SBA's two Commercial Loan Service Centers (CLSC) – either Fresno or Little Rock. The process begins when the SBA is notified by the appropriate CLSC that workout is not feasible and liquidation is necessary, the loan is then shipped to the National Guaranty Purchase Center (NGPC) logged in, and classified as in liquidation and then housed awaiting reports and status updates as to action taken commensurate to the loan. The loans are not assigned to any staff member and this Center handles most necessary actions by specialized teams. The NGPC will acknowledge the notification and the Lender will be expected to continue to service this account and completely liquidate or sue upon any loan instrument. The Lender is required to pursue the entire indebtedness regardless of the guaranteed percentage or any purchase thereof. Also note that SBA requires all lenders to make timely site visits to assess the value and take an inventory of loan collateral in order to assess workout possibilities and to develop a meaningful liquidation plan.
2. SBA Loan Management: Primary oversight will be centered around the guaranty purchase review process, timely quarterly updates, and through the thorough review of liquidation wrap-up reports which Lenders must submit to SBA at the completion of liquidation. Secondarily, SBA will monitor debt collection litigation, such as judicial foreclosures, bankruptcy proceedings and other state and federal insolvency proceedings, through the review of litigation plans when applicable and required by circumstances.
Key actions:
1. Guaranty purchase. This includes a detailed review of all origination, servicing, and liquidation actions to ensure that the loan was handled properly; this is done using the Guaranty Purchase 10 Tabs.
2. CPC Expenses. After the loan has been purchased, if there are liquidation expenses that are incurred the lender would be able to submit for reimbursement using CPC tabs.
3. Offer in Compromise. Typically at the culmination of the liquidation of all business and other worthwhile assets, and OIC is the process used to evaluate a monetary offer in exchange for the release of a personal guaranty on the loan. An Offer in Compromise is an action that requires SBA’s expressed written consent and may be submitted to SBA using the OIC Tabs.
4. Quarterly Updates. Once a loan has been purchased, SBA requires a simple update on a quarterly basis for every loan in liquidation status. This report should include the current actions being taken on the loan.
5. Charge off. Once all liquidation is complete and no further recoveries are expected the loan can then be charged off. This is done by the lender submitting a final wrap up report to SBA.
6. Referral to the US Treasury Offset Program Once the loan has been charged off by SBA, if there are any parties that are eligible (provided they have not been discharged from bankruptcy and/or they were not released as part of an Offer in Compromise) they will be referred to the U.S. Treasury Offset Program for further collection. Once this takes place the servicing of the loan shifts from the lender to Treasury or their fee agents. If any recoveries are received they will be shared with the lender, based on the guaranty rate, and the lender’s share will be forwarded to them (less any expenses incurred by Treasury).
If you'd like to learn more about the options you have for your SBA loan, call for a case evaluation at 1-888-756-9969.
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.
Client received the SBA's Official 60-Day Notice for a loan that was obtained by her small business in 2001. The SBA loan went into default in 2004 but after hearing nothing from the SBA lender or the SBA for 20 years, out of the blue, she received the SBA's collection due process notice which provided her with only one of four options: (1) repay the entire accelerated balance immediately; (2) negotiate a repayment arrangement; (3) challenge the legal enforceability of the debt with evidence; or (4) request an OHA hearing before a U.S. Administrative Law Judge.
Client hired the Firm to represent her with only 13 days left before the expiration deadline to respond to the SBA's Official 60-Day Notice. The Firm attorneys immediately researched the SBA's Official loan database to obtain information regarding the 7(a) loan. Thereafter, the Firm attorneys conducted legal research and asserted certain affirmative defenses challenging the legal enforceability of the debt. A written response was timely filed to the 60-Day Notice with the SBA subsequently agreeing with the client's affirmative defenses and legal arguments. As a result, the SBA rendered a decision immediately terminating collection of the debt against the client's alleged personal guarantee liability saving her $50,000.
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.
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