SBA Chief Maria Contreras-Sweet's Commencement Speech At Whittier
Protect Law Group has the legal expertise to guide you through the SBA offer in compromise process and help successfully resolve your SBA loan problems.
We help people who need to avoid SBA loan default by teaching them about SBA offer in compromise and about various SBA loan problems such SBA Personal Guarantees
Book a Consultation CallAs we reported before on a previous blog entry, on January 1, 2014, SOP 50 10 5(F) became effective. This SBA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) significantly alters the collateral requirements for SBA loans with regard to the types of assets that principals of borrowers must now pledge or mortgage.
Under this new SOP, principals are only required to pledge their personally owned real estate if their loan is not otherwise fully secured. In addition, there is no longer any requirement that principals pledge their publicly traded securities or other non-real estate assets.
As a practical matter, when combined with the proposed repeal of the resources test, this means that individuals and entities with substantial personal wealth may now serve as personal guarantors on SBA loans, and SBA lenders may be in a position to pursue and collect significant unsecured assets when litigating against those guarantors. Simply put, personal guarantors will have more at stake, and they will have the resources needed to secure litigation defense counsel, protect and defend their assets and possibly assert lender liability claims against their lender or bank.
Under SOP 50 10 5(F), lenders will, for the first time, have the option to use their own customized SBA personal guarantee agreements instead of using SBA Form 148 (or Form 148L), as long as their personal guarantee agreements are “equivalent” to the terms found in the SBA’s Forms.
This means that SBA lenders may be able to include clauses and terms in their personal guarantee agreements that were not previously included in the SBA’s standard forms.
However, as defense counsel for many personal guarantors of defaulted SBA Loans, it should be advised that SBA lenders should seriously reconsider taking advantage of this opportunity to craft their own personal guarantee agreements with clauses or provisions that are entirely favorable to to them at the expense of the personal guarantor as they may easily find themselves having to defend their personal guarantee agreements based on arguments of typical affirmative defenses, such as, unfairness, bad faith, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, contract of adhesion, unconscionability, and/or misrepresentation.
As noted above, the anticipated changes in terms regarding personal guarantees in light of SOP 50 10 5(F) will likely become more important as lenders begin enforcing their SBA personal guarantee agreements against individuals who have sufficient personal resources to retain defense counsel and defend the claims of the lenders.
The landscape between SBA personal guarantors of defaulted SBA loans and purportedly aggrieved lenders or banks has changed dramatically. Both parties should be apprised of this new frontier and get ready to rumble.
The attorneys in our office want to help you figure out your SBA or DOT 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 or DOT 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.
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 personally guaranteed SBA 7(a) loan balance of $58,000. The client received a notice of Intent to initiate Administrative Wage Garnishment (AWG) Proceedings. We represented the client at the hearing and successfully defeated the AWG Order based on several legal and equitable grounds.
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 personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan to help with a relative’s new business venture. After the business failed, Treasury was able to secure a recurring Treasury Offset Program (TOP) levy against his monthly Social Security Benefits based on the claim that he owed over $1.2 million dollars. We initially submitted a Cross-Servicing Dispute, but then, prepared and filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (SBA OHA). As a result of our efforts, we were able to convince the SBA to not only terminate the claimed debt of $1.2 million dollars against our client (without him having to file bankruptcy) but also refund the past recurring amounts that were offset from his Social Security Benefits in connection with the TOP levy.
.jpg)
