SBA COVID Loan Crackdown: What Small Business Borrowers and Guarantors Need to Know in the Kelly Loeffler Era
SBA COVID Loan Crackdown: What Small Business Borrowers and Guarantors Need to Know in the Kelly Loeffler Era
If your application for PPP loan forgiveness is denied by the SBA you have appeal rights. Learn more about how to assert your rights to an appeal.
Book a Consultation CallPPP Forgiveness Appeal
You will have filed your application to forgive your PPP loan. Unfortunately, the lender denied your forgiveness application. What if your loan isn't forgiven in full? You will have to repay any amount of the PPP loan at a 1% interest over a 5 year term. However, loan payments will be deferred for six months but will start incurring interest immediately. Moreover, PPP loans have no fees and no prepayment penalties. Nevertheless, you can appeal the decision.
You can only have a decision by the SBA reviewed. Therefore, you must request a review by the SBA within 30 days of the lender's decision. If the SBA denies after review, you can proceed to an appeal. Furthermore, you can appeal based on several grounds as follows:
If the SBA based its denial on one of these factors you can appeal the decision.
You file your appeal with the SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals or OHA. Thereafter, the OHA assigns your case to an administrative law judge (ALJ). In a nutshell, an ALJ presides over administrative hearings with the government. Furthermore, the SBA will appoint an attorney to represent its interests in the appeal. As such, you should also have experienced legal representation advocating for your interests.
You only have a short time to file your appeal. As such, you must file your appeal within 30 calendar days after your receipt of the final SBA loan review decision. Alternatively, you only have 30 days from your notification by the lender of the final SBA loan review decision. Keep in mind, the deadline starts running from whichever notification you receive first.
In order to successfully appeal, you must prove that the SBA based its loan review decision on clear error of fact or law. Furthermore, you have the burden of proof. To that end, you must show such error by a preponderance of the evidence.
To meet your burden of proof, you will need to submit various documents described by SBA rules. Moreover, you will have to include a legal brief showing how the facts and law prove the SBA made an error.
Our attorneys have the experience to assertively represent you in front of the OHA. We have argued scores of appeals on behalf of our clients. Contact our offices today to set up your consultation with one of our attorneys.
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 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.
The client personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan for $150,000. His business revenue decreased significantly causing default and an accelerated balance of $143,000. The client received the SBA's Official 60-day notice with the debt scheduled for referral to the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service for aggressive collection in less than 26 days. We were hired to represent him, respond to the SBA's Official 60-day notice, and prevent enforced collection by the Treasury and the Department of Justice. We successfully negotiated a structured workout with an extended maturity date that included a reduction of the 14% interest rate and removal of substantial collection fees (30% of the loan balance), effectively saving the client over $242,000.
Clients personally guaranteed an SBA 504 loan balance of $337,000. The Third Party Lender had obtained a Judgment against the clients. We represented clients before the SBA and negotiated an SBA OIC that was accepted for $30,000.
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