At Protect Law Group, we are proud to be the go-to law firm for small business owners facing loan challenges. If your business is struggling to make loan payments, you may be dreading the possibility of defaulting on your SBA loan. Your thoughts may be running wild with questions such as, “what happens if I can’t keep up with my SBA payments?” or “what are the consequences of defaulting?”
If you’re wondering what happens when you default on an SBA loan, you’re not alone. In today’s blog, we’re discussing four important things you need to know about defaulting on an SBA loan. Keep reading to learn more, then reach out to our SBA loan attorneys today.
Your Creditor has the Right to Accelerate Payments
When you default on an SBA loan, the creditor has the right to immediately demand payment on the entire balance of the loan. This means that even if there are more payments due on the loan, they can now be immediately due and payable. This can be a massive financial burden for any small business owner to bear.
You Are Liable for Collection Costs
As part of the loan documents, you likely agreed that you would be liable for the costs associated with the creditor collecting the loan in case of a default. This can include attorney’s fees and other collection costs.
Defaulted Loans Can Hurt Your Credit Score
Along with financial repercussions, defaulting on an SBA loan can also have a negative impact on your credit score. A defaulted loan appears on your credit report and affects your credit score, making it more difficult to get loans or credit in the future.
Defaulted Loans Can Lead to Legal Action
Just as defaulting on a loan could seriously damage your credit, it can also trigger legal action. If your creditor is unable to collect the loan balance, they may take legal action against you. In extreme cases, your assets may be seized, or your wages could be garnished.
Defaulting on an SBA loan can have serious consequences if not handled carefully. Thankfully, we offer the SBA loan help you need to get through the difficulty and find relief. Business debt relief is possible — and our SBA loan attorneys can help provide you with the assistance you need to navigate the nuances of a difficult system and get the loan forgiveness you need.
At Protect Law Group, our passionate SBA loan attorneys have the knowledge and experience to help guide you through the legal process and identify the best solution for your financial situation. From SBA loan investigation and discovery to deferment and modification, our mission is to ensure you have advice tailored to suit your needs. If you have any questions regarding defaulting on an SBA loan or what you can do in your specific situation, don’t hesitate to contact us now!
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.
Clients obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for their small business in the amount of $298,000. They pledged their primary residence and personal guarantees as direct collateral for the loan. The business failed, the lender was paid the 7(a) guaranty money and the debt was assigned to the SBA. Clients received the Official 60-Day Notice giving them a couple of options to resolve the debt balance directly with the SBA before referral to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service. The risk of referral to Treasury would add nearly $95,000 to the SBA principal loan balance. With the default interest rate at 7.5%, the amount of money to pay toward interest was projected at $198,600. Clients hired the Firm with only 4 days left to respond to the 60-Day due process notice. Because the clients were not eligible for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) due to the significant equity in their home and the SBA lien encumbering it, the Firm Attorneys proposed a Structured Workout to resolve the SBA debt. After back and forth negotiations, the SBA Loan Specialist assigned to the case approved the Workout terms which prevented potential foreclosure of their home, but also saved the clients approximately $294,000 over the agreed-upon Workout term with a waiver of all contractual and statutory administrative fees, collection costs, penalties, and interest.
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.
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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