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We will analyze your SBA loan problems and advise you on potential solutions such as an SBA offer in compromise for your SBA loan default.
In unprecedented economic times, you may be considering shutting your business. But you have an SBA loan. Does an SBA loan bankruptcy apply to you? Read on.
Book a Consultation CallUnfortunately, the COVID pandemic and subsequent business shut downs and restrictions impacted many businesses. Moreover, you have decided you can no longer keep your business going. However, you have an outstanding SBA loan. Does an SBA loan bankruptcy for your business make sense?
SBA Loan Bankruptcy
In most situations, bankrupting your business if it is a C corporation, S corporation or limited liability corporation (LLC) will not make sense. Understand, the SBA loan process granted the lender a lien on all of the business assets. As such, the lender retains the right to foreclose on the business assets despite a bankruptcy filing. More than likely, no other assets will exists for the bankruptcy trustee to disperse to other creditors.
However, in certain situations you may want to consider an SBA loan bankruptcy for your corporation or LLC. For instance, if the business has certain assets that the SBA lender does not have a lien position and your business has multiple creditors, a Chapter 7 may make sense for an orderly winding down of the business and distribution of assets. Moreover, if one or more lawsuits involve your business a Chapter 7 bankruptcy would stop the lawsuits and allow a controlled winding down of the business.
If, however, you operated your business as a sole proprietorship then an SBA loan bankruptcy may make more sense. Under this scenario, you remain personally liable for the loan. Even if you only pledged business assets as collateral, the lender can still sue you to pursue recovery. Now, your personal assets are at risk. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will half any collection actions and, importantly, discharge the SBA loan obligation.
On the other hand, if you pledged your house as collateral, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy will not prevent the lender from foreclosing on your house. The lender can obtain leave from the bankruptcy stay and pursue your house to repay the loan. To that end, read your loan documents carefully so you know what you are putting at risk.
If, as part of your loan, you did pledge your house as collateral, now you need to focus on saving your property. In this case, a Chapter 11 Subchapter V bankruptcy may be to your advantage. The Chapter 11 Subchapter V bankruptcy provides you with the opportunity to repay the debt on terms you can afford. Therefore, instead of paying the debt in full upon demand by the lender or face foreclosure, your bankruptcy plan can propose terms of repayment - over a number a years.
Therefore, although you will have to pay the debt, the Chapter 11 Subchapter V allows you to keep your house. The Chapter 11 process requires you to pay the secured debt (the lien on your house) in full. However, your remaining debts would be paid off proportionately under your bankruptcy repayment plan. To that end, unsecured creditors may be paid but not in full and only a portion of the debt.
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 $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.
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 7(a) loan that was referred to the Department of Treasury for collection. Treasury claimed our clients owed over $220,000 once it added its statutory collection fees and interest. We were able to negotiate a significant reduction of the total claimed amount from $220,000 to $119,000, saving the clients over $100,000 by arguing for a waiver of the statutory 28%-30% administrative fees and costs.
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