What to Look for in an SBA Attorney
Explore what to look for when choosing an SBA attorney, including the experience and legal assistance discussed for borrowers in default.
Contact Our SBA Attorneys for Nationwide Representation of SBA and Treasury Debt Problems
Book a Consultation CallIf you have recently received a written notice from the Department of Treasury demanding payment for an SBA loan default you may not know which way to turn. Not only has your SBA debt come back to haunt you but the amount is now up to 30% more than because the Department of Treasury has added oppressive “collection fees.”
You may feel a certain type of paralysis because the federal government is looking to collect more money than you will ever be able to pay back in your lifetime. The first step you need to take is perform a proper investigation and an analysis of your legal defenses, where applicable.
Neither the SBA nor the Department of Treasury needs to go to court and prove their case in front of a jury or judge like a private creditor when it pursues you through the federal agency system. You do not receive your “day in court” to argue your case when the federal government is your creditor. The SBA and Department of Treasury unilaterally decide that you owe the debt. They do not send you any documents that prove you owe the debt and the federal government certainly does not provide you documents that may exonerate you from liability. The SBA and the Treasury may have hundreds of pages of documents related to your case, which you have a right to inspect and review.
To get your day in court, so to speak, you have to figure out what evidence is available and the legal defenses you can assert. An SBA Attorney can conduct such an investigation and advise you of your options. Once you know your options, you can make an informed decision on how to dispute the claimed debt.
Before filing bankruptcy and ruining your credit or taking another path, you should consider having one of our SBA Attorneys to conduct a proper investigation of your federal debt and determine if there are better alternatives.
Contact us today for a Case Evaluation.
Clients personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan balance of $65,000 for their Texas-based business. The SBA loan was paid down to $41,000 before the business failed. The loan was referred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service. Treasury assessed its collection fees increasing the debt to $66,000. The client received a Notice of Intent to Initiate Administrative Wage Garnishment (AWG) Proceedings. The Firm represented the client at the hearing and successfully challenged the legal enforceability of the debt. Based on our legal arguments, the Hearing Officer issued a Decision and Order terminating collection of the $66,000 debt by operation of law.
Our firm successfully negotiated an SBA offer in compromise (SBA OIC), settling a $974,535.93 SBA loan balance for just $18,000. The offerors, personal guarantors on an SBA 7(a) loan, originally obtained financing to purchase a commercial building in Lancaster, California.
The borrower filed for bankruptcy, and the third-party lender (TPL) foreclosed on the property. Despite the loan default, the SBA pursued the offerors for repayment. Given their limited income, lack of significant assets, and approaching retirement, we presented a strong case demonstrating their financial hardship.
Through strategic negotiations, we secured a favorable SBA settlement, reducing the nearly $1 million debt to a fraction of the amount owed. This outcome allowed the offerors to resolve their liability without prolonged financial strain.
Clients personally guaranteed SBA 7(a) loan balance of over $300,000. Clients also pledged their homes as additional collateral. SBA OIC accepted $87,000 with the full lien release against the home.
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