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What Happens If a PPP Loan is Not Forgiven?

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.

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What Happens If a PPP Loan is Not Forgiven?

If the Small Business Administration (SBA) denied your Payment Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness application you have the right to file an appeal with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA).  Read on to learn more about your appeal rights for your PPP loan forgiveness.

PPP Forgiveness Appeal

The SBA Denied Your PPP Loan Forgiveness Application

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.

What Can Be Reviewed?

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:

  • Was ineligible for the PPP loan amount received or used the PPP loan proceeds for unauthorized uses
  • Is ineligible for PPP loan forgiveness in the amount determined by the lender in its full or partial approval decision issued to SBA
  • Is ineligible for PPP loan forgiveness in any amount when the lender has issued a full denial decision to SBA

If the SBA based its denial on one of these factors you can appeal the decision.

Who Reviews the PPP Loan Forgiveness 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.

When Do You Have to File Your Appeal?

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.

What Do You Have to Prove?

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.

How Do You Prove Error of Fact or Law?

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.

Contact Protect Law Group Today For a consultation About PPP Loan Forgiveness

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.

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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

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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.

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Our firm successfully resolved an SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) default in the amount of $150,000 on behalf of Illinois-based client. After the business permanently closed due to the economic impacts of the pandemic, the owners faced potential personal liability if the business collateral was not liquidated properly under the SBA Security Agreement.

We guided the client through the SBA’s Business Closure Review process, prepared a comprehensive financial submission, and negotiated directly with the SBA to release the collateral securing the loan. The borrower satisfied their collateral obligations with a payment of  $2,075, resolving the SBA’s security interest.

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Our firm successfully resolved an SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in the original amount of $150,000 for a Florida-based borrower. The loan, issued on June 4, 2020, was secured by business assets and potential personal liability through the SBA's Security Agreement.

Following the permanent closure of the business, we guided the client through the SBA’s Business Closure Review process and prepared a comprehensive collateral analysis. We negotiated directly with the SBA, obtaining a full release of the business collateral for $2,910 — satisfying the borrower’s obligations under the Security Agreement and eliminating any further enforcement risk against the pledged assets.

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$391,000 SBA COVID EIDL - CROSS-SERVICING DISPUTE | NEGOTIATED REINSTATEMENT & WORKOUT

Client's small business obtained an SBA COVID EIDL for $301,000 pledging collateral by executing the Note, Unconditional Guarantee and Security Agreement.  The business defaulted on the loan and the SBA CESC called the Note and Guarantee, accelerated the principal balance due, accrued interest and retracted the 30-year term schedule.  

The loan was transferred to the Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service which resulted in the statutory addition of $90,000+ in administrative fees, costs, penalties and interest with the total debt now at $391.000+. Treasury also initiated a Treasury Offset Program (TOP) levy against the client's federal contractor payments for the full amount each month - intercepting all of its revenue and pushing the business to the brink of bankruptcy.

The Firm was hired to investigate and find an alternate solution to the bankruptcy option.  After submitting formal production requests for all government records, it was discovered that the SBA failed to send the required Official 60-Day Pre-Referral Notice to the borrower and guarantor prior to referring the debt to Treasury. This procedural due process violation served as the basis to submit a Cross-Servicing Dispute to recall the debt from Treasury back to the SBA and to negotiate a reinstatement of the original 30-year maturity date, a modified workout, cessation of the TOP levy against the federal contractor payments and removal of the $90,000+ Treasury-based collection fees, interest and penalties.

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