by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Dec 1, 2019 | SBA, SBA Loan Default, SBA Offer in Compromise, SBA Personal Guaranty, SBA Unconditional Guarantee, SBA Unconditonal Limited Guarantee
If you are an investor in a company funded by a Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loan, then you may wondering whether you are liable for the company debt should the business fail. The Borrower is principally responsible for repayment of the underlying promissory note associated with the SBA loan, but what about shareholders and members (in the case of a limited liability company) — are they liable too? It depends.
Am I automatically responsible for the business debt if I am a shareholder?
No, shareholders who simply invested in the company are not automatically liable for the business debt of the company. This is true whether your business entity is a corporation or a limited liability company (“LLC”). A shareholder or member will not be liable, unless they sign an Unconditional Guarantee agreement for the SBA loan (SBA Form 148 in most cases). It is the guarantee agreement itself and not the fact they are a shareholder or member of the Borrower that creates the personal liability for the repayment of the SBA loan in the event of a default.
What is the magic percentage that triggers the SBA’s requirement for a personal guarantee on an SBA loan?
The SBA requires a personal guarantee from all owners with at least 20% ownership in the Borrower. This means of you are a stockholder or member in an LLC and own 20% or more of the company you will be asked to sign a personal guarantee.
What If my spouse owns 5% and I own less than 20%, will either of us still have to sign a guaranty agreement?
If a shareholder or member’s spouse owns 5% or more of the Borrower and the combined ownership interest of both spouses is 20% or more, then the spouse must also provide a full personal guarantee. This is set forth in SBA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP 50 10 5(J)).
What if I am a shareholder and I own 5% or less of the Borrower?
SBA Lenders may still require a guarantee from a shareholder or member’s spouse if they think it is necessary to perfect their lien on collateral pledged by a shareholder or member. In such cases, it may be that the lender will ask the spouse to sign SBA Form 148L which limits the spouses liability to their interest in specific collateral pledged by their husband or wife; this is called an Unconditional Limited Guarantee.
by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Nov 22, 2019 | SBA, SBA Loan Default
Yes, its is very likely, but not certain. If this is a concern, you should discuss with your attorney. Under the current law, an agency must deny credit to a delinquent, debtor unless this requirement is waived by the head of the agency or the Chief Financial Officer. The delinquency can be resolved or fixed by the debtor entering into a repayment plan for collection of the amount of the delinquency or by paying the amount of the delinquency in full.
Are there standards for determining if I will get a waiver?
Yes and No. This is a developing area and Treasury is working on guidelines for the agencies to use in setting their own standards for waivers. These guidelines will include the expectation that an agency will balance whether the denial of credit would be contrary to the purpose of the program under which the credit is being made against the intent of the law to ensure that the federal government does not continue to provide funds to known or repeat delinquent debtors.
by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Jan 14, 2019 | SBA, SBA Lawsuit, SBA Loan Default, SBA Loan Modification, SBA Offer in Compromise, SBA Personal Guaranty
Owners with at least least a 20% stake in an SBA loan financed business will be required to execute a personal guarantee. This means that, as an owner, you are promising to pay the SBA lender and/or the government in the event the Borrower (your business) defaults and can no longer make the loan payments. If you believe your business is in trouble, SBA debt relief options may be available that could release you from your personal guarantee, including:
(i) a loan assumption under which a third-party takes over your business and your SBA loan (in such instances you may be able to negotiate a release of your personal guarantee, but this is not automatic);
(ii) a sale of your business assets to a bona fide third-party for value followed by an offer to settle the remaining balance due – known as an SBA Offer in Compromise; and
(iii) a SBA loan modification, if your business can be saved by change in your loan terms. The SBA lender may agree to an SBA loan modification adjusting the balance, loan payment, term or the interest rate of your loan.
If you fail to honor your personal guarantee, the SBA lender can file suit against you in a court of law to collect the debt. Even if the SBA lender chooses not to do so, the SBA can also choose to do so, or the SBA may simply refer your SBA debt to the U.S. Treasury for collection through the administrative offset process. Once in Treasury, you may be subject wage garnishment as well. Therefore, if your business is failing, it essential that you understand your SBA debt relief options.
Get ahead of the problem before your SBA lender begins the SBA loan default and SBA collections process without hearing from you.
by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Jan 6, 2019 | SBA, SBA Disaster Loan Forgiveness, SBA Loan Default
If you currently have an SBA Loan and you live in an area affected by a natural disaster, you may be entitled to relief. Hurricane, flood, wildfires, droughts, avalanches, landslides and earthquakes are just a few examples of the natural disasters that can cause the government to classify an area a natural disaster zone
The SBA disaster loan forgiveness program provides for loan forgiveness on a case-by-case basis. If you have a small business, you may qualify if your business was located in a declared natural disaster zone. If the SBA approves loan forgiveness, then you will not be legally obligated to repay the portion of your loan that was forgiven.
by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Jan 4, 2019 | SBA, SBA Offer in Compromise
There is really no way to know. Period. There are so many variables:
1. Who handles your file;
2. What SBA office is handling your file;
3. Your level of cooperation with the lender, both real and perceived;
4. Whether you have liquid assets vulnerable to traditional collection methods.
In general, the following factors will impact the likelihood of settling with the SBA:
1. The amount of the Deficiency Balance;
2. Whether a Bankruptcy would shield some or all of the Guarantor’s assets;
3. The Guarantor’s net worth, including exempt retirement assets.
4. What would a wage garnishment yield over 5 years?
5. Is the Guarantor really likely to file bankruptcy or is it a bluff;
6. The Guarantor’s health or special circumstances (e.g., hardship);
7. The costs of collection, and in particular, the likely ROI on collection activities.
In short, the SBA, like the IRS, already sees the exposed assets you have pledged as the baseline of any offer. What they want is more. The SBA is looking for an Offer, usually a lump-sum offer, that is better than any alternative that can be obtained through enforced collection activities that consume time and money and may carry an uncertain outcome.
The hard truth is that thousands of businesses fail every year and not everyone will settle with the SBA. But, the SBA Offer in Compromise represents a powerful alternative to bankruptcy in many cases.
by Benjamin Stolz, Esq. | Oct 3, 2018 | SBA, SBA Lawsuit
If you default on an SBA loan, your lender will frequently file a lawsuit against the borrower and all guarantors. The lender does this as part of a mandated process to maximize recovery before requesting the SBA to honor their loan guarantee agreement. However, we find that even at this stage, a lender will usually consider a reasonable offer in compromise from a guarantor. If the offer is accepted, the suit can be dismissed prior to the entry of judgement.
In many cases, lawsuits are never filed by the lender, but once the SBA pays the loan guarantee to the lender, the lender will assign certain rights to the SBA to collect on the Note and Guarantees. In such situations, the SBA itself may decide to take legal action against guarantors who have significant non-exempt property (e.g., stock portfolios, rental properties) and/or substantial incomes.
If the SBA refers a matter for a civil action, then the U.S. Attorney’s office, Civil Division, will likely prepare and file suit against you in federal court. This can be a shocking event, but it does not mean settlement is off the table. If you have been sued by the U.S. Attorney in federal court, you should consult with your attorney immediately. If you do not respond correctly or in a timely fashion, certain rights may be lost and you may have a judgment entered against you. The suit is a wake up call that the government considers the debt collectible and that previous attempts were perceived as either insincere or woefully inadequate given your income and assets.
How long does the SBA have to file suit?
The SBA has 6-years to file suit against a guarantor in the absence of other events or agreements that might toll (suspend) this period of time. The limitations period will be measured not from the time of your default with the lender, but from the time the SBA took possession of the Note. In short, the government will get its full 6-years even if the transfer of the Note occurred near the end of the lenders statute of limitations (governed by state law). Once SBA owns the Note, federal law will be applied to determine the limitations period and will control in any lawsuit.
