What can I do about my company's debt that can't be paid?

Full question:

I HAVE A COMERCIAL LOAN UNDER MY NAME FOR 30K; THE COMPANY LOAN WAS TAKING 11% OF THE CREDIT CARD MONTHLY BUSINESS SALES, AROUND $3,300.00, FROM MY BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNT,SINCE I CLOSE THE BUSINESS ON MARCH 2009 AND THE CHECKING ACCOUNT TOO, THE COMPANY LOAN COULD NOT GET THE MONTHLY PAYMENT FROM ME, I HAVE NOT ANSWERED ANY OF THE LETTERS, PHONE CALLS AND ADVICES THAT THEY SENT TO ME, MY ECONOMY SITUATION IS POOR BUT I'M NOT LEGAL DECLARE BANKRUPTCY, I DON'T HAVE ANY ASSETS, I'M RENTING A HOME, I WANT TO MAKE ARRAGMENTS IN ORDER TO PAY THAT LOAN, BUT I DON'T KNOW, HOW I CAN DO THAT,I NEED TO WRITE A LEGAL LETTER IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN MY ECONOMY SITUATION TO THEM AND MI INTETION TO PAY IN ORDER TO MAKE ARRAGMENTS, OR WHAT I NEED TO DO?COULD YOU PROVIDE THE RIGHT LETTER OR ADVICE? THANK YOU

Answer:

The answer may depend on what type of business entity took out the loan and whether or not personal guarantees were signed at the time of the loan.

In most cases, a lender who is lending money to a small business will require one or more of the principals behind the company to personally guaranty re-payment of the loan. If that is the case, then when the company fails to make a payment, the lender will look to the guarantors personally for payment.

In order to force payment, the lender would have to bring a lawsuit against the company and/or its principals (owners). If the company was an LLC, the suit would mention the registered agent or managing members. If the company was a corporation, the suit would mention the President or other officers as well as the registered agent. If the company was a sole proprietorship, the suit would definitely mention the owner.

If the lender was successful in obtaining a judgment in the amount of the oustanding balance of the loan, plus fees, that judgment could be enforced against the defendants.

The typical methods employed in enforcing money judgments include:

"Voluntary" Compliance - Very often a judgment debtor will pay the money owed to a judgment creditor and thus satisfy the money judgment. If the judgment debtor does not pay, the judgment creditor should contact him/her and ask for payment. Sometimes a simple telephone call or a short letter yields results, sometimes a lien or execution is required.

Judgment Lien - A lien is a charge, security or encumbrance on a piece of property. A judgment creditor can place a lien on both the real and personal property of the judgment debtor. When property subject to a lien is sold, either a portion of the proceeds are used to satisfy the outstanding lien or the property is sold subject to the lien.

Execution and Levy- Execution of a money judgment is obtained through a legal process of enforcing the judgment by seizure and subsequent sale of the property owned by a judgment debtor.

Wage Garnishment - a form of execution and levy, a legal process of enforcing a money judgment by directing the employer of a judgment debtor to pay a portion (typically up to 25% for a money judgment or up to 50% pursuant to a order of payment of support) of wages earned by the judgment debtor directly to the judgment creditor.

When a judgment debtor refuses to pay a money judgment, a judgment creditor typically will proceed with both judgment liens and execution to enforce the judgment.

In New Mexico, a judgment may be enforced for up to 14 years.

It may be beneficial to you to consult with a local attorney or credit counselor who can assist you in attempting to negotiate with this creditor.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

To calculate interest on a commercial loan, multiply the loan amount by the interest rate and the time period the loan is outstanding. For example, if you have a $30,000 loan at an 11% annual interest rate for one year, the interest would be $30,000 x 0.11 = $3,300. If the loan is for a shorter period, adjust the time accordingly. Interest can be calculated monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on the loan terms.