Yes. Your EIDL loan is not forgivable and borrowers are expected to pay back the loans according to the SBA’s repayment terms. Truth be told, this can be quite perplexing, especially with all the numerous COVID-19 relief programs out there. If your business obtained any sort of EIDL loan, you will need to comply with the repayment terms.
Have it in mind that the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) comes in two components: a traditional loan particularly to aid businesses cater to operating expenses amid a declared disaster, and a COVID-19 EIDL that was established by Congress to help businesses that have been negatively affected by the pandemic.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, small business owners, including agricultural businesses and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states were able to apply for the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The sole aim of EIDL is to accord financial assistance to small businesses to ensure they can meet their financial obligations.
Since its inception, the program has allocated more than $351 billion in relief aid to 3.9 million borrowers, and this includes the smallest of small businesses, historically underserved, and disadvantaged communities. Note that both regular and COVID-19 EIDL loans will have to be repaid, although the SBA has offered a deferred repayment schedule on some terms.
The SBA extended the deferment period for EIDL borrowers from 24 months to 30 months. This entails that your EIDL payments start 30 months after the date of your loan origination date, e.g., if your EIDL loan originated in May 2020, your payments begin in November 2022. EIDL Borrowers are expected to make regular principal and interest payments beginning 30 months from the date of the note.
Steps to Payback EIDL SBA Loan
Just as it was noted above, your EIDL loan is not forgivable and you will be expected to pay it back. However, before you can start making payments, it is recommended you first check your current loan balance. To help you do this, here are steps to follow;
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Visit the CAFS Website
Your first step will be to visit the SBA’s Capital Access Financial System (CAFS) website and create your account (if you don’t have one). Your CAFS account contains all the information about your loan — including the payment dates, loan amount (principal and interest), and your monthly payment amount. To do this, just click on the “Not Enrolled” link.
Create a CAFS Account
After you must have clicked on “Not Enrolled,” you will be redirected to the application to create an account with the CAFS system. You will be expected to provide the following information:
- Name and date of birth
- User type (borrower)
- Address and phone number
- Social Security Number
- SBA loan number (not the application number)
If you don’t have or know your SBA loan number, then check your RAPID portal or your original loan documents. Have it in mind that SBA loan numbers are 10-digit numbers that most often start with the number 2. However, if you don’t have access to any of your original loan documents and can’t find your SBA loan number, consider reaching out to your SBA loan officer or call one of the Disaster Loan Servicing Centers.
Log In
Once you have created your account, simply login to start the payment process. Have it in mind that a PIN will be forwarded to your phone or email address for verification. Once you receive your PIN, enter it and click “Verify PIN,” the enter key will not submit the form.
Once you are in, click on the word “Borrower” in the blue bar that can be found on the top left side of the screen. Next, click on borrower search, then your highlighted loan number. At this point, you will be able to find your loan information, and this will include the total balance, payments, and more.
Make payments
There are three ways to make payments to your EIDL loan.
a. Pay online
This is without doubt the SBA’s preferred method. It is also the fastest, and simplest way to make your EIDL payments. However, you will need an account with pay.gov — the official website for all government-related loans.
Simply visit pay.gov and sign in if you already own an account, or create an account if you don’t. After you must have created and verified your account, navigate to the SBA 1201 Borrower Payment form, which can be found on the pay.gov homepage.
Click on “Pay it right here” inside the “Make an SBA 1201 Borrower Payment” section. Note that you cannot pay your EIDL loan with a credit card; you can only pay with your bank account (ACH payment), with a PayPal account, or with a debit card.
b. Pay by Mail
This is another easy way to make your EIDL payment to SBA. The SBA still recommends that you create an account with CAFS and with Pay.gov, at least to help in monitoring your payments and change your address if required.
To make payments by mail, send a check or money order payable to the “U.S. Small Business Administration.” However, you will need to make sure that your 10-digit SBA loan number is in the memo field. Mail your payment to:
U.S. Small Business Administration
P.O. Box 3918
Portland, OR 97208-3918
c. Pay Through Your Bank Account
If you choose to make payment to the SBA through your bank’s (or a third-party’s) bill pay service, you must comply with your bank or program’s specific procedures. Don’t forget to input the Small Business Administration as the payee and your 10-digit loan number as the “account number.”
If you are expected to enter a phone number for the SBA, remember to use the phone number provided on the front of your EIDL statement. If you require an address, use the following:
U.S. Small Business Administration
P.O. Box 3918
Portland, OR 97208-3918
Conclusion
An EIDL loan remains one of the most viable financing options for small businesses seeking funds to help through periods of hardship. However, before taking out any loan, have it in mind that the EIDL loan is not forgivable and borrowers are expected to pay back the loans according to the SBA’s repayment terms.
The SBA makes it very convenient to pay back your EIDL. If you decide to start making payments, consider the payment modes noted above and choose one that best suits you. Also, note that you will need your 10-digit SBA loan number irrespective of the payment method you decide on.