[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR762.145]

[Page 433-436]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                            CHAPTER VII--FARM
                SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 762--GUARANTEED FARM LOANS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 762.145  Restructuring guaranteed loans.

    (a) General. (1) To restructure guaranteed loans standard eligible 
lenders must:
    (i) Obtain prior written approval of the Agency for all 
restructuring actions; and,
    (ii) Provide the items in paragraph (b) and (e) of this section to 
the Agency for approval.
    (2) If the standard eligible lender's proposal for servicing is not 
agreed to by the Agency, the Agency approval official will notify the 
lender in writing within 14 days of the lender's request.
    (3) To restructure guaranteed loans CLP lenders must:

[[Page 434]]

    (i) Obtain prior written approval of the Agency only for debt write 
down under this section.
    (ii) Submit all calculations required in paragraph (e) of this 
section for debt writedown.
    (iii) For restructuring other than write down, provide FSA with a 
certification that each requirement of this section has been met, a 
narrative outlining the circumstances surrounding the need for 
restructuring, and copies of any applicable calculations.
    (4) PLP lenders will restructure loans in accordance with their 
lender's agreement.
    (5) All lenders will submit copies of any restructured notes or 
lines of credit to the Agency.
    (b) Requirements. For any restructuring action, the following 
conditions apply:
    (1) The borrower meets the eligibility criteria of Sec. 762.120, 
except the provisions regarding prior debt forgiveness and delinquency 
on a federal debt do not apply.
    (2) The borrower's ability to make the amended payment is documented 
by the following:
    (i) A feasible plan (see Sec. 762.102(b)). If interest assistance is 
required to achieve a feasible plan, the items required by 
Sec. 762.150(d) must be submitted with a restructuring request. Feasible 
plan is defined in Sec. 762.102(b).
    (ii) Current financial statements from all liable parties.
    (iii) Verification of nonfarm income.
    (iv) Verification of all debts of $1,000 or more.
    (v) Applicable credit reports.
    (vi) Financial history (and production history for standard eligible 
lenders) for the past 3 years to support the cash flow projections.
    (3) A final loss claim may be reduced, adjusted, or rejected as a 
result of negligent servicing after the concurrence with a restructuring 
action under this section.
    (4) Balloon payments are prohibited; however, the loan can be 
restructured with unequal installments, provided that, in addition to a 
feasible plan for the upcoming operating cycle, a feasible plan can be 
reasonably projected after the installments increase. Feasible plan is 
defined in Sec. 762.102(b).
    (5) If a borrower is current on a loan, but will be unable to make a 
payment, a restructuring proposal may be submitted prior to the payment 
coming due.
    (6) The lender may capitalize the outstanding interest when 
restructuring the loan as follows:
    (i) As a result of the capitalization of interest, a rescheduled 
promissory note may increase the amount of principal which the borrower 
is required to pay. However, in no case will such principal amount 
exceed the statutory loan limits contained in Sec. 762.122.
    (ii) When accrued interest causes the loan amount to exceed the 
statutory loan limits, rescheduling may be approved without 
capitalization of the amount that exceeds the limit. Noncapitalized 
interest may be scheduled for repayment over the term of the rescheduled 
note.
    (iii) Only interest that has accrued at the rate indicated on the 
borrower's original promissory notes may be capitalized. Late payment 
fees or default interest penalties that have accrued due to the 
borrower's failure to make payments as agreed are not covered under the 
guarantee and may not be capitalized.
    (iv) The Agency will execute a modification of guarantee form to 
identify the new loan principal and the guaranteed portion if greater 
than the original loan amounts, and to waive the restriction on 
capitalization of interest, if applicable, to the existing guarantee 
documents. The modification form will be attached to the original 
guarantee as an addendum.
    (v) Approved capitalized interest will be treated as part of the 
principal and interest that accrues thereon, in the event that a loss 
should occur.
    (7) The lender's security position will not be adversely affected 
because of the restructuring. New security instruments may be taken if 
needed, but a loan does not have to be fully secured in order to be 
restructured.
    (8) Any holder agrees in writing to any changes in the original loan 
terms, including the approval of interest assistance. If the holder does 
not agree, the lender must repurchase the loan from the holder for any 
loan restructuring to occur.

[[Page 435]]

    (9) After a guaranteed loan is restructured, the lender must provide 
the Agency with a copy of the restructured promissory note.
    (c) Rescheduling. The following conditions apply when a guaranteed 
loan is rescheduled or reamortized:
    (1) Payments will be rescheduled within the following terms:
    (i) FO and existing SW may be amortized over the remaining term of 
the note or rescheduled with an uneven payment schedule. The maturity 
date cannot exceed 40 years from the date of the original note.
    (ii) OL notes must be rescheduled over a period not to exceed 15 
years from the date of the rescheduling. An OL line of credit may be 
rescheduled over a period not to exceed 7 years from the date of the 
rescheduling or 10 years from the date of the original note, whichever 
is less. Advances cannot be made against a line of credit loan that has 
had any portion of the loan rescheduled.
    (2) The interest rate for a rescheduled loan is the negotiated rate 
agreed upon by the lender and the borrower at the time of the action, 
subject to the loan limitations for each type of loan.
    (3) A new note is not necessary when rescheduling occurs. However, 
if a new note is not taken, the existing note or line of credit 
agreement must be modified by attaching an allonge or other legally 
effective amendment, evidencing the revised repayment schedule and any 
interest rate change. If a new note is taken, the new note must 
reference the old note and state that the indebtedness evidenced by the 
old note or line of credit agreement is not satisfied. The original note 
or line of credit agreement must be retained.
    (d) Deferrals. The following conditions apply to deferrals:
    (1) Payments may be deferred up to 5 years, but the loan may not be 
extended beyond the final due date of the note.
    (2) The principal portion of the payment may be deferred either in 
whole or in part.
    (3) Interest may be deferred only in part. Payment of a reasonable 
portion of accruing interest as indicated by the borrower's cash flow 
projections is required for multi-year deferrals.
    (4) There must be a reasonable prospect that the borrower will be 
able to resume full payments at the end of the deferral period.
    (e) Debt writedown. The following conditions apply to debt 
writedown:
    (1) A lender may only write down a delinquent guaranteed loan or 
line of credit in an amount sufficient to permit the borrower to develop 
a feasible plan as defined in Sec. 762.102(b).
    (2) The lender will request other creditors to negotiate their debts 
before a writedown is considered.
    (3) The borrower cannot develop a feasible plan after consideration 
is given to rescheduling and deferral under this section.
    (4) The present value of the loan to be written down, based on the 
interest rate of the rescheduled loan, will be equal to or exceed the 
net recovery value of the loan collateral.
    (5) The loan will be restructured with regular payments at terms no 
shorter than 5 years for a line of credit and OL note and no shorter 
than 20 years for FO, unless required to be shorter by 
Sec. 762.145(c)(1)(i) and (ii).
    (6) No further advances may be made on a line of credit that is 
written down.
    (7) Loans may not be written down with interest assistance. If a 
borrower's loan presently on interest assistance requires a writedown, 
the writedown will be considered without interest assistance.
    (8) The writedown is based on writing down the shorter-term loans 
first.
    (9) When a lender requests approval of a writedown for a borrower 
with multiple loans, the security for all of the loans will be cross-
collateralized and continue to serve as security for the loan that is 
written down. If a borrower has multiple loans and one loan is written 
off entirely through debt writedown, the security for that loan will not 
be released and will remain as security for the other written down debt. 
Additional security instruments will be taken if required to cross-
collateralize security and maintain lien priority.
    (10) The writedown will be evidenced by an allonge or amendment to 
the existing note or line of credit reflecting the writedown.

[[Page 436]]

    (11) The borrower executes an Agency shared appreciation agreement 
for loans which are written down and secured by real estate.
    (i) The lender will attach the original agreement to the 
restructured loan document.
    (ii) The lender will provide the Agency a copy of the executed 
agreement, and
    (iii) Security instruments must ensure future collection of any 
appreciation under the agreement.
    (12) The lender will prepare and submit the following to the Agency:
    (i) A current appraisal of all security in accordance with 
Sec. 762.127.
    (ii) A completed report of loss on the appropriate Agency form for 
the proposed writedown loss claim.
    (iii) Detailed writedown calculations as follows:
    (A) Calculate the present value.
    (B) Determine the net recovery value.
    (C) If the net recovery value exceeds the present value, writedown 
is unavailable; liquidation becomes the next servicing consideration. If 
the present value equals or exceeds the net recovery value, the debt may 
be written down to the present value.
    (iv) The lender will make any adjustment in the calculations as 
requested by the Agency.

[64 FR 7378, Feb. 12, 1999; 64 FR 38298, July 16, 1999, as amended at 66 
FR 7567, Jan. 24, 2001]