As a consultant who works exclusively with SBA borrowers who are facing default, I wanted to take a moment to explain what the SBA offer in compromise is all about. Every once in a while, I get a call from a borrower who contacts me to find out what I do, and how I do it. In most cases, it's a fairly straight forward answer, except in cases when borrowers can actually afford to repay the debt. So let's be clear: the offer in compromise ( also known as the "SBA OIC") is meant to be an alternative to bankruptcy, and is designed for those who lack the resources to repay their debt in full. In other words, the SBA is not interested in settling for the sake of settling. If you have the means to repay them, either in a lump sum cash payment or via payments over time, the expectation is that you'll do just that. I always tell clients to think about how they would handle it if someone owed them money. If your friend owed you $100, and they had $100 in their pocket, would you be open to taking less than your owed simply because they didn't want to fork over the cash? Probably not....and this is exactly how the SBA feels about it.