Small business lending

By an overwhelming majority, the House approved a two-month extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, which still has almost $93 billion left to distribute.

Government relief programs and lenders’ forbearance have kept U.S. small businesses from defaulting on their debt en masse as revenue slumped during the pandemic crisis, according to a new analysis.

Legislators expressed concerns that thousands of pending applications are stuck in limbo just weeks before the Small Business Administration is legally required to stop accepting them.

Lenders are preparing scores of Paycheck Protection Program applications to secure approval from the Small Business Administration by March 31, but unresolved error codes continue to hinder their efforts.

“We were already shifting to recruiting more problem solvers than people handling transactions,” said Robert Fisher, CEO of Tioga State Bank in New York and incoming chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America. “That pace of change has accelerated.”

Nonbanks had worried the end of the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility would hurt their ability to lend to small businesses. On Monday, the Federal Reserve announced the facility would be extended for three months.

A big funding source for the Paycheck Protection Program is set to expire on March 31. Its demise would pinch nonbanks that are originating and buying loans, especially if Congress continues the PPP beyond this month.

The Small Business Administration is still writing rules for the Paycheck Protection Program two months after its relaunch. Lenders fear they may not have enough time to review those rules before the program’s March 31 expiration date.

The payment processing company will offer loans and deposit accounts to its small-business customers through a Utah-based industrial bank.

Turnaround times on loans in the 504 program are stretching out for weeks as the Small Business Administration grapples with a spike in applications and responsibilities tied to the Paycheck Protection Program.