AES-PHEAA

2019-04-15

Kawaihae, HI

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: Submitted earlier complaint with CFPB, which closed despite improper resolution. See attached documents in reference to complaint. Sent fourth letter to XXXX XXXX department following up with complaint, they haven't responded for a month.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-15

MA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: I was on an Income Based Repayment plan until XX/XX/XXXX of last year. I file for it multiple times after it was up in XX/XX/XXXX as I was not making much money. I have called XXXX XXXX numerous times to put it back in Income Based Repayment. Nothing was done. I received no emails, no letters, and no phone calls for months and come to find out it was put into collections. I have been trying to talk to the department of education numerous times since then and they would not even give me the time of day. Now they are trying to capitalize the interest and threaten to garnish my wages. I would just like to it to be back on IBR until I can find a job to pay it down.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-15

Albany, NY

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: I am an XXXX with substantial XXXX XXXX debt. I have stayed in government positions or with non-profits because of the public student loan forgiveness. I have had, and continue to get improper information about how to make sure my loans qualify for loan forgiveness. I still do not have the proper accounting of qualifying payments. I have worked for XXXX XXXX, a qualifying non-profit from XX/XX/XXXX- XX/XX/XXXX. I now have worked for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XX/XX/XXXX- present. ( I am currently submitting my employment certification form from XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX so those may not be reflected yet. ) I can not access any of my old documents uploaded online, they do not give you copies of any emails you send to them and the only method to hold them accountable, the chat feature, has been deactivated. There is no meaningful way to track what they tell us, documents that are provided, and no method to contest when payments are qualifying. I have submitted documentation for annual re certifications, called to ensure they received it, was told it had been received and then later received notices that i never sent anything and had to put my account into forbearance. The misinformation and lack of accountability results in individuals staying in lower paying jobs for months or even years longer than they intended without the benefit of meaningful Public student loan forgiveness.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-15

Washington, DC

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-15

Alexandria, VA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: This complaint concerns Fedloan Servicing and the public service loan forgiveness program. Last year ( XX/XX/XXXX ), in XX/XX/XXXX timeframe, my student loans were transferred to Fedloan Servicing to manage my payments towards the public service loan forgiveness program. I have been consistently making on time payments since my loans have been in repayment status ( XX/XX/XXXX ), before and after they were transferred. In XXXX ( XXXX ), I called customer service to get a total count on the number of payments I had made towards the 120 qualifying payments and was told that I had only made 3. I informed the customer service representative that it should have been more than that because I had been in repayment status for much longer than that and had been making payments. After reviewing my account again, the representative informed me that I had been making payments larger than what I was supposed to be paying and as such, the payments were not being captured towards the qualifying payments. The representative agreed that I had made more payments than what was originally stated. The rep advised that she would record my concerns and a letter will be mailed to me notifying me of the total number of payments that quality since there was a backlog for this type of issue. Last week ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I received notification that the total number of qualifying payments I had made was 1, which is completely different from anything that was discussed in XX/XX/XXXX. In addition to the above issue, it appears that the balance of my student loans has increased tremendously from what the balance was prior to transferring to Fedloan.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-15

Big Canoe, GA

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Private student loan

Problem lowering your monthly payments
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Encino, CA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Problem with customer service
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Baton Rouge, LA

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Information belongs to someone else
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

N Woodmere, NY

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Account status incorrect
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Charleston, SC

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Amherst, MA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Problem with customer service
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Andersontown, PA

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Account status incorrect
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Kansas City, MO

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Natrona Hts, PA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Problem with customer service
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Lansing, MI

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: I have been in repayment under the public service loan forgiveness program since XXXX. I have made the 120 payments required for forgiveness. However, they are saying that numerous payments that I have made do not qualify for forgiveness. For example, you must update your income each year, and they force you into deferment while they are reviewing your payment plan. However I continued to pay during that forced deferment time. Another example is when I filed bankrupcy. They claim that all the payments I continued to make during that extreme hardship in my life did not count. Why? Also, there was a time when I made {$5.00} less than the payment for several months because there website did not display the payment due. They did not count those payments and I feel like that was a scam. Why wouldn't the payment due amount be displayed? They also have not provided me with records prior to XXXX, so I have not included payment records prior to the date of the attached materials.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-14

Minto, ND

Incorrect information on your report

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Account information incorrect
Complaint: I have received notifications from Credit reporting agencies of negative remarks, balances have increased twice since I just refinanced with XXXX in XX/XX/2019, Inhave been making on time payments and my balance has increased TWICE. My current balance is less then the amounts reporting.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Williamston, MI

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Seattle, WA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: My income driven payments were increased in fall XXXX. I tried to apply to a program with lower payments, but was instead given a higher income driven payment. Despite the application online which stated that I would be placed on the plan with the lowest monthly payment. In XX/XX/XXXX, there was still uncertainty about my amount due. As such, I paid the amount on the bill, And rounded up by four cents To make an even amount. In XX/XX/XXXX, I paid the amount that the automated system said was due. I was later told that I was past due four cents. I asked why and how to pay the four cents, but was never given info. A month or so later, I was finally told the payment was short, because the automated system was incorrect because I had rounded up the previous month. I was never Told not to round up payments. I also relied on the information they provided me in XX/XX/XXXX. Im now being told my payment wont count for Public Service forgiveness because of the four cents. I was told by an ombuds I cant ever round up for PSLF payments by an ombuds. I was also told this happens often and that their automated system is often incorrect. I was told the department of education must now make an exception to count my payment for that month, but they do not ever do so.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Sanders, KY

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: In XXXX I was XXXX in a public XXXX XXXX and taking care of my father, who had XXXX. My student loans had been in forbearance with XXXX XXXX XXXX, as I was completing graduate school. I was not intentionally ignoring my loans, but due to living in and out of hospitals with my father, my loans were neglected and I defaulted. At the time of default, I explained my situation to XXXX, and offered to provide hospital records and documentation. They rejected my requests for help and charged me an 18 % ( {$9100.00} ) collection fee plus interest and other fees, totaling more than {$12000.00}. XXXX advised me to apply for a graduated repayment plan to get my loan back in good standing. They warned that my credit was going to be negatively affected if I did not complete the loan rehabilitation program and that this could have detrimental effects on me financially. I felt I had no other options, and I agreed to the plan. I was then charged thousands of dollars in rehabilitation fees. Once my loan rehabilitation was complete I was able to apply for the XXXX loan forgiveness of {$17000.00} for XXXX five years in a XXXX XXXX district. I was granted forgiveness, but it was negated by all of the default and rehabilitation fines and fees. I continued paying on the graduated plan from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ( around {$12000.00} in payments ) and saw a decrease in principal of {$1400.00}. XXXX was aware I was a XXXX XXXX XXXX and should have advised me to apply for a Direct Loan under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program in XXXX. Since the loan forgiveness was applied to my previous five years of XXXX, these two programs would have been exclusive. My continued payments would have then counted towards PSLFP for the following years. ( This is my 16th year serving as a XXXX XXXX XXXX ). When I heard about the PSLFP in XXXX, my lender informed me that there was no action I needed to take because Federal Loans was not accepting applications until XXXX. In XXXX I spoke to a Federal Loans representative who informed me that my loans had to be Direct Loans and I should have consolidated with Federal Loans in order for any payments to qualify in the PSLFP. Had I not been misguided by my lender in XXXX, my loans would be forgiven next year. This year, my student loan payments increased nearly {$100.00} per month. Although I did not receive a raise, my AGI showed an increase of almost {$4000.00} because I stopped contributing to my retirement account. Due to the pension crisis in KY, I had begun contributing to a separate retirement account. I had to stop because I could not afford to contribute, due to my student loan payments. This increased my AGI and caused my student loan payments to increase. I spoke with several representatives from XXXX XXXX in regards to applying for a different type of repayment plan ( IDR ) and was provided with conflicting information. When my loan renewal application was complete in XX/XX/XXXX, I was told to make a {$5.00} payment during the transition. Then I started receiving notices from XXXX XXXX stating that my loan was past due and I was in danger of defaulting. Again, each time I called I was provided with conflicting information, and representatives could not tell me what was going on with my loan. I decided to apply for forbearance until I had definite answers. In XX/XX/XXXX, I finally received a notice saying my payments were lowered to {$230.00} per month, yet Federal Loans began withdrawing {$250.00}, and I was told the payments were not counting toward the PSFLP. I applied for another forbearance while I tried to figure out what was going on with my loan. I continued to receive messages saying my loan was past due and in danger of default. If I log into my account now, it shows my loan is in good standing, but I have {$1500.00} in outstanding interest. Was I supposed to continue to make payments that were not counting toward the PSLFP? Which representatives advice was I supposed to follow? This continual misguidance has consumed my time and energy, has cost me thousands of dollars and has been a constant source of stress in my life for years. I understand that it is my responsibility to repay the money I have borrowed, but I do believe I have been misguided and taken advantage of by my student loan lenders. If programs like the PSFLP are truly in place to help lessen the financial burden for public workers, then public workers should be provided with clear, helpful guidance by student loan lenders.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Caldwell, NC

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Account information incorrect
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Alexandria, VA

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Complaint: Pennsylvania higher education assistance/FedLoan Serving have received payment for all students loans account under page 4 section B of the promissory note regarding payment to FedLoan Serving from XXXX. XXXX has deleted the accounts after payment was made regarding the promissory note under the FCRA regulations. To report all accounts as paid in full according to the promissory note with the department of education.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Ernul, NC

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: I consolidated my federal student loans in XX/XX/XXXX and have been working in public service ever since. There has been several times when the loan services has placed my account in a deferment status, without my knowledge or consent. I requested that the deferment be removed from my account in XX/XX/XXXX and was informed by my loan services that it was and that I was in a payment status. The only reason I had requested to have my loans placed in a deferment status ( for XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX ), was because I was in XXXX Basic ( XXXX XXXX ) and could not call to facilitate my loan payment setup within that initial 8 week period. I was told that the account deferment was stopped, only later to find out that the services had failed to stop the deferment. I have been working in public service for nearly 11 years and request to receive credit for ALL time/payments that were made in XX/XX/XXXX. Thank you for your assistance in addressing this matter ; please contact me if additional information and/or clarification is needed
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-04-13

Houston, TX

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Private student loan

Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-12

Castle, PA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Problem with customer service
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-04-12

New Orleans, LA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response