Date Received: 2019-01-20
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I am following up on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. In a conversation on XX/XX/XXXX with the Federal loan program ( Direct Loans ), I had inquired about the PSLF. I was advised to make the 120 qualified payments with an eligible employer and to enroll in either the standard payment plan or income-contingent repayment plan. When I submitted my form last year after making 120 payments, my application was denied stating that I was enrolled in an incorrect repayment plan. I made many decisions based on the PSLF, as I completed my graduate studies in XX/XX/XXXX, when the program was first being rolled out and regulations were still being set. I believed I was following rules and would periodically check federalstudentaid.ed.gov to ensure I was on the right path. Being told last Fall that I was not eligible because I was not enrolled in the correct repayment plan was devastating. Is there any recourse for me?
Company Response:
State: CO
Zip: 80220
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-20
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account information incorrect
Consumer Complaint: XXXX XXXX is reporting incorrect information. I have requested several times to provide information that I received the student loan, I was not given this loan nor am I responsible for the loans. This is erroneous reported and have ask the Department of Education to investigate the matter.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 95670
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-19
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Consumer Complaint: I HAVE 6 LATE PAYMENTS ON MY FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS. I WROTE TO THEM ( XXXX XXXX ) SAYING THAT THE LATE PAYMENTS IN QUESTION WERE DUE TO APPLYING FOR THE INCOME DRIVEN PAYMENT PLAN AND TO PLEASE REMOVE THE LATE PAYMENTS FROM MY CREDIT REPORT. THEY MISTOOK THIS AS ME ASKING TO BE DEFERRED AGAIN ( I HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAYING FOR OVER A YEAR WITHOUT MISSING A PAYMENT ), WHICH I DID NOT WANT. I JUST WANT THE LATE PAYMENTS REMOVED FROM MY CREDIT REPORT DURING THIS TIME I WAS APPLYING FOR INCOME DRIVEN PAYMENTS, I COULD NOT MAKE THE PAYMENT INSTALLMENTS THEY ASKED OF ME, WHICH IS WHY THE MARKED THE PAYMENTS AS LATE UNTIL MY PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED.
Company Response:
State: OR
Zip: 97229
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-18
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have been on an income-based repayment ( IBR ) plan since I began repaying my federal student loans in XX/XX/XXXX, as I work in public service and am on track for PSLF. Every year I have to recertify for an income-based plan by authorizing XXXX XXXX to view my tax information and determine my monthly payment amount based on yearly income. For this year, I recerified online on XX/XX/XXXX before the deadline of XX/XX/XXXX and received confirmation from the IRS that my information was accessed by XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a message from XXXX XXXX saying they were changing my loans to a standard repayment plan rather than an IBR plan, which would cost me significantly more than I can afford per month. When I called, I was told this is because they never received my IBR application, though the customer service representative looked into it and acknowledged they did in fact receive it and this was a mistake. Because of this mistake, XXXX never processed my IBR application and still to this date has not completed it and informed me of what my monthly payment amount will be. I have called XXXX customer service 5 times in an attempt to resolve this issue [ on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX ]. During each call I have been told to do completely different things in order to have my application processed ; I have followed the instructions of all 5 customer service representatives, and each time nothing happened and my application did not get processed as I was told it would be. The first and second times I called, I was instructed not to make any payments ( as they would not qualify for PSLF ) until my IBR application was done being processed. They assured me it would be resolved by the end of XXXX so I will not have to worry about delinquency or reports of non-payment to credit agencies. This instruction was reiterated to me in follow up calls when I asked if this was correct, as so much time has gone by that I have been getting past due notices from XXXX. When i called a third time on XX/XX/XXXX because my application still had not been processed, I was told I just had to pay a {$5.00} fee to have my IBR application processed ; the representative said I would receive a bill within a week and once I pay it the application would be processed within 1 month. I never received a bill so I called back on XX/XX/XXXX and was told I could pay it over the phone via debit card. I of course paid right away over the phone, and was told it would take 1-3 days to have the application processed and find out what my monthly payment amounts will be. When I last called on XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that a request to have my application processed was submitted on XX/XX/XXXX, and the customer service representative said he submitted a second request to have it processed. He said I would hear back within 3 days of that last call. However, it has been 2 weeks and still nothing has changed and my account has not been updated. All of my federal student loans are in forebearance status until XX/XX/XXXX ; each time I call they resubmit the application for forebearance so they have a few more weeks to process my IBR application. As a result of this ordeal, I have not made any PSLF-qualifying payments since XX/XX/XXXX, since I was directed not to make payments in XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. This means it will now take me 3 ( more if its not resolved by the end of this month ) months longer than it otherwise would have to make the 120 payments required to have my loans forgiven. It is completely unacceptable that XXXX XXXX can not complete such a routine process within a reasonable amount of time. I will likely have to call again this upcoming week, but I dont know if theres anything else I can do to get them to just process this application like they say they will do each time I call.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11725
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-19
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem lowering your monthly payments
Consumer Complaint: American Education Services ( AES ) has been servicing my student debt ever since XX/XX/2007, for a total debt of {$110000.00}. In that time period, I have paid over {$77000.00}, but only have seen my principal drop by {$8100.00}. During this time, I have had some difficulties making payments due to job loss and other mitigating factors that have forced me to enter forbearance in a few occasions. A few times, I paid late fees ( totaling {$610.00} ). As of today, my total balance is now {$110000.00}, a full {$8000.00} higher than 11 years ago, despite paying {$77000.00} toward my debt. At this rate, I do not understand how I can pay my student debt ever. It is not clear to me how this could happen and why I owe more than I owed 11 years ago.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 92653
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-18
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I was diagnosed with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX metastasized to my XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX, and have been undergoing treatment since that time. On Monday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I became aware of The Department of Education Appropriations Act, XXXX ( XXXX. XXXX, the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act ) which provides the following : Student borrowers with XXXX can now pause their payments Borrowers are now exempt from their federal student loan payments throughout their treatments for XXXX and then for six months afterward. Interest will not accrue during the postponement I am XXXX years old and have substantial student loan debt which accrues thousands in interest every year. This deferment program would help me tremendously, especially because I have a significant amount of out of pocket medical expenses I am incurring with each XXXX treatment, which includes XXXX, upcoming XXXX and XXXX etc. ; and because I have often not been able to work this past fall, secondary to the grueling side effects of XXXX. Although stage XXXX XXXX is incurable, I hope to work at least part-time as long as possible so that I continue to have medical insurance through the ACA ( rather than go on XXXX XXXX XXXX, which is my only other option ). However, my income is significantly reduced. On Monday and again today, I spent a considerable amount of time on the phone with multiple people from my student loan servicer, American Education Services ( AES ) which is owned by PHEAA, to ask for the paperwork to start the deferment process under this program. I was passed from person to person on the phone both days, and today I finally reached a manager who relayed that, although my student loans are Federal Student Loans, American Educational Services is NOT a Federal Student Loan Servicer, so they do not have to comply. My federal loan servicer has changed several times ( not by my choice ) and the loans were recently taken over by AES this past fall. I don't understand how my federal student loans can be taken over by a non-federal student loan servicer, or how AES can actually service federal student loans if they aren't a federal student loan servicer. The manager from AES went on to say that although my loans are, in fact, federal loans, because my loans are older than XXXX, apparently the year when the Federal Student Loan program changed, I am not eligible for the XXXX deferment program ; and furthermore, " because AES is not a federal student loan servicer they do not have to comply with the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act anyway. '' The AES/PHEAA manager could not explain why the date when my loans were taken out made a difference, or how the federal student loan program had changed in XXXX. When I got off the phone today I researched AES/PHEAA and discovered out that the company is less than scrupulous and that there have been numerous complaints made by loan holders. I have already reached out to Congresswoman XXXX XXXX XXXX 's office on Monday ( I am a constituent ) and have heard nothing in return. Right now I am in tears and am physically ill and do not know who else to contact. I was hoping you might be able to help.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 77004
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-18
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: I shifted to XXXX last year because I am eligible for and going for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. I have been on the same income-based repayment plan since 2013. This last year, my income went up drastically. I've done my research and learned that I can stay on my plan, I just might need to pay more. I'm fine with this and it makes sense given the fact that I am going for PSLF. I have now applied twice to renew my plan, and been denied twice. " A letter '' is coming to me, but I was denied the first time on XX/XX/XXXX and still don't know why. I re-applied yesterday and was denied again today. I have received no contact back from them when I ask why. They are now moving forward with putting me on the standard payment plan, adding interest back to my loan so my payments are increasing even more, and ignoring my requests for an IDR repayment plan. I was with two other loan companies that were amazing, and am so frustrated that I have this experience now.
Company Response:
State: OK
Zip: 741XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-18
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I now have been enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for 10 years. I should have been able to apply for forgiveness by now, but between FMLA for maternity leave, and one stretch where I did not work right after after the twins, I have to work for an additional year. At this rate, I will be on track to apply for loan forgiveness in about XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX. Here is the issue, and this is why I am writing you today. Beginning in XX/XX/XXXX, I began requesting a list of the total number of payments toward my 120 payments from XXXX, the current servicer of my loans. Between XX/XX/XXXX and now I would say I have contacted XXXX on more than 10 different occasions to follow up on this request. When I inquire about the request made in XX/XX/XXXX, I simply get the response your request is still being processed. I am VERY concerned that this will result a delay in my loans being forgiven. Now, another issue has come up. When I went to look at my history of payments on the XXXX XXXX website today, I only saw about 47 payments posted. All the payments I made in XX/XX/XXXX are missing. In late XX/XX/XXXX I was told that after they calculated by income based payment, my monthly payment was {$0.00}. I couldnt believe this and was very skeptical. I asked MANY times you are telling me that a {$0.00} payment still is counted towards the 120 monthly qualifying payments? Over and over again I was told yes. Today, after I saw all of these missing payments, I called XXXX and spoke to employee XXXX. I told her about my concerns about 1 ) My request from XX/XX/XXXX still not being processed and 2 ) my missing payments from XX/XX/XXXX. This employee told me your request from XX/XX/XXXX is still being processed and your {$0.00} payments will absolutely still count, but they are just not listed on the payments history, only actual payments are listed there. After this situation today, I XXXX Public Service Loan Forgiveness Complaints, and I was shocked to see probably 50 articles written stating that " It has been one year since student loan borrowers have been theoretically eligible to have their loans forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) program. And yet, out of the 28,000 borrowers who applied, only 96 have had their loans forgiven. That is less than 1 percent of applicants. This is absolutely shocking and terrifying to me. I am not the mother or the wife that I want to be because I am tethered to my job and working in non profits that work their employees to the bone. I am XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. I feel trapped, and now I am scared there is no end in sight.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 17050
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-18
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: My Teach Grant was converted to a loan. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX to make this situation right as I have been working in a low income public school for 2 years and they told me I didn't re-certify in time. I never received an email from them. They told me it's my job to check their email frequently for notifications. I'm still working in the same school teaching low income schools, so I am continuing to fulfill my end of the agreement. Secondly, my Public Service Loan Forgiveness keeps getting denied for things like : -the start and end date were on the same line -all pages need to be uploaded again even if you have already submitted a cover page in a previous upload
Company Response:
State: ME
Zip: 040XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-17
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Investigation took more than 30 days
Consumer Complaint: Beginning XX/XX/XXXX and into XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX began billing me without notifying me or sending me any bills. They did not call me, they did not email me, they did not send physical mail. I found out about the billing due to a 200+ drop in my credit score. I contacted XXXX through a conference call with XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I told the XXXX Representative what had happened he was unable to provide me with any other information other than " we contacted you through your inbox ''. Upon informing him that I have not received any emails from XXXX he repeated the same statement over and over until he mentioned they were notifying me through their own messaging account system on the XXXX website. I did not have an account active on the XXXX website at the time of the billing period, therefore I never received any notifications. If there was an account under my name active on XXXX 's server it was created without my authorization or my knowing. I rated XXXX on the XXXX website and they sent an unsolicited letter to my place of residence stating they were in the right and could not ethically reverse the negative reporting. I contacted XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX requesting an investigation, to which, they never replied. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act XXXX can submit a revision to the Credit Bureau removing the negative reports from my credit report. I also know, under the FCRA, I can file for an investigation in dispute of XXXX 's error directly with the Credit Bureau with or without legal representation. The error being in violation of the Fair Credit Billing Act, XXXX did not properly contact me regarding my billing and therefore all submitted overdue debts were submitted in error. According to the FCRA XXXX is also obligated to resolve this matter and report back to me within 30 days. All of which XXXX has failed to do. Upon filling this complaint I tried to gather my billing statements and other information on my current XXXX web account, but all of the billing I did not know about have been removed by XXXX, but the delinquent credit report they submitted has not been removed from my credit report. They are clearly aware of the issue -or- have attempted to hide the problem preventing any possible reporting to the CFPB.
Company Response:
State: AZ
Zip: 85029
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A