Date Received: 2023-11-05
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: My MOHELA account was unexpectedly placed into forbearance in XX/XX/XXXX. I did not request this forbearance, as I am completing payments for Public Service Loan Forgiveness and XX/XX/XXXX would've been my 120th payment. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a message stating my first payment was due XX/XX/XXXX. However, when I logged into my MOHELA account on XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed my account status had changed to forbearance although I never requested this. I contacted MOHELA three times ( twice over the phone on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and once in writing on XX/XX/XXXX ) requesting to change my status to repayment. I was told they would change it, but they never did. Now on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a message with a statement attached stating my loans are in forbearance until XX/XX/XXXX! This is the opposite of what I requested! On top of the complete incompetence and mismanagement of my account, it takes 2.5 to 3 hours of holding to speak to anyone. Waiting to talk to someone doesn't do any good though, as they have failed to meet any requests regarding my account.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CO
Zip: 80104
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-05
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score
Subissue: Other problem getting your report or credit score
Consumer Complaint: I qualified for the XXXX discharge of my federal student loan which means I am not obligated to pay my student because I am a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX yet my credit score report that I still owe that student loan
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: PA
Zip: 19121
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-05
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account information incorrect
Consumer Complaint: I submitted on-line dispute twice to all three credit bureaus ; XXXX, XXXX and XXXX to have them to update my student loans in the amount of {$97000.00} as paid in full and that the account has been closed. Pay off date which is listed in the letter is XX/XX/XXXX. Mohela which is a Department of Education Servicer sent two letters to me to notify me and stated that they have contacted and sent this information to all three credit agencies. When I received the update from XXXX and XXXX nothing has change on the credit file ; the amount of {$97000.00} is still outstanding, which effects my credit debt ratio and the account is still open. Mohela has been contacted again and stated they will try again and reassured me this information regarding pay off is still listed on their website However, I have retain personal copies of both letters. I tried a third time by submitting the same information in writing along with copies of the letters from Mohela only to receive the same results. For the third time I submitted the same information in writing to all three agencies, along with copies of the both letters from Mohela, only to receive the same updated information as of XX/XX/XXXX that the amount of {$97000.00} is still outstanding and the account is open and not closed. I gave both XXXX and XXXX a call and spoke with a representative. Both stated that they did not receive any information from me or Mohela and that this information will remain until paid in full and even after being paid in full the information will remain on my credit file for the next 10 years.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: GA
Zip: 30813
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-03
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I applied for the Save plan in XXXX of XXXX. I was never told that my Save plan was approved until I looked on studentaid.gov. I also know I was supposed to pay a XXXX dollar fee, but that message was never sent by Mohela and I still am unsure if I have paid that or not. I submitted a paystub on XX/XX/XXXX and my monthly payment ( due XX/XX/XXXX ) remains XXXX. However, I look at the new monthly payment amount in another corner of the Mohela site and it states I owe around XXXX a month. This has not been reflected in my balance owed statement that was sent to me today with a billing date of XXXX. WIth my payment due date coming up on the XXXX, I just want to know what my balance will be and have competent people be able to answer phone calls within minutes... not hours and have online messages answered within days, not weeks or months. Screenshots attached include : 1. ) Time stamps of my sent messages not being answered in a timely manner 2. ) Statement from XXXX sent on XXXX stating I owe XXXX. 3. ) Screenshot of Mohela homepage listing next payment amount of XXXX XXXX. ) Screenshot of Mohela homepage account summary stating monthly payment amount to be XXXX under the SAVE plan
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IN
Zip: 47909
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-03
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: I previously submitted a complaint about MOHELA through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) regarding my monthly payments under my Income Contingent Repayment ( ICR ) Plan. MOHELA 's response indicates that they did not read my complaint thoroughly and based their answer on an incorrect assumption. I would like MOHELA to read this new complaint very carefully. I want my monthly payments to be prorated based on the total amount of federal student loan debt both my wife and I have. The Department of Education states : " So, any time we use a joint income to calculate your payment amount, we will also take into account any federal student loan debt your spouse has. We will then prorate your payment based on your share of your and your spouse 's combined federal student loan debt. And for the record, your spouse doesn't need to be repaying his or her federal student loans under the same repayment plan as you or even under an income-driven repayment plan. '' If you read further in the article and the XXXX attached, it shows how to calculate the monthly payments WITHOUT including my wife 's loans in the ICR Plan. Link to Dept of Education article : https : //www.ed.gov/content/something-borrowed-how-marriage-impacts-your-student-loans
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NJ
Zip: 086XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-03
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with your payment plan
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/2023 I applied for an IDR, was approved, & received confirmation. However, rather than placing me in the IDR they instead put me in standard repayment without my knowledge or consent. When the new SAVE IDR became available, I applied for it through the .gov website. MOHELA rejected my application for SAVE IDR from the .gov website immediately, CLAIMING that they didn't receive any of the supporting information. They already had this on file from XXXX & there's no way it wasn't a system error on their end importing information from the .gov site. Meanwhile, their hold times to phone into MOHELA to gain clarification are so hideously long that I literally am forced to TAKE AN ENTIRE DAY OFF WORK in order to communicate with my " loan servicer ''. I have logged nearly 4 hours on the phone with MOHELA in the month of XXXX alone trying to get through to them and trying to find a resolution to this issue. The calls frequently drop or disconnect, their agents are rarely able to assist, and often create more problems than they solve due to incompetence! When I finally got through, they made me re-apply for the SAVE IDR. It has been a full month since, & in the meantime, they have placed me into FOREBEARANCE status. I am in PSLF & am concerned this FORBEARANCE status will have a very negative effect on me. I once again had to take a day off work to call MOHELA. I am still in FORBEARANCE & my SAVE IDR still hasn't been approved. Upon sitting on hold for many hours, I was finally informed of the error with being put into standard repayment despite having approved me for PAYE IDR in XXXX, & that if they removed FORBEARANCE while waiting for SAVE IDR application to process, I would be billed an insane amount. After speaking to the resolutions team, who offered a myriad of unhelpful and ill-informed resolutions without even taking the time to read the notes on my account, they entered an IDR application again, WITHOUT MY CONSENT, which I have no idea how will confound and prolong my situation. I repeat - your resolutions team representative filed an IDR application WITHOUT MY CONSENT. MOHELA 's incompetence and poor customer service can only be considered volitional at this point. They are ethically obligated to correct this.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MI
Zip: 48178
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-04
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I emailed Mohela twice, once asking for information on my cancelled loans. They responded to that with an email saying the loans were cancelled and I'd get a letter with more details and a digital copy. That was months ago and I never got a letter or any digital data. I emailed Mohela again asking if any of my cancelled loans were eligible for refund of payments made, but I haven't received a response. There is no information in my Mohela account about my loans, payments, cancellations, nothing. I would like information on my cancelled loans and refund. Thank you.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: TX
Zip: 78744
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-04
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with your payment plan
Consumer Complaint: I called Mohela on XXXX to request options for a lower monthly payment. They informed me that there was nothing they could do for me, but gave me a phone number to call ( XXXX ) to apply for loan consolidation and lower my payment. I called the above number and spoke to XXXX XXXX XXXX. They told me that there was a way to consolidate my loans and have {$70000.00} of my debt " forgiven ''. They also said I was able to lower my monthly payment from {$1300.00} to just over {$300.00}. They had me sign some forms electronically while I was on the phone with them and also asked for my XXXX password so they could log in on my behalf. Afterwards, I found out this was a scam, and that Mohela gets a kickback for all the referrals they send to them ( it's all over the internet ). When having my solicitor read over the paperwork, XXXX XXXX XXXX slipped in that they charge {$3700.00} for this " consolidation '' service, which can be completed for free on the XXXX website. This fee was also never discussed during the phone call. In short, Mohela should never have referred me to XXXX. XXXX should be held responsible for not disclosing all of the terms of the contract, including the fee. Both of these companies are doing an incredible disservice to the millions of student loan borrowers who are desperate to pay back their loans in an affordable manner.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: PA
Zip: 17055
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-04
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I applied for the SAVE program. This was approved but the payment I was given seemed to be much higher than I expected when I did the math. It turns out MOHELA had used the wrong poverty tables, so I re-certified my income. An automated document returned closer to my anticipated payment amount, but it still had to be officially approved. In the meantime, I made the full payment at the higher rate. Today I logged in and saw that I have been placed in an alternate payment plan ( not SAVE ), with an even higher payment amount than before!!! Additionally, my account is accruing interest which it should NOT be on the SAVE program. I have attempted on multiple occasions to speak with someone from the company without success.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MA
Zip: 027XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-03
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I submitted an updated PSLF form to MOHELA on XX/XX/, to update my PSLF payment count. It appears the form has not been processed. I submitted an inquiry request to MOHELA in XXXX to find out why its taking so long. I have not received a response. As of today, XX/XX/, my payment count still has not changed.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CA
Zip: 958XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A