Date Received: 2023-09-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I was on IBR plan ( income driven plan towards PSLF ). My monthly payments were {$290.00} renewal date XX/XX/XXXX. I decided to apply for the SAVE plan since my household size has changed ( have a child now ) and its supposed to lower my monthly payments. According to the department of education, ANYONE can apply for the SAVE plan. I called MOHELA XX/XX/XXXX and provided my income verbally for the SAVE plan. I was quoted estimate of {$140.00} per month and told it should be processed in the next seven days. Next week I filled up on it and was told that information was not submitted, so I provided my income again and applied XX/XX/XXXX. The application was marked as duplicate. I called once again and applied through the department of education via email XX/XX/XXXX. The application shows processing under the documents received but my monthly income has been changed to {$320.00} now and I have been placed on level plan, which is not income driven. In addition to that, my account has been placed on forbearance which does not count towards PSLF. I called MOHELA today to seek clarification XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with their supervisor XXXX who told me that I have been automatically placed on a level plan because MOHELA needs my income dating XXXX verification in order to process my SAVE application. Reportedly at some point I was on the REPAYEE plan in XXXX so they need my income all those years to be placed on REPAYEE plan again which is reportedly the new SAVE plan. I asked o speak with someone above but she did not allow this. She claimed that she is the highest level service that I can get with MOHELA and if I do not provide the income verification that I will stay on the levelplan and this is my new payment plan. The supervisor told me that I make too much money to be placed on the SAVE plan so this is why the department of education needs me to provide income verification since XXXX. Just to summarize : all these years my income was verified because I was on the IDR plan and the department of education had access to verify my income through IRS website, but for some reason they wanted me to provide that information AGAIN in order to process my SAVE application. This makes no sense! Nowhere does it say on the Department of Education Website that you have to provide your income over the past 5 years in order to apply for the SAVE plan. I no longer wanted to argue with the supervision so my income was verbally provided over the phone today from XXXX. MOHELA should not be FORCING student loan borrowers to do the things that they are not required to do. It appears that another application is pending now since my income verification has been submitted today XX/XX/XXXX. MOHELA also claimed how they notified me via email that they need my income verification from XXXX. Needles to say, I never received this request. I have applied for the SAVE plan 4 times now and MOHELA has not been able to put me on this plan yet. They keep asking me for the income dating XXXX. Not just my income but my spouses income, even though that I am married and we have been always filing separately which is the reason why I was switched from the REPAYEe plan to IBR plan. The payments are going to start in XX/XX/XXXX. MOHELA never processed my SAVE application even though it was submitted in XXXX, but instead they assigned me to a random plan ( not income driven ) and placed my account on forbearance.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: TX
Zip: 76179
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/XXXX - Received email from Dept of Ed stating that I was eligible to have my loan/loan forgiven XX/XX/XXXX - Called Mohela and requested to 'opt out ' of loan sequence XXXX XXXX and ONLY loan sequence XXXX XXXX. Requested documentation that I opted out of ONLY loan XXXX XXXX. Submitted consolidation application for this loan with my XXXX parent plus loans. Also submitted request for ICR payment plan for this new consolidation loan. XXXX? XXXX - Called Mohela to verify that I had only opted out of Loan XXXX XXXX.. was assured yes, only that loan. Also, again requested documentation stating that I opted out of Loan XXXX XXXX and ONLY loan XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX - Called Mohela - still no documentation. ( I had also called Dept of Ed and they told me I had 'opted out ' ) ... XXXX Mohela rep told me I had opted out so I wouldn't be getting any forgiveness. I said, but only for loan XXXX XXXX - correct? The rep put me on hold and waited to speak with a supervisor ( I requested to speak with a supervisor and was told I could NOT ). The supervisor then told the rep that yes, only loan XXXX XXXX. So then I ask why I was told I 'opted out ' she was ignore that, I was wrong. Ok - but still no forgiveness for my other loans. I then ask about the IDR account adjustment for my other loans. On hold again. Then I am told, you should get it, based on looking at your account. WHAT? I told you numerous times that I have already received the email. Why would I request to OPT out of one loan if I hadn't received the email. Again ask for a supervisor and am told NO. Then after she speaks with a supervisor again, I am told that Dept of Ed is still processing my IDR and I should see it in XXXX. Again WHAT? The email states that I should see forgiveness before my loan/loans go into repayment. The rep then says that they have submitted an 'escalation ' and that I should have the result of that in 3-5 business days. ( spent over 3 hours on the phone with Mohela ) XX/XX/XXXX - Called Mohela. Rep says how can I help you - I say where do I start. I give her brief synopsis and she puts me on hold. ( waited over 1.5 hours for rep ). After another 45 minutes, I get XXXX who says she is a 'customer advocate ' ( didn't even know they had these ). Anyway I explain all of what is going on - she sends me a document via secure message stating that I opted out of Loan XXXX XXXX, but it doesn't say 'ONLY ' loan XXXX XXXX. She looks into my account and tells me they did completely OPT ME OUT of all my loans. Now I am really, really XXXX ( was so, so, so afraid this would happen ). Ok, now what? She says no worries, I can 'fix ' it. Ok. She then tells me she submitted the 'correct ' request to put me back in ( again - didn't know this was possible ). She said it should be processed in 3 - 5 days but might take 30-60 to fully complete. XX/XX/XXXX - received email from Dept of Ed regarding payments that will be due starting in XXXX. Email is NOT like my husbands that says he has NO payment due. XX/XX/XXXX - submitted 'complaint ' to Mohela regarding all of this and also asked why my loans are now in repayment, as per the letter, only the loan I opted out of should be in repayment ... no response at all. Also still have the ICR request just sitting in their inbox that was submitted on XX/XX/XXXX. I need the new consolidation loan to be on the ICR so that I will get credit for my payments toward IDR account forgiveness. XX/XX/XXXX - Called the Dept of Ed Ombudsman group ... after hours on hold he couldn't tell me anything regarding my loans- couldn't say if they were 'opted in ' or 'opted out ' - couldn't tell me anything other than to wait and to submit a complaint on Dept of Ed 's site. ( been there done that - case has been open since XX/XX/XXXX - I received an email regarding the case on XX/XX/XXXX just containing cut and paste information regarding the IDR account adjustment from the website. And it says my case is closed. I responded to the email... the case on the studentaid.gov website just says pending with no new update. The Ombudsman rep told me that the case has been 'escalated '. Great - still no answers. I did submit a new case as he told me tell the Dept of Ed to put my loans into the 'administrative forbearance '. Still waiting for something on that case. I now have payments that will be due in XXXX. I wasn't planning on this as I have received the email on XX/XX/XXXX stating that my loan/loans should be forgiven. I need my new consolidation loan to be put into ICR and I need my other loans to be put into the correct status as why should I make more payments when I will already be due a refund? I have been in repayment/forbearance since XXXX! I have no idea what to do from here. I am sick of Dept of Ed saying to talk to your servicer and Mohela tell me to talk to Dept of Ed. The need to get on the same page and fix this! Please help. Mohela screwed this all up for me and now I am having to suffer the consequences all because someone doesn't know how to do their job! Absolutely unacceptable!!!
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MI
Zip: 488XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge
Consumer Complaint: I fully completed and filed my PSLF/TEPSLF forgiveness forms on time, and after more than a year of exceptionally frustrating correspondence, escalation, and resubmitting the same documents over and over with Federal Student Aid , they finally confirmed that my employers were fully eligible. It was never clear whether the refusal to recognize my employer was by the Department of Education or by my then-servicer XXXX XXXX XXXX Since then, my loan servicing was transferred from XXXX to MOHELA. As my information was populated in my MOHELA account, I checked the account in XXXX to see my forgiveness information. My current progress/payment page shows 71 qualifying payments for both federal stuent loans, with " 49 of 120 to go. '' However, in looking at the details, a number of payments and/or periods of hardship forbearance are not being counted. There are 59 months total missing that should would count under the TEPSLF rules, which would qualify me for forgiveness. The progress bars show 28 " ineligible '' payments as follows : 17 months in hardship forbearance from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. 11 months showing " no bill due '' from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. The forbearance periods should be counted under TEPSLF, and I'm certain that I was making payments during the additional 11 months. Also, 31 months completely missing from the record from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. I asked MOHELA to review my files along with FSA and my previous servicers, to ensure that my records are complete and I can receive the loan forgiveness promised by the department of education. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a canned response from MOHELA as follows : -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- MOHELA 's Response : Thank you for contacting MOHELA, We apologize for any confusion and inconvenience that may have been caused. MOHELA is still in the process of updating payment counts under the limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) waiver. MOHELA is actively working with ED to implement the waiver. Your payment counts and payment tracker will not show all accurate information until all updates are complete. Continue to monitor your account on the Mohela.com portal for any adjustments. We appreciate your patience during this time. To receive benefits of the limited PSLF waiver, the employer 's signature and date on your PSLF form has to be on or before XX/XX/XXXX. Your payment counts may not reflect the actual count until all of the updates are complete. Federal Student Aid ( FSA ) is working with MOHELA to make updates to borrower accounts. Continue to monitor your account on the Mohela.com portal for any adjustments. For more information on your loan history, you can log into studentaid.gov and navigate to your Loan Status History by selecting My Aid on the right-hand side of the page. If you have any additional questions, please contact us toll free at XXXX Monday XXXX XXXX. to XXXX XXXX., Tuesday and Wednesday XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX, Thursday and Friday XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX, CT. Thank you, MOHELA -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Now that interest has resumed on these loans and payments will begin in less than a month, I am being directly financially impacted by the total failures of the Department as well as the various student loan servicers I've dealt with over the years. All I ask is that my records be updated so that I can receive the public service loan forgiveness that we were all promised.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MO
Zip: 65203
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: My XXXX account says I owe {$35000.00} in principal for my student loans. Mohela 's website agreed with that amount on XX/XX/2023 when I paid that amount in full to them. Now they are saying that I owe them $ XXXX more than that in principal plus some interest that was added on to my account during the payment/interest pause. I want my account on Mohela to line up correctly with what is on XXXX and reflect that I paid the full amount of principal that I owed and then I want the interest that was added to my account removed because I do not owe that.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: VA
Zip: 24501
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge
Consumer Complaint: this school mislead me they told me i paying back a student loan that i cant even transfer my credit yet instill i cant retrieve them from the school they gave me false information and told me they will help me get my GED however they didnt not help me im still without my GED they promised me to help before graduating from XXXX XXXX i recieved my certificate in XXXX XXXX but i signed loans i wasnt fully aware of trying to make something of myself being a single mom i need help this loan should be cancelled im not responsible for the administration that mislead me on all the necessary information i needed to move foward
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IN
Zip: 46312
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Old information reappears or never goes away
Consumer Complaint: My loans were forgiven XX/XX/2022 but they still show I owe them with all credit bureaus
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: GA
Zip: 30281
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I am eligible for PSLF as a XXXX Direct Loans/ACS consolidated my loans when I graduated in XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX . I began repaying my loans after the grace period in a standard repayment in XXXX of XXXX. I continued paying every single month until I began my XXXX XXXX in XXXX of XXXX. However, the data in my Federal Student Aid file shows that I graduated and consolidated in XXXX of XXXX and then has me listed as In School from XXXX of XXXX through XXXX of XXXX, the entire time XXXX held my loans. I have documentation showing that I was paying on a standard repayment plan during that time but I do not have proof of every single payment, as my bank doesn't issue information that old. As a result, I am currently missing XXXX payments that count toward my PSLF ( beginning XXXX of XXXX- XX/XX/XXXX ). These payments are vital to my ability to discharge my loan through the PSLF program. I can not ask for information from the company as they no longer exist.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IL
Zip: 60139
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge
Consumer Complaint: Federal Student Aid has taken over a year to approve the Police Dept I worked at during my XXXX, XXXX, XXXX payments in public service loan forgiveness loan period ( XXXX 2022 ). I should have been discharged from the program ( being serviced by MOHELA ) and $ XXXX student loans been removed from my credit XXXX 2022. I have submitted forms, applications, proof of employer eligibility, and made calls monthly beginning XXXX 2022 yo try to expedite the process and absolutely nothing has been done. Therefore, my credit has been tied up, score affected, & I've paid higher interest rates.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: SC
Zip: 29072
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have 5 student loans ; all have been in forbearance. Dates issued : XX/XX/XXXX : {$10000.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$10000.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$10000.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$10000.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$2000.00} My loans have been transferred numerous times, starting with XXXX, XXXX, and now Mohela. Mohela has been very difficult to work with : On XX/XX/XXXX, during my 2nd call to review repayment options, the agent called me " WHITE TRASH '' and proceeded to tell me " I had to pay off my student loans, you are not getting a free ride on my watch ''. I had to call in a second time, because during my first call, I realized the payment plan was recalculated with a payoff date of XX/XX/XXXX- yet all the loans have been in forbearance. My loan terms are 25 years, per the Federal Student Aid website, and payoff amounts should be calculated over 10 years. They are insisting my loans are now 7 years. On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted an application to the StudentAid.gov, because Mohela has refused to move my loan into the best program as advertised by the government. In speaking with an agent on XX/XX/XXXX, I was told Mohela was overwhelmed with applications, there computer system had been continually crashing, and the agent would " ... help me with my application, as soon as they helped the hundreds of other borrowers ahead of me ''.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CT
Zip: 06776
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-09-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I recently applied for the new SAVE income driven repayment plan. I completed the application on XX/XX/XXXX. The issue isXXXX XXXX XXXX Mohela used my tax information to recertify my income prior to the recertification due date in XXXX ( I can no longer find this date, but it was definitely in XXXX ). As per information provided by the Office of the Attorney General " If you are enrolled in an income-based repayment ( IDR ) plan, your servicer will reach out by email or mail to let you know when you will need to recertify. The earliest you will be required to recertify is six months after payments resume. '' As part of the application I checked the box allowing access to my tax information ( in retrospect I should not have done this ). I withdrew consent to access my tax information the following day ( XX/XX/XXXX ). On XX/XX/XXXX I also used the Live Chat feature on studentaid.gov to speak to a representative about the issue. I explained that I wanted to cancel my IDR application from the day prior ( XX/XX/XXXX ). They said this could not be done and I had to contact my servicer. I then immedately logged in to Mohela and sent a message using their portal. I sent another message on XX/XX/XXXX. I also tried to call them several times but was unable to ever connect with a representative. See messages below. Subject : Application or Form Attachments ( click to open ) : Sent Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AM Body : Your Question : Hello, I submitted an application for SAVE on studentaid.gov XX/XX/XXXX. With this application my income information was updated ( pulled from tax information ). My understanding is that recertification of income is not REQUIRED until atleast 6 months after payments restart following COVID pause. Due to my financial situation, I would like to revert to my prior reported income ( pre COVID ) and not recertify my income until required. I appreciate your assistance with this. Thank you! XXXX XXXX Subject : Application or Form Attachments ( click to open ) : Sent Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AM Body : Your Question : I want to withdraw my IDR application that is processing and instead remain with my current repayment plan. Please do not process this application. Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I am requesting that XXXX XXXX Mohela revert back to my previous income driven repayment plan with payments based on the income information they had available to them prior to XX/XX/XXXX and that income recertification should not be done until the due date. As above, " the earliest you will be required to recertify is six months after payments resume '' ; it seems that because access to my tax information was briefly granted, my income was recertified ( without my knowledge ) and my payments changed because of this. My payment change was not updated on MOHELA until XX/XX/XXXX ; almost 2 weeks after I attempted to cancel my SAVE application and associated recertification. It does not seem that this action is in accordance with the goal of the COVID student loan programs. I was prepared to pay my loan payment based on the information XXXX XXXX had prior to XX/XX/XXXX, though due to the recertification that occurred prematurely my loan payments have increased. I am aware that with recertification my payments will increase, though was under the impression that recertification would not occur for at least 6 months following resumption of loan payments, which allowed for a somewhat less drastic return to payments following the COVID pause.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NY
Zip: 131XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A