Date Received: 2023-05-18
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I am a XXXX XXXX who has met the requirements of Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Mohela is my loan service provider. I reached the required 120 payments in XXXX of XXXX. My application for forgiveness shows as " processed '' in XXXX of XXXX. I called and spoke to numerous Mohela representatives and was told multiple times that I qualified for forgiveness and that there was nothing else I needed to do. I specifically asked them at least twice if I was clear to leave XXXX XXXX at the end of this school year since I have satisfied all requirements for PSLF and was told yes. There has been no update on my account since XXXX. I have called again, numerous times to Mohela, to be told that they are waiting on Fed Loan Servicing to send the approval to them and that there is no one to contact to see where my application is on their timeline. I find this very unprofessional. There is no one that can tell me where my account is in the process of being updated and loans forgiven? Yet Mohela told me numerous times I was good to leave XXXX XXXX? I declined my employment contract this year based on FALSE information from Mohela. Now I am told that I must be employed by a qualifying employer at the time of forgiveness or else I have to start the whole process over. That is insane. My last day of employment is XX/XX/XXXX. I am praying and hoping that someone here can help expedite this process given that I followed all procedures correctly on my end, but was given FALSE information from Mohela. I appreciate any help you give in this matter.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: SC
Zip: 290XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-18
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't temporarily delay making payments
Consumer Complaint: I have made repeated attempts to access the assistance services that my lender advertises to me. They have the normal deferance, and they have a skip-a-payment program. I've called and talked to a couple of people over the last week, and they say they will send me the paperwork to fill out and submit, but they haven't sent anything, I call back, same thing happens. Meanwhile they have dinged my credit and add on fees.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: GA
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-18
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I submitted a Public Service Loan Forgiveness application under the temporary waiver in XX/XX/XXXX, a year and a half ago, after consolidating my loans as instructed. It indicated a little more than 10 years of service that had already happened with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, during which time I made monthly payments on my loans ( Ive actually worked XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I was told it might be easier to just submit a certification from them ). My servicer after the consolidation was XXXX XXXX XXXX, and the loan was transferred to MOHELA in XXXX XXXXXXXX. I have heard back and they are counting my qualifying payments going forward, but not giving me credit for the 10 years that I already put in, which they should under the waiver. When I contact them, I get different responses, but the main one is that they need to have the Dept. of Ed. ( XXXX ) update them with the correct crediting, but that never happens. I think my application has fallen through the cracks or an incorrect determination was made, and nobody is looking at it now. I can get no information about the current status of any review, which I don't think is happening, though some MOHELA agents have said so. I was originally sent, in the normal time frame, a letter saying that I didnt qualify, but I was told to ignore that because the Dept. of Ed. would then review and give me credit, which is what the MOHELA agents also tell me. I have contacted my servicer ( s ) about 10 or 15 times, and Ive submitted a complaint to the Dept. of Ed. twice ( still waiting to hear back from the second ). The response from my first complaint was that I should contact my servicer and they dont respond unless theres a case, which I took to mean I had to sue them (!? ). The general loan forbearance is about to end, and I may soon have to start making payments on a loan that should have been forgiven long ago. I have paid close to {$40000.00} over the years, and I would like to avoid having to continue to pay my student loans into retirement in a couple years.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: VA
Zip: 22152
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I'm enrolled in the PSLF loan forgiveness program. I've met the 120 payments which make my loans eligible for forgiveness and discharge ; however, when I call to check the status of the loan discharge date, the representatives do not have much information and, quite frankly, read from a prompter and don't address the original call. Also noted is that I've received multiple duplicate letters, one on XX/XX/23 and one on XX/XX/23, stating that I've met my 120 payments for two loans. The duplicate reviews without a set discharge date is concerning because it pushes my waiting period out each time a review is completed without the actual discharge being done. I'm finalizing a refinance on my home, and the lender is requesting the expedited discharge of the two qualified loans to get approved for the refinance loan. If this PLSF loan discharge does not happen in the next two weeks. We lose our home. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX Birthdate : XXXX
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: OH
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-06-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have my loans taken over by Mohela from XXXX. Suddenly my interest amount is way lower and the principal has gone through the roof. Many months ago I had asked them to send me all my payments, etc. They said they had to file for a request. This took several months and my calling more than once. Once the information was mailed it was very much incomplete. You can not get normal help on the phone with Mohela anymore. This can not be legal ; suddenly increasing my principle and decreasing interest. Please let me know what to do. I have no idea how to seek help. I hope I filled this form correctly... I wasn't sure which section to select.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: VA
Zip: 231XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Written notification about debt
Subissue: Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt
Consumer Complaint: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX is withholding my transcripts, both official and unofficial transcripts, due to unpaid balance caused by returned loans/grant money when i was fleeing the state
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: OK
Zip: 740XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: To Whom it may Concern. I have a complaint I would like to file against the Department of Education and MOHELA for the Public Service Forgiveness program. I have been working in XXXX XXXX for 17 years, since XX/XX/XXXX. I graduate college and consolidated my education loans in XXXX and began the 10 year pay off with the public service forbearance program at that time believing I would be paid off after satisfying my 10 years of payments. All along I would receive updates telling me when my debt would be paid off. The employers I worked for that qualified in the program included : - TXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX When I first changed employers to XXXX in XXXX of XXXX, I submitted a PSF and in XXXX of XXXX received an email stating the employer indeed was eligible for the purpose of the program. The updated chart sent stated my payoff would take place in XXXX. Then XXXX hit. I continued to submit my yearly PSFs for XXXX, XXXX and XXXX and like usual waited for updates but they never came. As you know, during COVID we recd notifications stating we were deferred until further notice and deferred months WOULD count toward the payoff months. Three years went by and I waited for updates as well as instructions on how to proceed. Nothing came and in the meantime MOHELA over the loans. Now for the complaint. In XXXX of XXXX, about 6 weeks ago, I recd the responses from my previously submitted PSFs. XXXX YEARS AFTER BEING SUBMITTED. The letter stated, my current employer is NOT an eligible employer. This came from MOHELA, 3 YEARS after the DOE emailed me ( see attached ) stating they were. In addition, MOHELA backed out the last XXXX XXXX or so YEARS of payments that were until now applied toward my 10 year payoff. This has DUMPED a {$250000.00} hardship that is unjust, unprecedented, indecent, and unprofessional and XXXX as a tax paying XXXX Citizen. This was supposed to be paid off in XXXX and by now. As an upstanding and responsible XXXX, I count on those that implement loan offerings and payoff programs to know better and those in place to monitor those entities to protect CONSUMERs. Below are the following reasons that this was unjust. - The DOE wrote and told me my employer is an eligible employer for the purpose of this program. I was told this in an email ( attached ) THREE YEARS ago which secured my decision to remain employed by them. The defining reason I chose to remain working at this employer was because of information I received in XXXX of XXXX in an email from the DOE. Had I been told differently I would have left ; and option I can not reverse or undo. If this decision is not reversed in my favor I will have lost 3 years of payments and the completion of the 10 year program. - Had I known they were not an eligible employer ( AS IN 3 YEARS SOONER ), I would have been left with options I was not afforded to have not knowing until now they were NOT an eligible employer. This stripped me of my Right to Know so I could have implemented a plan that worked for me not against me. - Had I BEEN TOLD BY THE ORIGINATOR OF THE PROGRAM they were NOT eligible, I may have elected to become employed by an employer known to pay higher than non-profits or even one that pays less but would have been eligible toward the 10 year pay off. Since this program led me to believe my employer was an approved employer, I was misled into believing I didnt have to look elsewhere to be in compliance with program guidelines. - An entity cant LEAD a consumer to believe one thing and then 3 years later change their mind leaving a mislead consumer then leave the CONSUMER in a {$250000.00} debt they believed was to be paid off shortly if remaining employed ( in this case ) with the current employer that supposedly was an eligible employer. - The Fair Credit Billing Act protects consumers from unfair billing practices and I have been unfairly treated here by entities that should know better. There are laws that require entities notify CONSUMERS they have a debt within a reasonable timeframe ( usually 30 days ) THE DOE, now MOHELA waited 3 YEARS after the XXXX and - XXXX PSFs were sent in timely and yearly before notifying me my employer was no longer eligible resulting in not only no longer counting but reversing 3 years of qualifying payments counting leaving me in a hardship and career quandary. - The last sneaky practice demonstrated by MOHELA AND THE DOE is that without notice, they took down the XXXX website that held a folder of all back and forth correspondence that transpired over the years that included that previous charts showing my loan was going to be paid off in XXXX. THEY DID THIS WITHOUT NOTICE, WARNING OR NOTIFATIONS SENT TO THE CONSUMER. - And one final note I would like documented is that during the 10 years of payments, deferments were initiated by the DOE that were supposed to count toward the 10 year pay off that were not. For instance, there were times, I would call to dispute an apparent error in the monthly calculations. On more than one occasion with more than one agent, I was told I would have to go on deferment while they were looking into the solution that turned out to be the DOEs error. While having to be deferred I asked if the deferred months would NOT count against me since most of the inquiries were not my error resulting in monthly payment changes. I was told I would not be penalized only to find later when the payoff charts were sent to me, I was in fact penalized the months the DOE needed to defer me. Please help me and respond that this is an unforeseen error on MOHELAs part and agree that MOHELA can not reverse the DOEs decision of XX/XX/XXXX discounting my current employer to be an eligible employer for the purpose of the PSF program. This error will leave me with a {$250000.00} debt after my proving that I satisfied my end of the agreement working 10 years in public serve oriented positions and submitting yearly proof all along. For many years, I dedicated my career to helping many XXXX ( that included our Veterans, Homeless, those impacted by Super Storm Sandy and COVID ) find affordable housing, avoid evictions, avoid foreclosures and save their homes using the hardship funding and grant programs. Please dont let my career end by throwing me in to a {$250000.00} debt ( after completing my obligation ) for reasons perpetuated by an error by the powers that be that would ironically send me into my retirement with hardship that will destroy me financially after a dedicated career of helping so many others out of theirs. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NJ
Zip: 077XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-17
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't temporarily delay making payments
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/2023 - My income has been dramatically reduced. XXXX wouldn't offer forbearance or deferment.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CA
Zip: 92562
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I made the following payments to MOHELA XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : {$2800.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$2800.00} XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : {$2800.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$2800.00} XX/XX/XXXX : {$800.00} XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : {$6000.00} I have proof of all these payments to MOHELA on my bank acocunt. MOHELA lost my payment made on XX/XX/XXXX for {$800.00} I sent them my bank statement. I keep getting different stories from CSRs. THey lost {$800.00}.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IN
Zip: 462XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-05-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/XXXX my loans were transferred from XXXX to Mohela. Once they were transferred, I submitted my Employment verification form under the temporary waiver on XX/XX/XXXX to meet the XX/XX/XXXX deadline. I received notification from Mohela on XX/XX/XXXX my form was missing information. I called Mohela shortly after ( I think XX/XX/XXXX ) and spoke with XXXX XXXX employee ID XXXX ) who verified there was no missing information and he would resubmit it with those notes and that " it should '' still be considered as on time for the XX/XX/XXXX deadline. I received notification from Mohela on XX/XX/XXXX that I was not yet eligible for forgiveness. At that time they also provided me with an updated PSLF loan count, which was incorrect. Fine, not eligible under the waiver, but I needed my PSLF loan count to at least be correct. Before my loans were transferred away from XXXX I had them provide me with an updated PSLF count. The XXXX count showed that Loan Sequence 7 & 9 would be eligible for forgiveness XX/XX/XXXX, Loan Sequence 11 & 12 in XX/XX/XXXX, and Loan Sequences 1-6, 8 & 10 in XX/XX/XXXX. Mohela 's dates were off by more than 12 months, thus extending how much longer I had before I would be eligible for forgiveness. I have only had two employers the past 10 years and with no gaps in employment and have verified my employment every year and always made qualifying payments under the right payment plan. I called Mohela XX/XX/XXXX to attempt to have this fixed - I spoke with XXXX ( employee ID XXXX, in training ) and went through each loan sequence in detail and reviewing my employment dates to verify the correct counts - she said it would take 10 days to receive an updated count on the website but that it looked correct on her end after we spoke. I then waited a couple days and submitted an updated Employment Verification Form on XX/XX/XXXX verifying my employment with my employer through XX/XX/XXXX so that they could verify Loan Sequence Loan Sequence XXXX & XXXX would be eligible for forgiveness XX/XX/XXXX, Loan Sequence 11 & 12 in XX/XX/XXXX. Instead I received notification that I submitted a duplicate form, which was incorrect, it was not duplicate. So I called Mohela again on XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX employee ID XXXX, in training ) who confirmed my form was not duplicate and that on XX/XX/XXXX I should see the updated/corrected PSLF counts XXXX that should reflect what I had from XXXX ) and that my XX/XX/XXXX form would no longer say Duplicate and instead Processing. on XX/XX/XXXX I received notification from Mohela that I was not eligible for forgiveness yet ( even the ones I should be ) and the updated count they gave was again incorrect. I am on the phone with them again trying to get this resolved. This madness needs to stop. I have had only two employers without gaps in employment and verified my employment every year and have always made the eligible payments.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NC
Zip: 27614
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-05-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A