Date Received: 2023-02-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I completed my PSLF form via Studentaid.gov. I selected my employers using the EIN number. One of which is a DC Government agency!! Mohela is questioning the employer even though the form was submitted and is in the federal database. Should they be doing that? It makes sense to question employers that are not listed in the database ( e.g. small non-profits, etc. ) but for government agencies ( especially in DC ), seems really crazy. It seems that they may be complicating the process further which is unnecessary, especially when the process is already complicated.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MD
Zip: 20601
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I have two direct, federal loans that are serviced by Mohela. They were transferred to Mohela from XXXX in XXXX of XXXX because I am eligible for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have been a public servant since XXXX when the program started. Mohela has record of all of my employment, certified from eligible employers dating back to XXXX which they have accepted and approved. When my loans transferred to Mohela from XXXX, I was told to wait for Mohela to apply the PSLF waiver to my account and my updated payment counts would reflect starting in XX/XX/XXXX. In XXXX, Mohela notified me that I had 80 eligible payments. They show missing eligible payments from XXXX XX/XX/XXXX and from XXXX. Mohela has record of my eligible employment during the time they have these gaps in my eligible payments ( in total 37 payments ). I have called Mohela multiple times, and no one can sort out why those payments are missing. Mohela verify that they have eligible employment on record and state they " missed '' the payments. In XX/XX/XXXX they told me to call again in XXXX, in XXXX they said to call in XX/XX/XXXX, and in XXXX they asked me to call in XX/XX/XXXX. Today ( XXXX XXXX ) I called and spent another hour with Mohela on the phone trying to sort this out. A supervisor told me that the reason those payment don't count is that I was in in-school deferment in XXXX and during the 26 months of COVID. However, I was NOT in school. I did not receive in school deferment during that period, and Mohela has record of my eligible, full-time employment to cover those periods. Mohela told me today they have no idea what to do next. They said I just need to wait until it is sorted out - however, I have been waiting 8 MONTHS at this point. With those 37 payments, I am OVER the 120 payment count and should be sent to discharge to the department of education. No one knows what steps to take and I have been waiting now for close to a YEAR to sort this out. Mohela doesn't know what to do, I have submitted verification of my employment that has been approved, and I have no direction how to fix this. PLEASE, please, please fix this. This situation has me sitting in a financial limbo that is highly stressful. I need CFPB to connect with Mohela, have my employment verified ( even though it already IS ), and have my payment count updated and sent to discharge ASAP. I look forward to hearing from you to have this fixed immediately.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: WA
Zip: 98116
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I am a senior XXXX with the XXXX XXXX XXXX and have been with the Department for 11 years. I filed my employer certification with Mohela for XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX under the XXXX. At the time, I had XXXX of XXXX eligible payments. On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, I received three letters from Mohela. The first stated that I had XXXX eligible payments and XXXX qualified payments for the XXXX. The second stated that my employer had provided an end date to my employment and my certification was not accepted. The third stated that Mohela had determined that my employer is not a not-for-profit and my certification was not accepted. The reasons for Mohela 's denial of my certification were factually erroneous. My employer did not check that I was no longer employed with them and the XXXX, a federal department, is in fact a non-for-profit. Since I could not cure Mohela 's errors by resubmitting documents, I called Mohela on XX/XX/XXXX. After a XXXX minute wait where the call was disconnected, I spend more than XXXX hours waiting to speak with a person. The person I spoke with reviewed my application and was able to verify that my certification was correct, the letters were erroneous, and the documents would be refiled internally. She further confirmed that Mohela has not accepted my employer certification since XXXX, XXXX. Until then, Mohela accepted the DOL as a not for profit with the same EIN, address, and name. I have contacted Mohela twice since XX/XX/XXXX because my account online still states, " Your PSLF eligible and qualified periods are expected to be updated through the XXXX XXXX XXXX process beginning mid to late XXXX based on your certified employment/employer. '' This message has not changed since XX/XX/XXXX. Each time I have called, there is no record that my certification is being reprocessed and I can not get any information from Mohela regarding the status of my loans. While Mohela has been " unindated '' with applications, they are failing to record and provide basic account information, properly review submitted information, and either have no process to correct their own errors or will not provide information on such process.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IL
Zip: 601XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I completed my annual employment recertification form and submitted it to Mohela on XX/XX/XXXX. Today I checked my account to see if my eligible payments have been updated and Mohela canceled my for certification form and says it was duplicate. I have not submitted another employment recertification form, I do this process once a year to have my qualifying payments updated. I have been on the XXXX program for about 6 years now so I am very familiar with the process of submitting my forms and rectifying my employment. I contacted Mohela today ( 6 XX/XX/XXXX ) and the customer service agent had no explanation for why my form was canceled. He told me he would submit it for review but the process is 90 days to review. If this takes 90 days that would mean it would take over 180 days to process my singular form to which I have no switched employers since XXXX. I simply need my payments updated. For some reason they have listed all my payments since XX/XX/XXXX as " employment not certified. '' However my form I submitted clearly shows my employment should be certified. After doing research online others have experienced this same issue of having the form canceled without notification or reason. Others have cited that after calling to ask for a re-review of the form they have a new entry in the documents received section on Mohela with the date of the re-review request. I do not have that at all or any communication other than a verbal communication that it will be reviewed. If there is nothing in my account that flags attention for review, I don't have faith it will get reviewed. My payment count right now says 44 where it should be updated to account for XX/XX/XXXX to present. That is a huge difference in qualifying payment count. It should be an easy update as all I need to show is that one form because I have not switched employers during that time period or since XXXX. I have two issues here- I have no verification that my request to have it re-reviewed is in effect and secondly I should not have to wait another 90 days when Mohela canceled my form. Mohela should expedite this form as its been in the system for over 90 days already and is a simple one page document saying I am currently still employed at a qualifying employer since XXXX.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IN
Zip: 46256
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: IN XXXX, 2022, I CALLED XXXX CONCERNING MY STUDENT LOANS AND CONSOLIDATION. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I CONSOLIDATE WITH MOHELA. I CONSOLIDATED THE LOANS. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH A LIVE AGENT, SINCE THE CONSOLIDATION. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MOHELA, INDICATING THAT I HAD DIED. I CALLED CONSISTENTLY AND HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REACH A LIVE AGENT.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NC
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: Hello, My PSLF application was submitted to MOHELA on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX. It was confirmed receipt by MOHELA reps on two separate phone calls and the fax confirmation as well. The first call the representative confirmed receipt and said the log in information would be mailed within 90 days of XXXX/XXXXXXXX On the third phone call in XX/XX/XXXXXXXX it was simply stated there is no timeline to even receive a log in to check on the status of processing. XXXX XXXX, my current loan servicer, confirmed nothing has been received from MOHELA
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CA
Zip: 960XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I re-submitted a PSLF application to MOHELA on XX/XX/XXXX after my prior submission was incorrectly processed, after which MOHELA responded over 60 days later, letting me know ( once again incorrectly ) that I was ineligible for loan discharge at that time due to processing only 1 of 3 submitted Employment Certification Forms. I tried without success to get through to them over the phone for the following month. I was finally able to speak to a supervisor on XX/XX/XXXX. The supervisor looked up my account and conceded that my forms had been processed incorrectly, that I was eligible for loan discharge, and said he would resubmit my application. I asked whether I would have to go through another 60-90 day waiting period and he said no, it would take at most 30 days but could take as little as 2 days. It has now been 2.5 months and my forms have still not been processed even though I have well over 120 qualifying payments and was eligible for loan discharge back in XX/XX/XXXX. This has been an ongoing saga for nearly a year with my forms being repeatedly incorrectly processed and MOHELA being impossible to reach.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: IL
Zip: 60614
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: XXXX - XXXX XXXX of XXXX, my student loans were still held by XXXX XXXX XXXX. At that time, I submitted an employer certification verification form. XXXX XXXX XXXX counted their PSLF estimate based on assuming the qualified dates that would be eligible once the employment certification is counted ( i.e. : if you have 100 qualified, employment verified months, and 5 qualifying, but not employment verified, the tracker would indicate 105/120 payments. ) That form was not processed until my loans transferred to MOHELA, approximately XX/XX/XXXX. When I checked my account in XXXX and XXXX of XXXX, it indicated I had approximately 6 months left until I reached 120 payments, putting me around XX/XX/XXXX being eligible for forgiveness. That number was a change from when XXXX XXXX XXXX held my loans. I did not submit any additional forms between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. When I checked my account on approximately XX/XX/XXXX, MOHELA indicated I had reached XXXX payments. I immediately submitted my form to verify my employment, because on the MOHELA website it indicated that part of the time consideration in determining how long the PSLF process would take would be how recently an employment certification was submitted. I called MOHELA twice on XX/XX/XXXX. I originally called to figure out when the last month would be counted- XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, since the loan disbursement date listed was XX/XX/XXXX. On the first phone call, I was told that I have been eligible since XXXX of XXXX for XXXX forgiveness and that once my form is processed, I will have over 120 payments. I was also told that the XX/XX/XXXX, form that I submitted is counted as the application. On the MOHELA website, it says that process time can take up to 90 *business* days. After doing additional research, I saw that the PSLF process has been taking 4+ months, and that after the application is " processed, '' there is additional wait time until the forgiveness actually goes through. This was never once explained to me. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called MOHELA back. I spent about an hour on the phone. I was asking for additional information about the processing times. I was told that it should take 90 days - never once told business days. I asked about what were the next steps after the form gets processed, and I was told that there is a second process for forgiveness, and despite asking, was never once told how long this entire process should take. I did confirm that nothing was holding back my form other than their processing times. I requested that my paperwork be expedited, as I was never informed that I was actually eligible in XX/XX/XXXX, or that MOHELA tracks the numbers differently than XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was told it could only be expedited if MOHELA made an error. I told the representative that this MOHELA 's error, as it was not accurately updated in XXXX. Moreover, had the number been accurately updated when my last employment verification was completed, and when the loans transferred to MOHELA in XXXX of XXXX, I would have immediately submitted the request for PSLF, and this nightmare would hopefully already be over. It is shocking and disheartening that I was provided misinformation in XXXX / XXXX of XXXX, delaying my PSLF process. The lack of transparency is causing extreme stress. The constantly changing, lengthy and unclear timelines provided by MOHELA are, at best, insufficient, but also wholly negligent. I understand MOHELA is experiencing a high volume, but without a date certain when my PSLF application will be completed, I am losing out on valuable career opportunities. I am unable to seek better paying employment while I am awaiting the completion of my loan forgiveness. The employment that I am currently seeking would, in no uncertain terms, be a completely life-changing, and ensure financial security for myself and my family. I have put my ten years in, and then some. Now it is time for MOHELA to do its part. I have completed all of the requirements of PSLF, I have continued to work far past that, and to now not have the certainty when this will be completed is crippling. Every time I think about how MOHELA has treated my loans, I get a pit in my stomach. For them to now 1 ) not have a clear guide on how the process works, 2 ) not have clear, reasonable timelines for how long the process takes, and 3 ) have a huge delay in processing, is simply unreasonable. There is no reason why processing one form should take 1/3 of the available business days of the year. I have attached two contemporaneous notes. One from XX/XX/XXXX, that indicated I checked my MOHELA account and I had approximately 6 months left before I hit XXXX payments, and the notes from my conversation on XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: WI
Zip: 53209
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-06
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: First Issue, COVID Payment Reimbursement : In XXXX 2022, I requested a refund on all of the payments I made during the COVID payment pause. In early-mid XX/XX/2022, my accounts were moved to Mohela. XXXX processed the request for a refund immediately but subsequent to making the payments, I closed the bank account I made the payments from. The payments were then going to be issued to me in checks but the Department of Education " put a hold on the repayment '' according to the Department of the Treasury. This resulted in me spending over 10 hours on the phone over several days calling XXXX, Department of Treasury, Department of Education and Mohela. Finally, Mohela re-requested the repayments be issued by check. A few weeks later, I received a check for {$18000.00}, which was {$9400.00} short of the full amount I was owed. I have since called Mohela several times and they will not give me an explanation for why the repayment was short or if I will be receiving additional repayment checks. I am very concerned that my initial request for a refund was in XXXX of 2022 and seven months later I still do not have the full refund or any explanation of what is going on with nearly {$10000.00} of the refund. Second Issue, Employment Certification Forms : In XXXX 2022, I submitted my yearly employment certification forms for PSLF to XXXX while they were still servicing my loans. In early-mid XX/XX/2022, my loans switched to Mohela. I called numerous times from XXXX to XXXX and would be told non-committal answers like my account information was still transferring or they could see my forms had been received and to give it 90 business days to process. Finally, in XXXX, I called Mohela again and asked for a supervisor review of my Employment Certification Forms. They agreed to have a supervisor review my forms, but estimated another 90 business days for it to be completed. I have several concerns with this response. First, why is it taking almost a year for Mohela to review forms that would take XXXX at the most two weeks? Second, my previous agency is in the process of shutting down and soon there will be no HR left. Once this happens, getting a form certified is going to be nearly impossible. Both of these issues have caused me to spend hours on the phone trying to resolve the problems and I still do not have a solution. These are hours away from my young child, hours spent missing work.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: AP
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-02-03
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX the summer of XXXX requesting a refund of all payments paid during the pandemic. I was told to wait 30 days and I should have the refund. I contacted them again around XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the loan was transferred to Mohela. I was told that the request to refund payments paid since XX/XX/XXXX was transferred when my loan was transferred. I requested a payment history. XXXX said that they do not have it because they transferred everything, including my history. I contacted mohela regarding the refund request and payment history. They told me they could not refund payments paid prior to the transfer and they do not have the payment history. On or around XX/XX/XXXX, I again contacted mohela. I was told that they did not have a refund request in their system and it would take 90 days. They sent a payment history, 4 of the 7 original loans. It is now XX/XX/XXXX and I continue to have unresolved problems with my servicers. I have yet to receive the refund of over $ XXXX owed to me, they have not sent a payment history for the 3 loans that are recently paid off. Any help resolving these issues is greatly appreciated.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: AZ
Zip: 85338
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-02-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A