Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Essentially I am running into an issue with Mohela intentionally using misleading and incorrect information to force me to pay them at a higher and non-contractual rate. I would also complaint that their issues which while it is extremely frustrating to me, is at least somewhat navigable to me while I have time, not everyone works at a desk and can wait hours to speak with the company. This should NOT be the process, and these should not be with private servicers. Background -- -- I have a student loan with Mohela totaling approx XXXX, previously XXXX that transferred to Mohela. During the transition my loans were on their pay program, and during the transition from REPAYE to SAVE, Mohela inputted data incorrectly and did not include my spouse 's loans, resulting in incorrect amounts being due each month. When I spoke to Mohela multiple times, they indicated they would recalculate with the correct information from the loans, and that the only change would be the amount of total loans included ( i.e. adding my spouses loan amounts ). When the loans were reviewed, my loans went from XXXX/month under repay ( correct ) to XXXX during the covid forbearance, to XXXX/month, to XXXXmonth, to XXXXmonth under the SAVE plan, ( based on total amounts, still high but at least agreeable ), and then to XXXX undera 11 leveland 1 save plan split. I will be paying the XXXX in XXXX, and while it affects XXXX, and what I can get my son, wife, and family for XXXX, its what I agreed to and I will happily pay that amount and amounts as applicable until paid off. I previously spoke to Mohela during the transition to reflect the transfer and was told they would be able to handle the change. This was incorrect, they set the monthly payment amount to XXXX, I called and indicated my spouse had loans, and Mohela indicated they would review and reprocess, this revised my monthly to an amount totaling XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I called and spoke to a supervisor on XX/XX/XXXX indicating that i previously had my monthly amounts under repay at XXXX and to ensure that the applications should be IDR and reflect the full amounts of loans at issue, the supervisor indicated that she entered the data from the information she had based on my XXXX data, and that everything would be OK when it was processed. And then on XX/XX/XXXX, I thought we were at least in agreement and my monthly amount was set at XXXX. This is the amount I accepted to pay until I would recertify as Married Filing Separate next year ( around XX/XX/XXXX when recertification was due ). _________ Current status After multiple discussions, multiple hour long calls and requests, on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX my loans which previously have always been income based XXXXmonth and XXXXmonth, were switched to have 1 loan be a SAVE plan loan, while each and every other one were changed to a LEVEL plan payment, totaling a monthly payment of XXXX and 11 level plans totaling which ( inclusive of XXXX ) total XXXX. This amount would mean I could not buy food, pay for my son 's school or contribute to my household in any way. After waiting for nearly an hour to speak with my servicer today on XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that there was an issue with my account as a previous request to include information that existed in my file, was interpreted as " to put borrower back at regular payment '' based upon my XX/XX/XXXX call to update information and review all loans based upon my complete history, XXXX, no id #, somehow processed that request and jumped to the idea that I was to be converted to a monthly payment plan without IDR included, increasing my loans from XXXX to XXXX, and removing my previous history of on time payments 1/3 of the way to loan forgiveness. I was subsequently told that : I could not speak to a supervisor. That the only solution that I had was to put in a new application. that " XXXX '' she has been advised we would have to go over repayment options if I disagree with the payment plan that I have been on. She has requested the approval to transfer to a supervisor and was advised to handle the account and procedure. And the agent is requiring that I submit a new application and a new rate. Further that my only option was to speak Student Aid if I wanted help, That the only possible thing that Mohela could do was to process a new application. She further indicated that she could not send a copy of the request, or the communication, or the data that went into the application because it was an internal communication. I need help, and I will not get it from Mohela. Please get me off of the level plan and put on the same plan that I should be on. Further, have Mohela review the XX/XX/XXXX communication from their own supervisor and the existing messages requesting help with the intent it was given, and update my application based upon the existing information currently in file with Mohela from XXXX, as indicated in my multiple calls and written communication. In the alternative, please review my monthly payment amount to the amounts set on the approval letter for XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CA
Zip: 92126
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I requested a refund for all payments I made during COVID forbearance on XX/XX/. My loan servicer ( MOHELA ) returned parts of the payment and my loan balance was restored to the amount owed pre-covid within a few weeks, but there are still {$800.00} of refund missing. The {$800.00} consisted of payments made towards XXXX ( the servicer I had before the loans were transferred ). Despite telling me that refunds will be issued within 60-90 business days, I still haven't received the fund.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MD
Zip: 208XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I've worked for XXXX in the past and wanted to use my XXXX XXXX XXXX towards student loan. Despite telling me that it takes 2-3 weeks to process the payment, MOHELA ( the loan servicer ) failed to process it after 1 month. Every time I called for the past month, they kept referring to the failed payment I made on XXXX ( which had the payment sent to the incorrect address ) although I already resubmitted a new and correct request on XX/XX/12. Agents on XXXX chat box told me they would need someone from MOHELA who is an XXXX Admin to process and accept the payment, but every agent I talked to from MOHELA said there's no such person in their organization and can't figure out what to do with XXXX payments. It is extremely frustrating that a student loan agency failed so greatly that they can't process a simple payment request in timely manner. Not to mention that XXXX payments are taxable and affects people 's tax return if not processed within the tax year. At this point I don't even know if MOHELA is acting in bad faith, just straight up incompetent, or both.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: MD
Zip: 208XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Mohela did not notify me the required 21 days in advance of payments resuming in XXXX. I contacted them via email on XX/XX/XXXX to inquire about my payments resuming and to make sure that this delay was not going to affect XXXX counting toward my PSLF. I did not receive a reply until XX/XX/XXXX and it just said to call Mohela. I had received a letter too that gave my payment amount and estimated my SAVE plan start date to be XX/XX/XXXX but still payments were not resumed on the site even though I am enrolled in auto pay. There was an estimated 80 min wait time on the phone, I received a call back about an hour after I placed the call. The servicer stated that my payments werent resumed because I was in an administrative forbearance until XXXX ( 17 years from now! ). They could not tell me whether I was in a forbearance in which the months still counted toward PLSF. I requested that XXXX and XXXX be counted toward PLSF since Mohela is at fault for the delay and did not resume my payments in time. They replied that this is not possible since I didnt make payments for these months, but I was never notified of my payments resuming and in fact, Mohela never resumed them. My payment amount is also incorrect on the website, I received a letter stating my payment was {$590.00} and on the site my payment amount says {$610.00}.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: OR
Zip: 97501
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: On the SAVE plan, my monthly payment is {$290.00} and is indicated on my account as such. When forbearance ended, my payment was due XXXX but the amount due was {$370.00}. On XXXX I sent MOHELA customer service a message asking to have the amount adjusted to the SAVE plan amount of {$290.00}, but received no response. I made the full payment of {$370.00} on XXXX to avoid any consequences of a late or missed payment. I also sent them another message on XXXX after I made the payment asking for the difference of {$85.00} to be refunded, but received no response. My next payment is due XXXX and the correct amount of {$290.00} is due.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NY
Zip: 148XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: My SAVE plan monthly amount due is {$500.00}, which is indicated on my MOHELA account page. My first payment after pause was due XXXX, but the amount due was {$580.00}. On XXXX I sent MOHELA a message asking for the payment due to be adjusted to the SAVE amount of {$500.00}, but received no response. I made the full payment of {$580.00} on XXXX to avoid any consequences of a late/missed payment, and on the same day messaged them to ask for a refund of the difference of {$81.00}. I received no response. My next payment is due XXXX, and the correct amount of {$500.00} is the amount due.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NY
Zip: 148XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Utilizing a proactive approach, I am presenting my issue with my loan servicer MOHELA before I am falsely placed in a late payment or default situation. With the resumption of student loan payments in XX/XX/XXXX, I was initially with XXXX before being transferred to MOHELA towards the end of XXXX. Due to a late transfer, my first XXXX payment was due XX/XX/XXXX. At the end of XXXX, I paid in full my student loan payment of {$350.00}. After payment, and after the XX/XX/XXXX payment due was posted. I began making intermittent payments towards my XX/XX/XXXX payment. On XX/XX/XXXX, my balance due was {$160.00} for XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted payment of {$160.00} to pay my XX/XX/XXXX balance in full. After completing this payment in advance, a new balance of {$130.00} appeared on my account, due XX/XX/XXXX. Confused, I submitted a payment on XX/XX/XXXX for the balance of {$130.00}. After this payment posted to my account, my balance remained {$130.00} and indicated it was due XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called and sent a message to MOHELA. I spoke with a customer service representative. Initially, the customer representative told me the balance was because I was behind in payments. This quickly changed when I informed her that I did not start repayment until XX/XX/XXXX due to transfer from XXXX. As a result, she acknowledged the error on MOHELAs end and indicated this would be rectified on my account. It is XX/XX/XXXX, I still have a balance of {$130.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX. I sent a message to MOHELA again with no response. The issue, I have paid above and beyond my required payment for XX/XX/XXXX, and it does not appear that MOHELA is going to fix this issue as verbalized to me on XX/XX/XXXX. I am being proactive, as I do not want to be falsely accused of making late payments or defaulting on a student loan. I do not intend to make an additional {$130.00} payment for XX/XX/XXXX, as I did this on XX/XX/XXXX. I am hoping that you can be of assist, as I will continue up the chain until this is rectified. I submitted a complaint to Federal Student Aid ( gov ), however I am still waiting for their XXXX day response time from an XXXX complaint. As a result, I dont expect a response from them.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NY
Zip: 12306
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: During all of 2023, it has been a war with Mohela to get them to do their jobs. Before the payment pause was lifted, I spent hours on hold and enlisted XXXX XXXX 's office to intervene on my behalf. I have submitted employer forms manually and electronically and it has been more than 60 days and they are still not processing these forms. They are also not updating the payment counts -- the last payment count on my account is from XX/XX/2023 -- even though XXXX is half over and XXXX and XXXX both qualify. ***If they charge the gov't by month, per open loan, they are currently conducting fraud. *** XX/XX/2023 was my final month of payment -- XXXX payments. I submitted an employer certification form on XX/XX/2023. Another form was submitted in XX/XX/2023. It is now XX/XX/2023 and my loans are showing a payment due on XX/XX/2023 even though my loans are in the newest Mohela incompetence payment pause. I need my forms processed, my payment counts updated and to obtain my promised PSLF forgiveness.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: NY
Zip: 10003
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem with forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge
Consumer Complaint: I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating I had 129 qualifying payments which would qualify me for PSLF and having my remaining balance forgiven. This letter came after I paid my loans off in early XXXX. Because the letter stated 9 payments more than the required 120, I would like a refund of my payment and to have my loans forgiven through the program.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: CO
Zip: 80016
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-12-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I submitted a request to change to a different Income Driven Repayment ( IDR ) plan on XX/XX/XXXX. I got confirmation of receipt of the request. On XX/XX/XXXX MOHELA placed me on administrative forbearance while the application was processed. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from MOHELA saying my request was cancelled and that I was placed on the standard Level repayment plan. My monthly payment was changed from approximately {$500.00} a month to over {$3000.00} a month. The repayment plan is also not eligible for PSLF which I have been working toward for four years. I have attempted to contact MOHELA to fix this many times. They either disconnect the call or never complete my scheduled call back. My forbearance is scheduled to end at the end of XX/XX/XXXX and I can not afford the new payment.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
State: ME
Zip: 039XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A