Consumer complaint received 2018-08-20
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: CO
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Trouble with how payments are being handled

Complaint:
Please see attachments for a thorough explanation and my records of payment. 

I have been in a dispute with XXXX XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX over the number of qualifying payments I have made under the terms of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. My records show that have have made 105 qualifying payments from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX has provided four letters with three different numbers of qualifying payments made during the same payment dates ( XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX ) : XX/XX/XXXX - 56 payments XX/XX/XXXX - 80 payments XX/XX/XXXX - 88 payments XX/XX/XXXX - 88 payments I contacted about XXXX by telephone on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the company was implementing a new computer database system and that they had sent incorrect information ( e.g. fewer qualifying payments than accrued ) to many people and that I would get a correct accounting. I received a second letter from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ) which reported that I had made 80 qualifying payments toward the PSLF Program. On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) I called and spoke with XXXX and about one minute later I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to XXXX. He reviewed my XXXX payment records with me and said that the 13 payments were qualifying payments and that he was making the adjustments to XXXX records as we spoke. ( I am now disputing 17 records, at the time it was 13. XXXX retroactively disqualified four additional payments ). 

I received paperwork on XX/XX/XXXX confirming the correct forbearance dates, thereby qualifying three of the disputed payments, but XXXX has still not changed the status of the three payments to qualifying. Further, they never changed the status of the 10 payments I discussed with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, and that my records show as qualifying. In their next correspondence dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX disqualified four payments they previously reported as qualified. XXXX retroactively changed the amount due from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX ( nearly nine years later ) from {$470.00} to {$480.00}. 

In XXXX correspondence dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX again reported that I had made 88 qualifying payments under the PSLF Program. This correspondence included payment detail from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX and amounts previously recorded as being received were zeroed out on the accounting ; specifically payments made in XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. 

I have filed four complaints with the Department of Education Ombudsman, and they have closed three of the four cases ( 4th pending ). I have reservations about whether the Ombudsman can be truly effective since they are part of the agency they are sometimes charged to investigate - the Department of Education. 

I have contacted Senator XXXX XXXX ( CO ) about this issue and I have signed a release of information so they can speak to the Department of Education on my behalf. On XX/XX/XXXX I filed a complaint with attachments ( attached to this complaint ) with the Department of Education Ombudsman office. Today I am filing with the CFPB. 

My records demonstrate that as of XX/XX/XXXX I had made 105 qualifying payments to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, putting me on track to make 120 payments, and thereby qualifying for forgiveness on XX/XX/XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief