Consumer complaint received 2019-09-05
Company: Nelnet, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Problem lowering your monthly payments

Complaint:
I filed my annual pay as you earn re-certification application in XXXX. My husband and I file married but separate. My husband filled out the proper information requested in the application. I received a notification stating my monthly payment increased from {$140.00} per month to {$290.00} per month. I was unable to pay this, I file a recalculation request. I received a notice stating my monthly payment was now {$330.00} per month. I was unable to pay this and I submitted another recalculation request and then my monthly payment was now {$340.00} per month. I was unable to pay this and submitted two more recalculation requests, both requests returned with {$330.00} per month. After numerous calls and discussions with various representatives with Nelnet, every time a representative calculated the monthly payment with me over the phone my average monthly payment returned to {$160.00} per month. I spoke with a supervisor on XX/XX/XXXX between XXXX and XXXX PST, I was told that my husbands information is not calculated when recalculating my average monthly payment. Then I was told the reason why the recalculation initially returned at {$290.00} per month was due to an error within the calculation team. I was then told I had only two options, go in forbearance or apply for a different repayment option which I can only do once in during the entire life span of my loan and for only a time span of 12 months. This option allowed me to pick my monthly payment amount. I do not feel comfortable doing either. After requesting they lower my monthly payment, I was denied. I have submitted recalculation and supporting documents every single month since XX/XX/XXXX except XXXX. Not until today was I told that my husbands information was not considered, that my filling separate was moot, that I had could choose to go into forbearance or use my only opportunity during the entire life span to choose my monthly payment, that the original {$290.00} was an error, and that the representatives were calculating wrong every single time I spoke with them on the phone. At every turn, every single representative that I spoke with gave me contradicting information. No one knew how to calculate any of the information. I was told in XX/XX/XXXX that the reason why my monthly payment was high was probably because they did not access my husbands information and to which I was told to have my husband sign my application. Then I was informed that they will access his information and my monthly payment will be lower. I am on a Pay As You Earn Plan, with this plan my husband 's information should be calculated. But Nelnet is NOT including my husbands information when calculating my monthly income. This was confirmed by Nelnet on XX/XX/XXXX. They confirmed that the reason my monthly payment was {$330.00} was due to the fact they do not and will not take my husbands information into consideration. When calculating my monthly payment on Repayment Estimator via the Federal Student Aid website, my PAYE amount per month is {$290.00}, but based on the information provided by Nelnet, this is incorrect.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation