Consumer complaint received 2021-03-17
Company: Nelnet, Inc.
State: WI
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
This is the letter I sent to XXXX XXXX : I graduated from University XXXX Wisconsin XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. I technically was done with school in XX/XX/XXXX as I had a final XXXX class to complete. I participated in the graduation ceremony in XX/XX/XXXX. I have been in repayment on my student loans since mid-year XXXX at least. 
My student loan servicer was Great Lakes for quite some time. I made regular payments to them as soon as I was required to do so. I always made biweekly payments ( a payment every time I was paid from my job ). I had these payments going out through my bill pay account automatically. I always completed any renewals required of me, submitted any verification requested and provided verification of my public service employment. I NEVER requested any deferments or forbearances at any point since Ive been in repayment. 
I refinanced to XXXX XXXX in XXXX as I heard this was the servicer one needed to be using in order to qualify for the PSLF program. After the financing was completed, I noticed they only counted a minimal number of the monthly payments I had made toward the PSLF. I contacted both XXXX XXXX and Great Lakes a MULTITUDE of times requesting verification of my requests for deferment or forbearance on my student loans since my graduation. This request has never been able to be provided to me. Additionally, I have requested from Great Lakes my payment history since the inception of my repayments MANY times and have never been successful in ascertaining specifically what Ive requested. 
After about the 100th time calling XXXX XXXX requesting answers, I spoke to a wonderful agent who listened to me cry and told me if I could provide verification of the payments I made to my student loans they could be counted toward the PSLF program even if I was in deferment or forbearance ( despite me NEVER requesting these!! ). This was the best news I could possibly receive, although it is devastating someone couldnt have told me these years earlier. Unfortunately, my banking information only goes back 7 years so I am unable to produce record of any of my payments from XXXX and XXXX ( except for XX/XX/XXXX ) because of this. Had this information been relayed to me the numerous other times I called, I would have been able to obtain these records. Additionally, if Great Lakes would provide me the correct information Ive requested multiple times, I would also be able to document my payment history back to XXXX. The ONLY time I was ever in Deferment was when I enrolled in school again in Spring of XXXX but that was an In-School Deferment. 
I am sending in EVERY SINGLE BANK STATEMENT I have back to XX/XX/XXXX with each payment Ive made highlighted. Ive also created a spreadsheet detailing the year of the payments and the corresponding dates. I have tallied how many payments Ive actually made and counted the totaled the dollar amount Ive actually paid. In counting the number of payments made I counted biweekly payments as ONE payment per month. Additionally, I have included current forms from my current and past employers, which have also been sent in before and approved, but I wanted to cover ALL my bases. 

I have been in Public Service employment Full-Time since XX/XX/XXXX. I have never neglected to turn in the information requested/required of me. I should be in my FINAL year of the PSLF but because of the negligence of the student loan servicers, I am looking at spending MANY more years for the opportunity to save me from this crippling debt. Due to the inability of student loan services, I am to the point of contacting my legislatures and the President to make them aware of how excruciating the process is and the lack of proper information/communication from servicers. Im unsure if its a lack of training of the agents who answer the phone or if this information is kept secretive so people never reach the requirements to qualify. 
Im requesting a thorough review of my information and a written and phone response, particularly from an experienced and competent manager/director with the result of this review. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX ( formerly XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX XXXX ( Former Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, WI XXXX ) Schools Attended : XXXX XXXX XXXX University XXXX Wisconsin XXXX XXXX University XXXX Wisconsin XXXX XXXX Iowa University XXXX XXXX University Additional Information : I also filed a complaint with Great Lakes Higher Education and it has been escalated to a Customer Experience Response Team to address. I received the emailing telling me that on XX/XX/XXXX and have not heard anything since. I was informed by another agent at XXXX XXXX that even though I made payments they can not be counted toward loan forgiveness because I was supposedly in a deferment or forbearance which is not accurate. So again, I was told different information by different agents at XXXX. My issues are both with XXXX  and Great Lakes but MOST importantly with Great Lakes at this time because they are the ones who supplied incorrect information to XXXX saying I was in deferment/forbearance. I have contacted Great Lakes on numerous occasions requesting my payment history since the beginning and any requests from ME requesting a deferment or forbearance. This has never been produced by them. Additionally I have major problems with XXXX certifying my employer. They are constantly asking for additional information and one minute they'll tell me the employer is certified and the next minute they're not. It makes NO sense! 

I need help. I should only have 11 payments left before being able to apply for PSLF. They are not counting 42 of my payments because of this supposed deferment/forbearance. 

I'm desperate and pleading for help!

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation