Consumer complaint received 2018-03-21
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: FL
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:
I have been a XXXX XXXX XXXX Teacher for over 20 years. For the last ten years, I have only had two employers. I worked for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX to XXXX, and for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX to present. I have been on the IBR repayment plan well before XX/XX/XXXX. My IBR plan has directly debited my checking account for the entire time, and have bank statements to prove it. I also have documents that can prove that I have been on the IBR plan every one of the last ten years. Since XX/XX/XXXX, I had been looking forward to the day that I would have my loans forgiven. I would call the Direct Loans and XXXX every year to make sure I was doing everything correct to be eligible for PSLF. In XXXX of last year, I sent my servicer ( XXXX ) notice by completing the Employer Certification Forms from both employers. They responded by forwarding my ECF information and loans to XXXX XXXX for processing of my PSLF. 

That is when I started to have problems. 
* When XXXX transferred my loans to XXXX, XXXX put me on a forebearance that I did not ask for. A Forebearance would have pushed my PSLF date even further. XXXX 's letter told me that if I was on direct debit, to do nothing, that XXXX would continue to direct debit my account. I immediately called XXXX to cancel the forebearance. XXXX did debit my account for the payment. There was no missed payment *When I viewed my account information on their website in XX/XX/XXXX, it showed I had 0 payments toward PSLF, and that my eligible date for PSLF would be XXXX! When I called XXXX they told me not to worry, that my account was " in review '' and that I was smart for applying early, and I should wait at least 90 days before they would have an answer. After not receiving information well after 90 days, I called in XX/XX/XXXX and was told by a XXXX ( @ ext XXXX ) that although my account showed it had been reviewed, she could not see that it had been fully assessed, and to wait until XXXX completed their review. 
*In late XXXX, I received a notice from XXXX to submit my IBR renewal I also had to resubmit Employer Certification form to re-apply for PSLF, was told by yet another representative that I would only need my current employer, and that I should again expect to give them at least 90 days for them to review my account. 
*I called XX/XX/XXXX to check on my PSLF and was told by XXXX ( # XXXX ) that my PSLF was still being assessed. XX/XX/XXXX I received notice that my new IBR payment was determined would be effective XX/XX/XXXX. 
*I called in late XXXX and after speaking with yet another person who gave me the same answer of " it's under review '', I asked to speak to a PSLF supervisor or specialist. I spoke with a woman named XXXX who identified herself as a PSLF specialist. My wife also spoke with her on our speakerphone. She said that we would have made 113 payments since XX/XX/XXXX when my loans transferred to XXXX, and that including the payments that we made to XXXX, we should have over 122 payments at this time. She said that we should think about asking for a forebearance if we did not want to keep paying past that amount. She explained that it would have no impact on my PSLF, and that payment could be resumed at any time should it need to. My wife asked her to send a copy of any administrative forebearances that were placed on my account in the past. Once again, we were told to be patient, that there was a backlog of applicants, and we should have an answer soon. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter showing just the payments that were debited from my account by XXXX ( 7 payments, XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX ) with no mention of PSLF! 
My account information on their website now shows I have only 4 qualifying payments, and an estimated eligibility date of XX/XX/XXXX!! 
In early XXXX I called for a forbearance on my loan, and it was issued XX/XX/XXXX. It states that it is a General Forebearance XXXX- XX/XX/XXXX I called in early XXXX to ask if there was any determination of my PSLF, and was told that I could not speak to a supervisor about my account, and that ultimately the person who answers the phone is the one responsible for researching the loan information! 
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from XXXX stating they received my Employer Certification Form. On that form it shows my Qualifying Employment starting date as XX/XX/XXXX. This is incorrect, as I have been with this employer since XX/XX/XXXX. I have a copy of the form that my employer sent. 

This is absolutely wrong and unprofessional! I have the documents that certify my employment for the ten years. I have documentation of being granted an IBR plan every year since XXXX, I have bank statements that show my servicers have debited my account every month, and I even have IRS documents that show the interest paid annually. I have offered to their representatives to send documents to XXXX but I was told that it was not necessary! 

I have made sure I followed all the rules to be granted Public Service Loan Forgiveness. I have struggled to work in teaching, ( even teaching in a XXXX XXXX school for ten years ) and made sure I stayed on the IBR plan year after year. 
I am presently XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have had this loan XXXX. If XXXX does not uphold the PSLF that I have completed, I will be XXXX XXXX XXXX and still paying on my student loan in XXXX! 
Hopefully, someone at XXXX will have some compassion for a teacher and get this right.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief