Consumer complaint received 2019-04-29
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: FL
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:
Communication : Not getting answers to my questions and getting information or advice from representatives that was bad or perhaps outright false. Getting mixed up information. But, mostly, getting responses that are " scripted '' never getting answers to my particular questions. Getting the exact same response repeatedly and Navient reps refusing to talk/discuss alternatives. There was one time when I was told ( during one of the yearly re-certification processes ) that the representative told me there would be " Administrative Forbearance '' come to find out - no, it wasn't - they had used up my forbearance while we figured out the re-payment options. Little did I know this at the time - that forbearance probably contributes to the TOTAL of {$100000.00} capitalized interest on my total loan cost. 
Payments : I feel like Navient has misrepresented options for payments and re-payments, perhaps too in the way it has applied loan payments. Things like suggesting forbearance, suggesting that was the " only '' option. 
I just am confused now and scared that after working all these years, my paycheck will be garnished, Navient will take my Social Security and even my State pension. 
I appreciate your helping me - if there is anything I can do please let me know. The Advocate - she does NOTHING to answer my question - she refuses to tell me what the MINIMUM payment I can make - she reads a " Script '' and NEVER answered my question as to a minimum amount I can make - so I guess I have to make the FULL {$230.00} because she's got me by the you know what ( s ) - she REFUSES to answer the question? I can not afford to pay this amount for the next year, and I will need to slash a lot of things off my list ( s ) grocery, cancel the doc appointment I had schedule for this week, whatever I have to do to get that paid - I can not do this every month though? 
The Loan Forgiveness Program Navient stated I was " eligible '' for and the one I have been working towards did require 120 on time payments. They stated these payments did not have to be " consecutive '', but just 120 on time payments, in addition to working for a XXXX XXXX XXXX too as an educator. I have been with the XXXX XXXX School district for 16 years and plan to still be working when I get meet the goal of 120 on time payments - meeting both of these pieces of criteria would in the end - would make me eligible for the Loan forgiveness program. The most recent information I was provided by Navient, ( letter dated XX/XX/XXXX ), as you stated in your response, is not the information I was given. 
In addition, a Navient Customer Advocacy representative, a one, Mrs. XXXX XXXX reached out to me at some point, but has not been helpful at all. She continues to repeat the same " script '' over and over and over and over again calls and leaves message on my home phone during my work hours, leaves meaningless messages with her name, date and time with an invitation to cal her back. I had a payment due on XXXX in the amount of {$230.00}, which is the " new '' monthly amount after I re-certified this last year ( you have to do this each year ). This is the amount that I can not afford to pay each month for the next year and I need to be lowered to a reasonable amount - this is what started this whole mess! I want to send in a payment - or I did on the XX/XX/XXXX and I still will send - I want to send in a payment, but when I send a very specific question about an amount to pay to her - she avoids me by stating the exact same thing over and over again. I must have said to her, sent her this same questions ( below ) a million times, long before XX/XX/XXXX when my payment was due - the following : What is the minimum amount I can pay NOW that will allow me to avoid default and or use of my forbearance until we can come to a reasonable monthly amount that I can afford to pay back each month in order to meet my obligation to pay back my student loans each month for the next year. Please do not call my home phone again to respond to this e-mail as that is not working. Please respond here as to the minimum amount I can pay NOW that will allow me to avoid default and or use of my forbearance until we can come to a reasonable monthly amount that I can afford to pay back each month in order to meet my obligation to pay back my student loans each month for the next year. Please do not call my home phone again and leave a message asking me to call you back as that is not working. Please respond here asap. I am trying to do the right thing and be responsible - please respond. 
Respectfully, Ms. XXXX SHE ALWAYS RESPONDS WITH THE SAME " SCRIPT '' Please see the e-mail below : XXXX, XXXX XXXX. 
To : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX Dear Ms. XXXX : Thank you for your recent email. Please see the information provided within our response dated XX/XX/2019, which was previously provided to you. It is important to understand that your payment amount was calculated using a formula set by the U.S. Department of Education, and Navient is unable to change this formula to provide you with the lower monthly payment amount that you are requesting. Your current repayment plan is the lowest available repayment plan we can offer at this time based on federal regulations. 

For additional information regarding the available federal repayment programs, please visit studentloans.gov. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX SHE DOES NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION - IN FACT IF YOU WANT ME TO FORWARD THE E-MAILS I HAVE SENT TO HER - IF YOU THINK THAT WOULD HELP - PLEASE LET ME KNOW - Why would she not provide a minimum amount or something other than the same script over and over?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation