Consumer complaint received 2017-11-07
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: CT
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Problem lowering your monthly payments

Complaint:
I 'm writing in regards to my Account # XXXX with Navient My parents are XXXX XXXX XXXX that came to America with nothing and had to work for modest wages in manufacturing to provide for my sister and I. 

I decided to pursue my passion of the arts. They willingly and readily cosigned my private and federal student loans to attend college. 

I remember that day clearly now. A slick talking business man in the Financial Aid Office at the University XXXX XXXX sold us on XXXX private loans. He said it will be easy small monthly payments. Even he took one out for his son he said to provide comfort. I was young, naive, uneducated about financial aid being the first to navigate the path to higher education in my family. My parents just wanted the best for me. Unfortunately none of us knew that we just signed our life sentence. 

Fast forward to the present. I work in manufacturing logistics. I work 60 plus hours just to get by. Overtime is n't extra money lying around, it barely keeps my family afloat. I have a wife who has XXXX XXXX XXXX who stays at home to care for my stepdaughter and my XXXX year old son. 

Yet, the DOE uses the AGI to calculate payment plans. That money I made is n't sitting around. Each week I barely have XXXX dollars to my name after paying for rent, medical bills, groceries, electricity and telecommunication. How does the DOE justify using that to formulate " affordable '' payment plans. 

I 'm currently on administrative forbearance due to my Defense to Repayment application. If I had to pay my monthly payments, I would n't be talking to you right now because I 'd be in the streets homeless with my family. 

The government profits off of student loan debt and defaulted loans. That 's wrong. 

I beg and plea with Navient to keep my monthly payments at {$0.00} or less than {$100.00} because it 's money I ca n't afford to part with. 

Each summer when I get the recertification, recalculation, repayment renewal letter, I get anxious and depressed, because I may have made more money, but all the money is going towards surviving. 

I wanted to get a good job teaching the arts. High school did n't educate you about financial aid and it 's many traps. My parents had to empty their savings to pay off my private loans because they were becoming unbearable. 

Why am I being punished for wanting to pursue an education for myself? I invested in my future but the government wants to drain me of the pennies I have. 

I can not afford it any longer, my family is falling apart because of my student debt, if I knew what I know now about financial aid I 'd have never gone to college and followed my dreams. I tell everyone not to go school if loans are involve, because they are XXXX. 

I 'm depressed and anxiety ridden, my marriage is falling apart, I living in an impoverished neighborhood in basically an attic with my family of XXXX. I 'm a struggling head of household. I 'm the only one that works. My meager incomes supports XXXX. My son 's XXXX, my stepdaughter is in therapy for XXXX and XXXX and my wife has debilitating XXXX. 



If I can get my federal loans forgiven, it would be some weight and stress off my shoulders. 



I resort to not eating so my family can eat cheap dollar menu unhealthy food. State assistance is limited because their poverty levels are ridiculous for aid. 

Navient wo n't help. XXXX and XXXX did n't help. Not sure the DOE will help. If Donald Trump and corporations can get bailed out, how come students get shafted? 

The government and lenders make money either way ; so why harass and torture students and their families? If I die, my debt is transferred to my next of kin ... that 's just sickening. 

I need help, I tried all the programs, I wrote letters, I tried to find assistance, I 'm working myself to the bone. I do n't know how much more I can take. 

And I bet you all I '' m going to get is robotic reply saying basically " too bad ''. 

Please help, please discharge my loans and I 'll continue paying taxes on it if that 's the deal. Please transfer back the funds my parents paid out for my private loans back to my parents. They ca n't retire because of me. 

Please help, I beg of you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation