Consumer complaint received 2023-02-06
Company: MOHELA
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:
XXXX - XXXX XXXX of XXXX, my student loans were still held by XXXX  XXXX XXXX. At that time, I submitted an employer certification verification form. XXXX  XXXX XXXX counted their PSLF estimate based on assuming the qualified dates that would be eligible once the employment certification is counted ( i.e. : if you have 100 qualified, employment verified months, and 5 qualifying, but not employment verified, the tracker would indicate 105/120 payments. ) That form was not processed until my loans transferred to MOHELA, approximately XX/XX/XXXX. When I checked my account in XXXX and XXXX of XXXX, it indicated I had approximately 6 months left until I reached 120 payments, putting me around XX/XX/XXXX being eligible for forgiveness. That number was a change from when XXXX  XXXX XXXX held my loans. I did not submit any additional forms between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. 

When I checked my account on approximately XX/XX/XXXX, MOHELA indicated I had reached XXXX payments. I immediately submitted my form to verify my employment, because on the MOHELA website it indicated that part of the time consideration in determining how long the PSLF process would take would be how recently an employment certification was submitted. I called MOHELA twice on XX/XX/XXXX. I originally called to figure out when the last month would be counted- XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, since the loan disbursement date listed was XX/XX/XXXX. On the first phone call, I was told that I have been eligible since XXXX of XXXX for XXXX forgiveness and that once my form is processed, I will have over 120 payments. I was also told that the XX/XX/XXXX, form that I submitted is counted as the application. On the MOHELA website, it says that process time can take up to 90 *business* days. After doing additional research, I saw that the PSLF process has been taking 4+ months, and that after the application is " processed, '' there is additional wait time until the forgiveness actually goes through. This was never once explained to me. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called MOHELA back. I spent about an hour on the phone. I was asking for additional information about the processing times. I was told that it should take 90 days - never once told business days. I asked about what were the next steps after the form gets processed, and I was told that there is a second process for forgiveness, and despite asking, was never once told how long this entire process should take. I did confirm that nothing was holding back my form other than their processing times. I requested that my paperwork be expedited, as I was never informed that I was actually eligible in XX/XX/XXXX, or that MOHELA tracks the numbers differently than XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I was told it could only be expedited if MOHELA made an error. I told the representative that this MOHELA 's error, as it was not accurately updated in XXXX. Moreover, had the number been accurately updated when my last employment verification was completed, and when the loans transferred to MOHELA in XXXX of XXXX, I would have immediately submitted the request for PSLF, and this nightmare would hopefully already be over. 

It is shocking and disheartening that I was provided misinformation in XXXX / XXXX of XXXX, delaying my PSLF process. The lack of transparency is causing extreme stress. The constantly changing, lengthy and unclear timelines provided by MOHELA are, at best, insufficient, but also wholly negligent. I understand MOHELA is experiencing a high volume, but without a date certain when my PSLF application will be completed, I am losing out on valuable career opportunities. I am unable to seek better paying employment while I am awaiting the completion of my loan forgiveness. The employment that I am currently seeking would, in no uncertain terms, be a completely life-changing, and ensure financial security for myself and my family. 

I have put my ten years in, and then some. Now it is time for MOHELA to do its part. I have completed all of the requirements of PSLF, I have continued to work far past that, and to now not have the certainty when this will be completed is crippling. Every time I think about how MOHELA has treated my loans, I get a pit in my stomach. For them to now 1 ) not have a clear guide on how the process works, 2 ) not have clear, reasonable timelines for how long the process takes, and 3 ) have a huge delay in processing, is simply unreasonable. There is no reason why processing one form should take 1/3 of the available business days of the year.

I have attached two contemporaneous notes. One from XX/XX/XXXX, that indicated I checked my MOHELA account and I had approximately 6 months left before I hit XXXX payments, and the notes from my conversation on XX/XX/XXXX.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief