Consumer complaint received 2018-10-24
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: MD
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:
This year I submitted my Income based request. I was informed that due to my new marraige status and that my husband and I filed together I no longer qualified. Once i recieved this noticed, I called XXXX and requested my options to be put on other plans as I could not afford the standard repayment. I was informed that the graduate plan or extended graduate ( I cant recall exactly which was it was but my payments were to be around {$300.00} something ) plan would be by best option as my husband is in a program currently to get himself out of default with his student loans and his payments could not be considered when revising my payments. The woman at XXXX went through the process with me and stated to remove me off of the income driven plan, I would be required to go into forbearance for a month and then make one qualifying payments in XXXX for either the full amount or {$5.00}. On XX/XX/18, I received a new payment terms notice which listed me back on the standard plan, followed by the notice of being put on forbearance ( gaining more interest on my account due to this ). After not receiving anything regarding my payment plan changing after making the {$5.00} payment in XXXX and receiving a new bill due XX/XX/2018 for {$460.00}, I called again on XX/XX/2018 to check the status. At this time, I was told the paperwork regarding my request was still being processed and once again this was the best plan for my situation. I emailed on XX/XX/2018 & XX/XX/2018 asking once again for a status, I received back a confirmation that they had received my emails but never got a response. On XX/XX/2018, I called in yet again, I informed the representative of the situation, explained it was showing I have a payment due soon and was still wondering what the status was as it had been two months since I made the request. The rep told me I should never have been on the forbearance to begin with and it was not needed to move me on to this plan. She told me she was going to expedite my request to the new plan and it would be processed in 7-10 business days. I then asked about the payment that was coming due, she informed me to not pay the payment, that it was incorrect and it would not have any affect on my credit or come back as late. Fast forward to XX/XX/18. after receiving a text telling me my payment was late. I logged in once again to check my account and the status. Today, on XX/XX/2018, I called again and was once again informed that the plan switch was still being processed and that I was late and needed to pay. I explained that the previous rep told me not to and that the paperwork was supposed to be expedited and that was supposed take care of the late payment notice. Now once again, I have been put back in forbearance to make my account current and in good standing ( gaining more interest on this account due to their error ) and was told yet again they would be expediting my request to change plans. 

I have made on time payments since I started making payments on these loans. I have been in contact with them and take paying back my loans seriously. Every rep I get acts like they solved the problem and then I have to call back again. When I ask why it wasn't handled the proper way in the first place, I receive back a I dont know response. I am simply trying to get on a plan that I can afford and continue to make my payments as I have been. Instead I am continuing to rack up months of interest being forced into forbearance over and over again due to their error.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief