Consumer complaint received 2019-08-08
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: OH
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:
My story is like most stories held by others who are anxiously awaiting Public Service Loan Forgiveness. I was the first in my family to attend college and I went on to pay my own way through undergraduate and graduate school at two of the top universities in Ohio. 

As a kid growing up in the city of XXXX, I always knew I wanted to help people and make a difference ; but I didnt know exactly what career path that would lead me to. I graduated from the University XXXX XXXX in XXXX with a XXXX in XXXX and I was one of the first students to receive a XXXX in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I knew I had to pursue graduate school if I wanted to be employed and afford to live on my own. I immediately entered XXXX XXXX XXXX Universitys  XXXX XXXX XXXX  and worked diligently for two years to receive a XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX license. 

Knowing I was graduating during the Great Recession, I acted quickly to find ways to manage my looming amount of student loan debt. I was entering the XXXX XXXX field where my first job was starting at {$26000.00} with long hours and unsafe conditions. Unlike many of my fellow classmates, I didnt have financial assistance available from my parents or other means to pay for my education. I was fortunate to have an aunt who allowed me to live with her for many years in order for me to be able to afford my monthly student loan payments and also continue to provide financial support to my aging parents. 

I found the PSLF program my last year of graduate school and immediately had my eligible loans consolidated, entered an Income Based Repayment Plan and made every monthly payment. I spoke with the loan companies and the Department of Education regularly to ensure I was correctly enrolled and waited as patiently as I could for details to arise about how the PSLF would work. Once more information became available regarding the PSLF, I completed paperwork and submitted it to ensure that I was maintaining my eligibility for this program. 

Over the last ten years, I have worked at five different places of employment, all of which have met the qualifications for PSLF. I have submitted all necessary paperwork, often multiple times due to the mishandling of documents by the loan servicer. I made numerous calls to clarify and correct information and to verify I was still eligible and on the path for PSLF. I have never deferred, defaulted or missed a single loan payment. 

Not all public service jobs are alike. In the XXXX XXXX field, the employment opportunities are often long hours, low pay, and high stress which leads to compassion fatigue, secondary trauma and burnout. Ive read many articles related to the hardships people are facing due to misleading information about PSLF. Stories from doctors, lawyers, teachers and others. I want someone to be sure to tell the story of XXXX XXXX. 

In these last ten years, I worked in XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX   XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX. I have worked with XXXX  who experience XXXX  XXXX and XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX and our XXXX XXXX. I have XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX for XXXX with XXXX, XXXX policies to prevent XXXX XXXX in XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX to address the XXXX  crisis in our communities. I did this work because I have an unwavering belief my purpose is to serve. I did this work because I have seen how our systems continue to fail and harm our neighbors, schools and communities. 

I didnt go into this field to make money or even with the knowledge that PSLF was an option. I did it to pursue my purpose to serve and try to use my gifts to influence change. And honestly, that mission has come at a cost due to the amount of sacrifices I have made to maintain my eligibility for this PSLF. Sacrifices that look like forgoing better paying job opportunities, not building a substantial savings account to buy a home, and staying in jobs where I have been XXXX XXXX. 

Ten years ago, I graduated with my XXXX XXXX and started this PSLF journey. That passion fueled, service driven woman who was ready to work hard and change systems is worn down by a series of failed promises. The year I have been waiting for has come and I unfortunately do not know what lies ahead. I have completed all the necessary steps for the PSLF and have been informed over the last several months by the Department of Education that they are now manually counting my payments to determine my eligibility. They state this could take up to a year to complete. I have called relentlessly over these last ten years, took names and employee ID numbers, received different confirmations and various stories related to the fate of my student loans. I have watched them lose my paperwork several times thus delaying processing. Because of the high interest rates, my total loan amount is reaching well over {$100000.00}. 
But I dont have any answe
rs. The Department of Education has informed me this week that they do not either. They are unable to give me any information related to my PSLF status and if I will even have my loans forgiven. I am so close and yet also so far away from knowing what direction I am going in. I have put off opportunities not only to make more money to support myself but more importantly, to effect change on a bigger level than any XXXX  I have ever worked for. I cant move to fulfill my dreams of living near my family or starting a family of my own in fear of jeopardizing my PSLF eligibility. 

My story is like many others who have been working in the XXXX XXXX field and tirelessly pursuing PSLF. Our field cant survive without this kind of loan relief. In a time where we need more XXXX XXXX we are at great risk of losing an entire industry of helpers. When I speak to students, interns and new hires looking to be in XXXX XXXX or the XXXX XXXX, I have to have an honest conversation with them about the risks that come with choosing this career path. Not only do we face the risk of XXXX, burn out and high stress levels, we also now carry the burden of not knowing if we can financially care for ourselves and our families because of the choice to be of service. For something that should feel like a gift, it is starting to feel more like a punishment. 

I hold a lot of privilege as a XXXX woman who has received a XXXX XXXX degree and maintains a successful career. I do not take the opportunity for PSLF for granted and have gone above and beyond to meet the qualifications for this program. If sharing my student loan debt experience can help catalyze change to support others in this field than I want to be sure I use my voice as an instrument of change. 

I appreciate you taking the time to listen to my story and I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss this further. 

Timeline Please note : calls were made regularly to verify eligibility for PSLF, paperwork was submitted regularly and on time to prove income for IBR, payments were made monthly with no lapse of time or delay. I have documentation and proof of payment since XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX- graduated from the University XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX-graduated from XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX- applied for loan consolidation with XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX-application accepted and loans consolidated through XXXX XXXX with Income Based Repayment ( IBR ) XX/XX/XXXX- received a letter stating XXXX XXXX  sent me an Income Contingent Repayment ( ICR ) letter in error when I have and continue to be on the Income Based Repayment ( IBR ) plan. 
XX/XX/XXXX-XXXX XXXX informed me that they were transferring my account to XXXX XX/XX/XXXX-received notice from XXXX they were putting my loans in forbearance, rectified via the phone that this was an error due to glitches with loan transfer from XXXX XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX- Employee Certification submitted to XXXX XX/XX/XXXX-notification from XXXX that my loans are to be transferred to FedLoan XX/XX/XXXX-employee certification submitted to Fed Loan XX/XX/XXXX-Employee certification re-submitted to Fed Loan XX/XX/XXXX-received notice from Fed Loan that only employment from XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX is recognized as certified employment for PSLF. Spoke with representative on the phone that this is an error and still reviewing. 
XX/XX/XXXX-received letter from Fed Loan stating that I have only made 50 qualifying payments total and that I have 70 more remaining putting me at a PSLF eligibility date of XX/XX/XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX-spoke with Fed Loan regarding letter and was informed this was a blanket letter that went out to all borrowers and that my Employee Certification was approved ( please note I did not receive any kind of electronic or written notification ) and that the final step is to manually county my remaining payments. She stated this could take 1 month to 1 year. 
XX/XX/XXXX-Contacted Fed Loan to follow up on status of manual recount of repayments. Was informed that my loans are still being recounted and that I should not contact as Fed Loan will notify me when the review is complete. 
XX/XX/XXXX- received another update from Fed Loan stating they reviewed my application and once again same results, 50 payments made, 70 remain. I contacted them because this was a more detailed letter that stated this year alone I only made six payments when I had the payment record right in front of me on their website. I was informed that if I had payment documentation to upload it to the website because they are very overwhelmed and could use the help. 
XX/XX/XXXX- all ten years of loan payment documentation as well as IRS statements were uploaded to my Fed Loan file. I contact Fed Loan on XX/XX/XXXX to ensure they received it and they verified they did and they would mark it as escalated. 
XX/XX/XXXX- received an electronic letter stating During a review of your loans, we removed an Administrative Forbearance that was previously applied to your loans because we received updated information that changed your eligibility. See below for updated details on your impacted loans. 
XX/XX/XXXX- received an email update informing me that my payment count review has been updated and that I am scheduled for PSLF XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX- contacted Fed Loan who informed me that my initial payments in XX/XX/XXXX/XX/XX/XXXX were not under the correct plan so they dont count. She also informed me that payments from XX/XX/XXXX until now have not been counted because I need to resubmit Employee Verification forms. **None of this information has been provided to me in the past and I have had regular if not weekly phone calls with DOE .

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation