Consumer complaint received 2021-03-28
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: AL
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:
I began making payments towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) under a qualifying payment plan in XXXX. I have applied three times for student loan forgiveness with my current loan provider, Federal Loan Servicing. I initially applied for PSLF on XX/XX/XXXX, and was wrongfully denied on XX/XX/XXXX due to four payments I made in XXXX not being applied towards my forgiveness application ( XXXX XXXX ). My XX/XX/XXXX payment was also not taken into account for my application for a total of 5 payments. Federal Loan Servicing states this was due to my loans transferring from XXXX XXXX. However, at the time of being denied forgiveness, my online account read " We're working with your prior servicers to gather information to properly assess your payment history. '' This confirms I was denied forgiveness when payments were still being reviewed. To this date, there has been no follow-up from Federal Loan Servicing on my payment history with XXXX XXXX. 

I then applied for Temporary Expanded Public Loan Forgiveness ( TEPSLF ) on XX/XX/XXXX, which is a program you can apply for if your PSLF was denied. I also waited four months until the Federal Loan Servicing online system updated to reflect that I had made the 120 payments. In the meantime, I submitted three requests with Federal Loan Servicing for a review of payments ( dates of requests XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX ) ; two of these requests were denied and the XXXX request is currently pending and can take 90-180 days to complete a review. To this date, Federal Loan Servicing has not communicated with me on the results from any of these reviews and I have had no follow-up on the status of my TEPSLF application. To note, I also have not received any confirmation that I even applied for TEPSLF. 

I have since re-applied for PSLF on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. My account recently updated incorrectly. It went from 116 eligible payments to 118 eligible payments. It is missing employment verification for four months ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Federal Loan Servicing stating my PSLF application was denied. Once again, I am being wrongfully denied with four unaccounted months not being factored into the decision. I am perplexed as to at how I was approved for XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, and not XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX, when I have been with the same employer since XXXX. 

I have spoken with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) Office of Consumer Advocacy. in an attempt to resolve this issue. I was informed the reason for all of these issues is due to changes in federal regulations. I want to make note that when I initially applied for forgiveness in XXXX that I was denied in two weeks. However, when it comes to my loans being forgiven the timeframe continues to be pushed into the future furthermore. I reach out to Federal Loan Servicing every other week to follow-up on the status. I have spoken with management on a few occasions with no resolve. At one point, I was told my account would not update until the CARES Act is finalized. This concerns me, as the CARES Act continues to be pushed into the future with a current end date of XX/XX/XXXX, and possible continuation. I continue to remain employed in public service until my loans are forgiven. However, this is preventing me from pursuing XXXX XXXX full time in the XXXX XXXX field. Presently there is a high demand for XXXX XXXX XXXX  due to the pandemic.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief