Consumer complaint received 2017-01-13
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: WI
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Trouble with how payments are handled

Complaint:
I filed my Employment Certification form for the Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness program, checking the box that states I am unable to obtain signatures from my previous employers. I faxed my materials with a letter explaining that I work for a foundation in a role that manages grants made directly to my former employer, creating an unethical conflict of interest if I were to request my former boss to sign a document that impacts my personal finances. This could create a power dynamic or be seen as an emolument because I make funding decisions regarding their organization, and this request could be seen as a favor that could weaken the professional integrity of my role. I expected to supply pay stubs to confirm my employment with this agency, but two separate communications with the agency say I am unable to do this, which seems wrong. 

Secondly, I was a XXXX member, working full-time as a salaried XXXX but not making monthly payments toward my federal loans because I was in XXXX and on deferment due to XXXX service. The XXXX awards I earned through this program are eligible to be considered qualifying payments toward the XXXX needed to meet criteria for loan forgiveness. But since I was an employee of the school, not of XXXX, I was told over the phone that I could not claim these awards as qualifying payments, which also seems incorrect. My phone connection was disconnected, no attempt was made to reach me, despite them requesting my contact information at the beginning of the call. I submitted an electronic request for assistance as well, and it has been XXXX days with no response. 
Thirdly, it seems very unfair that no matter how much my total XXXX awards amount to ( I received XXXX full awards ), I am only eligible to qualify for a maximum of 12 months of qualifying monthly payments, even if the awards would amount to more than 12 months of payments. This, coupled with the fact that I am unable to apply for loan forgiveness until after the 120th qualifying payment, and must remain employed at a nonprofit or qualifying employer until the forgiveness is actually processed, and there is no stated timeline for how long that may take on the documentation I 've reviewed, appears designed to minimize the value of this program that has been touted to me as a benefit and has been the basis of my debt reduction strategy for years ( I am paying lower-interest private loans first because they will not be forgiven ). 
Finally, I am recently married, and therefore my Income Driven Repayment Plan payments are now at their max, the same as a 10 year repayment plan would be because we are a dual-income household. But this does n't account for the private student loans I am also paying. Altogether, these amount to 20 % of my gross pay. And the student loan interest deduction credit I claim is XXXX per household, not individual, so my wife and I effectively forego {$2500.00} of tax deductions by nature of us being married rather than single.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief