Consumer complaint received 2021-05-18
Company: Kohn Law Firm S.C.
State: WI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Federal student loan debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX : Received Order to Appear Before Court Commissioner from Kohn Law Offices regarding judgement balance on Wisconsin Case Number XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Contacted UW-XXXX requesting detailed accounting of balance owed, charges, and monies paid to date as the balance owed on the notice of {$7900.00} was not correct. I was looking to resolve and pay the balance off before or at the time of the appearance before the Commissioner. 

XX/XX/XXXX : UW-XXXX advised this information needed to come from XXXX and XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Received ledger from XXXX and XXXX which provided limited detail and did not reflect Wisconsin Tax refund withholdings from XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, or XXXX taxes. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Contacted UW-XXXX regarding above missing payments with XXXX and XXXX on copy and provided one WI Tax Withholding letter from XXXX and again requested a detailed ledger. 

XX/XX/XXXX : UW-XXXX advised they were also in contact with XXXX and XXXX to obtain a breakdown of the account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Followed up to the request for a detailed accounting ledger and reconciliation of tax withholdings. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Received same ledger with limited detail and a slightly reduced balance. The balance reduction did not reflect the missing tax withholding payments and again requested detailed accounting ledger. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Received another updated balance and email including bullets of tax withholdings applied to the balance. I advised in reply that the XXXX tax withholding of {$770.00} was still missing and, based on the ledger received with limited detail, advised that there were duplicate fee charges based on court records. Extremely concerned after finding $ XXXX in payment discrepancies as well as the duplicate charges, reiterated I was attempting to pay the balance in full but discrepancies needed to be addressed and account reconciled. 

XX/XX/XXXX : At appearance before the Commissioner, I was advised Commissioner would only be involved if we could not reach a settlement and he left the room. In the call with Kohn Law Offices, I advised of the above events and my attempt to pay the balance in full but the discrepancies and accounting needed to be addressed. Kohn Law Offices only seemed interested in my new employer or if I had filed XXXX taxes yet, presumably so they can file for further garnishment and not resolve the issue at hand with me. Kohn Law Offices advised they saw the balance was updated ( reduced ) to which I pushed back that it was not updated correctly, was still missing payments, reflected duplicated charges, and that we needed to reconcile the balance owed so that I could pay off the balance. I expressed again I want to pay this in full and avoid garnishment as it is not necessary and I want an end to this judgment. We ended with Kohn Law Offices to follow up with XXXX and XXXX on the additional missing payments and they wanted me to submit pay stubs for my current job which is not relevant to the issue of resolving the discrepancies on the account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Followed up with XXXX and XXXX due to no response from XX/XX/XXXX correspondence, included the proof of the XXXX tax withholding, reiterated discrepancies, and reiterated I was looking to settle the account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX and XXXX advised the XXXX tax withholding was not received by UW-XXXX and to please provide the WI DOR letter, which I already provided on XX/XX/XXXX, and received general statement that interest continues to accrue on the balance and is why the reduced balance did not equal the applied tax withholdings. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Requested again detailed accounting ledger from XXXX and XXXX to include fees being charged and interest being charged as this is what I have been repeatedly requesting and repeatedly questioning as the limited details received to date did not reflect the balance I showed was owed. 

XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX and XXXX advised they contacted Kohn Law Offices for a breakdown and history on the account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Received detailed accounting ledger from XXXX and XXXX, advised I was out of town on a business trip and would review upon return. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Submitted a revised copy of the ledger to XXXX and XXXX reflecting discrepancies which included but was not limited to duplicate charges for fees as compared against court records, missing XXXX tax withholding ( which at this point I provided proof of twice ), and also asked for my question on the interest charges to be addressed as there was no pattern to the fluctuation in charges I was incurring according to their records and the interest being charged to me was increasing as the balance owed was decreasing. Also offered to schedule time to review with XXXX and XXXX if they had questions on the documentation I submitted. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Followed up with XXXX and XXXX on the above due to no response. 

XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX and XXXX advised the tax offset which I already submitted proof of XXXX {$770.00} to UW-XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ) was not received and now referred me to Kohn Law Offices general number. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Requested a direct/specific contact for Kohn Law Offices XX/XX/XXXX : Submitted all documentation and recap of issues in writing via USPS to Kohn Law Offices with copy to XXXX and XXXX and Court Commissioner detailing line by line what was missing from accounting ledger, what entries were wrong and why, and the balance I show to be owed based on these corrections but again questioning the interest being charged due to inconsistencies of charges and the increase in interest charges while balance was decreasing. Provided email address in addition to street address, which they already have, and reiterated payment would be made in full once the balance was adjusted accordingly. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Received direct contact for Kohn Law Offices and advised I had already submitted all of the details in writing the day before. I also advised I was happy to get on the phone with anyone however the accounting details I provided needed to be reviewed first so that they can be addressed. 

XX/XX/XXXX : To date, I have not received a response or acknowledgment of any type from Kohn Law Offices or XXXX and XXXX  from my detailed written correspondence sent via USPS on XX/XX/XXXX. I have, however, found Kohn Law Offices to be searching my professional file on XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation