Consumer complaint received 2017-10-26
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: NC
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 have been working for a government program called XXXX sinceXX/XX/XXXX. I was not even aware of PSLF until XX/XX/XXXX. I filled out my first PSLF application in XX/XX/XXXX. Afterwards, I learned I would need to transfer my loans from XXXX XXXX to XXXX in order to be a part of PSLF. Every year now I submit my PSLF application along with my application to pay via IBR as they require in order to be a part of PSLF ( should n't this be done in conjunction??? ). 

This spring I had a lot of difficulty with the IBR portion of the application and made several calls to XXXX  to clear up the mess I am now in. I filled out the IBR application differently this year as I recently became married. The online application could not be fully completed online because my income had changed ( I reduced my hours in XXXX ) and now I had to submit my husband 's XXXX tax return. At the end of the online application ( which I submitted ) they had a list of steps for me to follow which included re-submitting my IBR application ON PAPER along with my proofs of income. I submitted the required paperwork as they outlined at the end of the online portion of the IBR application ( I could not understand why are they making me re-send an IBR PAPER application as well??? ). 

3-4 weeks later ( why does it have to take this long? ) I got a letter in the mail stating XXXX has now put me on the Standardized Plan. The letter regarding the payment switch from IBR to the Standardized Plan sent me in a frenzy. What the heck? I 'd NEVER been on the Standardized Repayment Plan the entire time I 've been on XXXX. The only reason I am on XXXX is to be on the PSLF program which requires you to re-pay via IBR. I then called XXXX to find out what was going on. Why in the WORLD would I apply for a Standardized Payment Plan when I am on PSLF program??? They could not answer me. At one point the customer service person said this was confidential information she could not give out which prompted me to request I speak to her manager. 

The manager revealed to me on that call that they only had 8 payments documented on PSLF for me. I was confused. I had been on this program sinceXX/XX/XXXX, and not to mention the previous ~2 years I 'd been working for the government. I later learned that those previous 2 years are NOT counted to PSLF because I was paying my loans under XXXX XXXX and not XXXX. I was not aware of this fact until just now ( XX/XX/XXXX ). Also they said they had n't processed my XXXX payments yet so those did not count toward PSLF at the time of my call (XX/XX/XXXX ). The manager then proceeded to tell me I HAVE to be on Standardized Repayment Plan now because it 's " in the middle of processing '' and they ca n't change it. I kept asking WHY? Why ca n't I change it right now, what are the steps I need to take to get this switched over immediately because I need EVERY month to count toward PSLF!? The manager was giving me generic scripted lines and was not of any help. That particular manager made me to feel as if this application processing was my fault. 

I got off the phone and emailed the customer service at US Department of Education. They had my application down as IBR and nothing about Standardized Repayment Plan. The next day I called XXXX  again to explain this. The first customer service person I spoke to said it was " confidential information '' as to why XXXX had me down for Standardized Repayment Plan. I asked to speak to a manager again. I was put on hold for several minutes before I could speak to the manager. This particular manager did apologize that the previous manager I spoke to made me feel as if this was all my fault. The manager revealed that they had one IBR online application filled out correctly which is what the US Department of Education went by and an incorrectly filled out paper application which XXXX is now going by ( the reason the paper application was incorrect was because I apparently checked a box for question number 2 instead of skipping it ). 

I am sure you are feeling as confused as I was ( and still am ). The manager on the phone instructed me to re-fill out an application indicating IBR ( even though  this is already what US Department of Education is going by ). I do not have an answer as to where I am on this awful mess. I re-submitted my application as IBR via the US Department of Education online application ( again ). I got an email from US Department of Education that they had processed my request but I have yet to hear back from XXXX. IT has been > 2 weeks now. 

Why is this application process so difficult? Because they do n't want you to qualify for PSLF, they will do everything in their power to make it difficult to do so. They put you on IBR so that you are paying a minimum amount on your loan so that interest accrues and you end up paying much much much much more for your loan. I think it is best to ignore PSLF if you ask me. You are about to get screwed over by paying a lifetime of student loan interest. The student loan business has much more power over my life.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation