Consumer complaint received 2019-02-28
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: PA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan

Complaint:
I graduated with a XXXX XXXX in XXXX in 2012. I just recently ( the past 3 years ) got a full-time position. I have been paying my loan for several years using the Income Driven Repayment Plan. I pay on time every month. Just recently, I noticed things were not getting any better, and I decided to check my loan balance. I wrote it down at the beginning of XXXX. It was XXXX, XXXX. I paid again on XX/XX/XXXX, and my balance was up to XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. I haven't missed a payment, I pay on time, but I am not making any headway. I decided to call to find out what was going on. The first women told me in 25 years my loan would be forgiven. I will be XXXX. She did not offer any help, so I called back. The second rep offered me the graduated repayment plan, if I paid a {$5.00} exit fee, and put my loan into forebearance. I asked about the interest during that time, and she said XXXX would accrue. I then asked if there was a different option, and why is it that I would have to pay {$5.00} to exit, plus the interest. She then told me I could straight up pay XXXX to exit the plan. I do not have an extra {$2000.00}. I ended up paying the XXXX, and told her I would pay the XXXX during the forebearance. I had also just paid toward my monthly payment, and she told me that XXXX would go toward the interest during forebearance. She also stated that my loan would be paid in 10 years because the payments go up a little every 2 years. I was feeling better. 
This morning, I checked my email. I had 4 emails regarding my NEW plan, which is actually the SAME one I am currently on. Not the graduated plan I had spoken to the rep about. I called again this morning while at work. The women told me she would email the information about the graduated plan in 2-4 hours. It is XXXX. I called this morning at XXXX. She asked me if I wanted them to also send correspondence via postal mail. I said yes. I wanted all the confirmation in writing that they could provide. 
I also just sent them an email on their website : Good evening, I had contacted a representative yesterday regarding a different payment plan. I paid {$5.00} to exit my Income Driven repayment plan, put it into forebearance until XXXX, and then begin a Graduated Repayment Plan at {$600.00}. I received 4 emails stating the terms of my Income Based plan. This is not correct. I DO NOT have this plan any longer. I exited out for XXXX and switched plans. The rep told me my new payment was going to be {$600.00} and some change, that I could pay the interest while my loan is in forebearance, and my NEW payment would start the XXXX of XXXX. EVERY email correspondence that I have received does NOT reflect the changes. 
I phoned this morning and the rep offered to email me the NEW terms for the graduated plan, and that I would receive them within 2- 4 hours. I did not. I also asked her to mail them. 
This is poor business practice, and it does not " help '' your borrowers at all. The recording that is repeated while on hold states that Navient is there to help borrowers get out of debt. This has not been my experience. As a matter of fact, I am MORE in debt due to the plan I was offered prior to my queries yesterday. I split my payment, and always pay BEFORE it is due. This has not reduced my interest at all. I expect someone to respond with the CORRECT information about the graduated plan I was offered. I am displeased at the dishonest business practices used by this company. 
I am trying to get out of debt.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation