Consumer complaint received 2021-09-28
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: VA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
The following complaints are being made against FedLoan 's handling of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and their practice of determining what payment is eligible vs ineligible. 

Complaint # 1 : I have been employed by an XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. With this employment, I am currently involved in the PSLF program with anticipated forgiveness in XX/XX/XXXX. However, per FedLoan, fourteen of my payments do not qualify towards the 120 payments needed for loan forgiveness. As stated by the PSLF requirements, I have done the following : 1. Made payments after XX/XX/XXXX ( qualifying payments began XX/XX/XXXX ). 
2. Each total amount required was made in full ( based on my XXXX account history ). 
3. Each payment was made on or before the XXXX of each month ( well within 15 days of the due date ). 
4. Each payment made has been under a qualifying repayment plan ( IBR/IDR ). 
5. Each payment made has been while working full-time at a qualifying employer ( XXXX  ). 

I have spoken with several reps from FedLoan wanting to remedy the issue of these fourteen " ineligible '' payments made in XXXX ( XXXX - XXXX, XXXX ), XXXX ( XXXX - XXXX, XXXX - XXXX ). 

Below shows my communications with the company : On XX/XX/XXXX spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( ID # XXXX ). She stated she was marking all my ineligible payments for review. 

On XX/XX/XXXX spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( ID # XXXX ). He mentioned my account was still under review. He couldn't tell me how long the review process would last. He hung up on me. 

OnXXXX  spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( ID # XXXX ). She mentioned the account was still under review. 

On XX/XX/XXXX spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( # XXXX ). He mentioned that my account was under review. After I made mention that it has been under review since XX/XX/XXXX. He asked for more detail on my situation. He stated the ineligible payments were not placed under review. It was my entire account placed under review. He stated he placed my payments in question under review and that I should hear from someone soon. 

On XX/XX/XXXX spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( # XXXX ). This was the rudest call I have experienced with FedLoan by far. She stated that my case had been closed ( though I haven't received any update about my case ). She stated that I had been late on payments starting in XXXX. I mentioned to the rep that this was incorrect. She stated that nothing was going to be changed. Asked to speak with someone else, she hung up on me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX spoke with FedLoan Rep XXXX ( # XXXX ). He stated that though I made payments on time, they were not applied to my federal loans. And in spite of what my account history states with my previous loan servicer, the payments I made in XXXX & XXXX were distributed in a way that did not go towards fulfilling my monthly balance. So, on " FedLoan 's end '', I did not make full payments within the time frame needed to be counted as an eligible payment. He stated that the only solution he could give me would be to fill out a forbearance form for XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This would make my loans current for XX/XX/XXXX, and then my fourteen ineligible payments would be counted towards PSLF. Per rep, he was emailing the form to me " right now ''. Also, I asked him to send the document explaining the distribution of my payments. He stated he would send it but it will take 30 days. 

I am not receptive to signing a forbearance form as I was never late with any federal loan payments. Also, it was never explained to me how this would affect my current loan status, credit report, IDR plan status, and PSLF participation. 

Complaint # 2 This company has removed the majority of communications regarding my PSLF from my account 's inbox. Some of the forms that are listed for viewing show an error. Also, there are no billing statements in my account 's inbox. 

Complaint # 3 This company has changed my eligibility date for loan forgiveness, even after a former PSLF application result shows otherwise. For example, I have one PSLF document stating I am eligible for loan forgiveness on XX/XX/XXXX. Another state I'm eligible for loan forgiveness on XX/XX/XXXX. A third form projects my eligibility date to be XX/XX/XXXX. On the form with the later date of eligibility for forgiveness, I have a high number of eligible payments already made. Of course, I do not agree with the dates that are given due to evidence I have showing I have made qualifying payments which should result in me being eligible for loan forgiveness in XX/XX/XXXX. 

Complaint # 4 FedLoan does not communicate well with student borrowers. I have been promised documentation that has not been sent to me. I have sent emails inquiring about the document promised. FedLoan has not responded. On XX/XX/XXXX, while speaking to the representative, he stated he was emailing the forbearance form to me " right now. '' I have not received this form yet.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief