Consumer complaint received 2018-09-19
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company: AES/PHEAA (NY)

In XXXX I returned from XXXX XXXX service in the XXXX XXXX. I had not known about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) program going into XXXX XXXX but learned about it while serving. Upon returning I inquired about whether my service could be included in PSLF retroactively and was told it could not. 

Upon getting a job with a non-profit organization in XXXX, I submitted all of the documents that I was told by XXXX were necessary to enroll in PSLF. Throughout XXXX I regularly submitted employment recertification paperwork and spoke with various XXXX representatives over the phone to ensure that I was in fact enrolled in PSLF. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX to inquire about my loan coming out of forbearance. I had requested a forbearance in XX/XX/XXXX after my monthly payment had greatly increased due to a recertification ( I had submitted the recertification request because XXXX sent me a message stating I was required to do so ). While on the phone with XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ), I inquired out of curiosity how many PSLF-qualifying payments I had made and what the remaining balance was to complete the program. She told me there was only one payment on record. I inquired as to how this could be if I had been making qualifying payments for the past XXXX  years ; she stated that my recent certification had effectively created a new loan and nullified my previous payments. I objected on the basis of having been misled ; she responded that the recertification form I submitted included language describing all consequences of the recertification. I asked what could be done and she said nothing. 

I asked to speak to someone else and was transferred to XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ). She reiterated XXXX XXXX claim that nothing could be done but ensured me that a manager would call me back to discuss the issue further. 

Having decided to file a complaint with CFPB, I called XXXX again on XX/XX/XXXX to request further information. This time I spoke with XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ), who gave me a completely different story. She stated that I had XXXX PSLF-qualifying payments on record ; none of my payments had ever counted toward PSLF because all along I was enrolled in a standard repayment plan, while an individual must be enrolled in an income-based repayment ( IBR ) plan to qualify for PSLF. 

She also said that an income-driven repayment plan application was submitted XX/XX/XXXX. I asked her ; according to XXXX records, what plans did the application state that I was moving from and to? She answered that it was a request to go from an income-driven repayment plan to a revised pay as you earn plan. 

I probed further : Before you said I was on standard plan since XXXX, but just now you said I applied to go from an income-driven repayment plan to a revised pay as you earn plan in XXXX XXXX. How can that be? She replied that I had allegedly never made an " opt out payment '' of a one-month payment amount or XXXX dollars ( {$5.00} ) .I told her that I specifically remember discussing the opt-out payment with a XXXX representative and that I had agreed over the phone to make the payment - that representative processed the payment on the spot. He read a XXXX script and I consented to have the payment processed. Still, she insisted nothing could be done for me. I clarified ; you're telling me that I will miss out on XXXX years worth of PSLF-qualifying payments because a XXXX representative made the error of failing to process a one-time XXXX dollar payment? She said yes. 

I requested she send me the dates of every phone conversation I've had with XXXX since XXXX - she agreed. I also requested to have an income-driven repayment plan application sent to me. She agreed and said both documents should arrive around the same time, in about 7 days. I asked her what the status of my call-back from a XXXX manager was. She said managers don't do call-backs and I shouldnt expect one, despite her notes reflecting that I requested it. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received the two documents I requested from XXXX ; the record of dates I spoke with XXXX representatives and the Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) Plan Request form. I read through the entire IDR Plan Request form and there is no mention whatsoever of PSLF. 

I am including the following documents as evidence in my complaint : -Timeline of events -Timeline of all phone conversations between myself and XXXX -Employment Certification Form -Response to Employment Certification Form -Loan snapshots ( 3 ) -IDR Recertification Request -IDR Application -IDR Application response -PSLF Qualifying Payment Update -Article describing widespread abuses of PSLF program by XXXX