Consumer complaint received 2024-09-20
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC. (NY)

XX/XX/year> To Whom It May Concern : I, XXXX XXXX, am submitting a formal complaint against Navient, a student loan servicer, for their failure to provide adequate service and for engaging in practices that have caused significant financial harm to me as a borrower. Below are the specific details of my complaint : 1. Misleading and Confusing Information Regarding Repayment Options Navient has consistently provided me with incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information regarding my repayment options. When I initially sought guidance on available repayment plans, particularly income-driven repayment ( IDR ) plans, I was not informed of all available options. Navient representatives provided incomplete details, failing to explain key aspects of these plans, including eligibility criteria, payment calculations, and how to apply for forgiveness programs under these plans. 

In addition, when I requested information on consolidating my loans and entering a new repayment plan, the guidance I received was both inconsistent and contradictory, causing further confusion. As a result, I was unable to make informed decisions, leading to missed opportunities to lower my monthly payments and ultimately increasing my total loan burden.

2. Failure to Properly Apply Payments Over the course of several months, I have experienced numerous instances where Navient failed to properly apply payments to my account. Despite submitting timely payments, these payments were either applied to the wrong loan or not credited to my account at all, causing my account to reflect inaccurate balances. I was subsequently charged late fees and accrued additional interest due to Navient 's misapplication of my payments. 

Despite multiple calls to their customer service department to resolve these issues, the problem persists, and I have not been given a clear explanation for why payments are not being applied correctly. This has caused severe financial distress, as I am now facing a higher loan balance and additional fees that should not have been assessed.

3. Failure to Provide Accurate Information on Loan Forgiveness Programs I am also extremely dissatisfied with Navient 's handling of loan forgiveness programs. I have contacted Navient on numerous occasions to inquire about my eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) and other forgiveness options, as I have been working in a qualifying public service position for several years. However, Navient failed to provide accurate information regarding the specific requirements of the PSLF program and did not properly track my qualifying payments toward forgiveness.

As a result of this failure, I am not receiving credit for all the payments I have made while employed in a public service position. This has caused significant delays in my progress toward loan forgiveness, unfairly extending the time I must continue making payments on my loans.

4. Steering Into Forbearance Instead of Income-Driven Repayment Plans When I reached out to Navient to discuss options for lowering my payments during periods of financial hardship, I was steered into forbearance instead of being properly informed about income-driven repayment plans, which would have been a better solution for my financial situation. As a result, my loan balance increased due to the accumulation of interest during the periods of forbearance, which was not clearly explained to me at the time. This has further increased my financial burden and delayed my progress toward eventual loan forgiveness.

5. Poor Customer Service and Lack of Accountability The level of customer service provided by Navient has been consistently poor. Representatives frequently provide conflicting information, fail to follow up on issues, and seem ill-equipped to handle even basic inquiries about loan repayment and servicing. I have been forced to spend hours on the phone trying to resolve issues that should have been addressed promptly, and my requests for escalation to higher levels of management have often been ignored or dismissed.

In addition to these systemic issues, Navient has shown a lack of accountability when addressing the errors they have caused in my account. I have not received satisfactory explanations or resolutions for the misapplied payments, inaccurate balance calculations, and improper guidance regarding repayment options and loan forgiveness.

Conclusion and Desired Resolution Navient 's actionsor lack thereofhave caused significant financial harm and emotional distress. As a student loan borrower, I relied on Navient to provide accurate and timely information about my loans and repayment options, yet they have consistently failed to do so. I am seeking the following resolutions : 1. A thorough review of my loan account to ensure that all payments are properly applied and credited, with any incorrect charges, late fees, or accrued interest removed from my account.

2. An accurate reassessment of my eligibility and progress toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) and other loan forgiveness programs, with appropriate credit given for all qualifying payments made to date.

3. Reimbursement for any fees and interest accrued as a result of Navient 's failure to provide accurate information about income-driven repayment plans and their improper steering into forbearance.

4. A formal explanation from Navient acknowledging their errors and detailing corrective actions taken to prevent these issues from recurring.

5. Compensation for the financial harm and emotional distress caused by Navient 's failure to provide competent and reliable service.

I trust that the CFPB will take my complaint seriously and investigate Navient 's practices thoroughly. Navient 's behavior has not only impacted my financial well-being but has also caused widespread harm to countless other borrowers who rely on them for accurate loan servicing.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to a resolution that addresses the issues outlined above and prevents further harm to other borrowers. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX