Consumer complaint received 2024-09-18
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Problem with your payment plan
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC. (AZ)

I'm uncertain if I should or should not consolidate my ( XXXX ) loans? I have been paying consistently for over 14 years, after probably 6 years of deferment and forbearance ( that I was mislead into doing because I was steered that way, given my circumstances then, but... never advised of the effect it would have on my balance, or ballooning it as it has or ever advised of OTHER options ). I was told just last Monday XX/XX/XXXX by Navient that I should " strongly consider consolidation '' as it would " increase my chances of receiving debt forgiveness '' as opposed to not doing it and only having the lessor amount forgiven ( if at all ) and still be stuck with the higher loan to pay off then ... Is this an accurate statement, do you know? I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO BELIEVE OR WHO TO TRUST ANYMORE because of all the bad information I've received since XXXX with XXXX XXXX, my servicer then. And, by the way, I made a one-time, lump sum payment around XXXX to XXXX XXXX for XXXX initial balance then, in the amount of {$5000.00} and THEY FAILED TO RECORD IT and THERE IS NO RECORD of it, and IT NEVER CARRIED OVER TO Navient when they obtained my loan, probably around XXXX? 

That is the only reason I would even consider consolidation, because my current rate is 3.5 % and it will go up if I consolidate, but it seems REGARDLESS, that my debt fails to decrease because Navient has FAILED TO INFORM ME OF Charges that I've incurred, which I just found out again XX/XX/XXXX, and explains why my record of my current balance fail to match their " current balance '' and we're off by more than {$15000.00}! And, by the way, on SEVERAL occasions I've been promised records, but they NEVER ARRIVE in the mail, even after I've verified my address, and I've also been told sometime they XXXX not provided such records ... really makes no sense, but I digress. I finally obtained XXXX sets and have cross-checked them and compared them to my records and again, the math never added up, but once I was advised just last week of " hidden charges that were never disclosed '' that was the missing link and all of a sudden, now I know why- this information was disclosed to me by the last Rep I spoke with, but it still fails to resolve the difference in the supposed outstanding balance. 

I'm currently on an income-based repayment plan ( as of XX/XX/XXXX ), because I'm no longer able to pay the amount I was paying on my graduated repayment plan ( which was a complete rip off by the way, but was the ONLY OPTION I WAS OFFERED in XXXX when I was making payments then but was trying to work with them to actually make progress.. all the while just being financially enslaved to them for NO RESOLVE to my balance ), that I've been paying all these past XXXX or so years. 

The other " kicker '' that really gets my goat is that my loan was originally XXXX upon my graduation in XXXX, then after all the deferment/forbearance I was steered into ( and given NO OTHER OPTIONS ), it was all of a sudden XXXX. I've been paying monthly, non-stop, every month, even during XXXX, I haven't missed XXXX payment since this plan started and even before when I was paying religiously each month, for over XXXX, XXXX even be 19 years, according to my records. According to my calculations, I should only owe about XXXX or XXXX at XXXX Navient 's XXXX they say I still owe is OVER XXXX ...! As of today. Complete JOKE. No way to run a repayment plan for anyone or any reason. 

And every time I call, I get a new person and its a never-ending joke and I have to start all over and go with what THAT PERSON THINKS is " best '' and what they actually feel like telling me and offering me, regardless of what might be best for the situation. 

Not too mention ever since repaying my loans, I've been charges countless fee 's and interest, seemingly for NOTHING and to " bring my account current '' yet it never seems to make a difference with the balance, probably been charged multiple fee 's for the same missed or deferred payment, have been denied access to obtain records of my transaction/payment history, been unsuccessful to have them research and conclude about the missing and never accounted for one-time lump sum $ XXXX payment I made early on ( and I no longer bank with XXXX XXXX, so have XXXX access or records of my own, unfortunately ), have continuously received confusing and conflicting and vague information about options, repayment programs, forgiveness, qualifications, and other forms and options for repayment and/or relief, have been steered into interest accruing options such as forbearance and deferment without proper and clearly explained consequences and effects all while never been offered any other options that would've avoided ballooning my balance ( if in fact it is correct ), and it has just gone unresolved ever since I have been repaying, causing undue stress, anguish, frustration and costed me thousands apparently, never making much progress in actually paying down the balance, according to their records. All with no real explanation or information to justify, backup and explain their conclusion and calculations. It is literally just a nightmare and caused me to essentially conclude I will pay until I'm dead and screwed and will actually never pay this off, which is absurd, ridiculous and downright gross negligence and unethical. Pathetic.