Consumer complaint received 2026-03-24 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Problem with forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge
Company: Maximus Federal Services, Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
CFPB COMPLAINT COPY FOR YOUR XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau consumertinance.gov/complaint Complainant : XXXX XXXX Address XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX : XXXX Email : XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX... HOW TO FILE : Go to consumerfinance.gov/complaint Select 'Student loan ' Select 'Federal student loan ' Company : Aidvantage Paste the narrative below CFPB FORM FIELDS FILL IN EXACTLY AS SHOWN Product : Student loan Sub-product : Federal student loan servicing Issue : Dealing with your lender or servicer Problem with customer service Company name : Advantage ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) COMPLAINT NARRATIVE COPY AND PASTE THIS ENTIRE SECTION I am filing this complaint against Advantage ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for repeated mishandling of my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ( XXXX ) discharge application, failure to protect my loans during an active XXXX review period, and improper credit reporting that has caused significant and ongoing financial harm. BACKGROUND I am a person with a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ( XXXX - XXXX XXXX ). In XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a valid TPD discharge application for my federal student loans. My physician, XXXX XXXX XXXX, completed the XXXX XXXX XXXX both electronically and with a manual signature. The XXXX system recorded the XXXX XXXX XXXX as completed on XX/XX/XXXX. I have documentation confirming both submissions. ISSUE 1 : IMPROPER DENIAL AND MISHANDLING OF TPD APPLICATION Despite valid physician certification, my TPD application was denied on the basis that there was 'no physician signature ' which is factually incorrect and contradicted by the TPD system 's own records showing the signature was completed XX/XX/XXXX. This appears to be an XXXX XXXX X CFPB Complaint XXXXXXXX XXXX was completed XX/XX/XXXX. This appears to be an administrative error by the servicer or the federal processing system. I was subsequently required to submit a reconsideration request and am now under an active reconsideration period with a deadline of XX/XX/XXXX. ISSUE 2 : FAILURE TO PROTECT LOANS DURING TPD REVIEW IMPROPER CREDIT REPORTING Under federal law and Department of Education guidelines, when a XXXX application is under active review, the borrower 's loans must be placed in administrative forbearance. During this period, no negative balance increases, adverse status changes, or harmful credit reporting should occur. Aidvantage has violated this protection. Every month since my TPD application was submitted in XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX ( pulling Equifax XXXX ) has alerted me that the monthly balance reported on my DEPT OF ED/ADVANTAGE account has increased. This has happened repeatedly and consistently, constituting a pattern of improper credit reporting during a legally protected forbearance period. This improper reporting has caused my XXXX XXXX to drop from approximately XXXX to approximately XXXX - a loss of roughly XXXX points. This credit damage has directly harmed my ability to secure business financing for my company ( XXXX ), purchase a disability-accessible home, and maintain my overall financial stability. The only legitimate credit activity on my report during this period is from XXXX XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and Georgia XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ). All other adverse reporting on this federal student loan account is improper and has occurred during a period in which I should have been fully protected. ISSUE 3 : ADVANTAGE HAD NO RECORD OF MY XXXX APPLICATION When I contacted Advantage directly, representatives initially stated they had no record of my TPD application. This failure to maintain or access accurate records of an active federal XXXX discharge application is a serious servicing failure. Advantage subsequently opened an internal claim and escalated my case to their Customer Advocate Unit, and my loans were placed in forbearance but not before significant harm had already occurred. ISSUE 4 : VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ERRORS BY FEDERAL STUDENT AID Representatives from Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ) verbally acknowledged that mistakes were made in the handling of my case. Despite this acknowledgment, no corrective action has been taken to reverse the credit damage caused by these errors. HARM CAUSED As a direct result of Advantage 's mishandling of my TPD application and improper credit reporting, I have suffered the following specific harms : 1. Credit score decline of approximately XXXX points ( from XXXX to XXXX ) causing ongoing financial harm XXXX. Inability to secure business financing for XXXX, my housing and internship ecosystem for underserved students XXXX. Inability to purchase a disability-accessible home suitable for my medical needs 4. Ongoing monthly credit damage that continues to worsen 5. Emotional distress and financial instability caused by a process that should have been straightforward RELIEF REQUESTED I respectfully request that the CFPB : 1. Investigate Advantage 's handling of my TPD discharge application and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Require Advantage to immediately correct all inaccurate credit reporting to all three credit bureaus ( Equifax, Experian, TransUnion ) for the period XX/XX/XXXX to present XXXX. Require Advantage to ensure my loans remain in proper administrative forbearance pending final TPD discharge determination 4. Require Advantage to provide a written account of all actions taken on my account since XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. Investigate whether XXXX 's practices constitute a pattern of violations affecting other XXXX applicants SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE TPD system screenshot confirming XXXX XXXX XXXX completed XX/XX/XXXX XXXX reconsideration notice with XX/XX/XXXX deadline XXXX monthly alerts confirming repeated DEPT OF EDIAIDVANTAGE balance increases Advantage forbearance confirmation notice Aidvantage Customer Advocate Unit escalation notice XXXX XXXX documentation showing decline from XXXX to XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation