Consumer complaint received 2025-08-11 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company: MOHELA
State: NE

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to request your assistance regarding Federal Student Aids ( FSA ) refusal to correct their documented failure to certify qualifying employment for one of my employers, rendering me 10 payments away from Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ), despite FSA confirmation of 172 eligible payments52 payments more than the XXXX required for forgiveness. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I applied to FSA for Public Service Loan Forgiveness and uploaded, to FSAs secure portal, PSLF employment certification for two public colleges. Although certification for both colleges was submitted in the same document ( confirmed by document properties I have provided to FSA ), FSA certified employment for College 2 but not for College 1. Payments to both employers are designated eligible on FSAs MyAccount webpage.

Over the past 34 months, I have contacted XXXX  Student Loan Servicer and then FSA ( at XXXX 's direction ) and attempted to remedy their failure to certify my employment with College XXXX. Finally, on XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a complaint, with supporting documentation, to Federal XXXX XXXX Ombudsman requesting they remedy FSAs error. 
Unfortunately, rather than acknowledging and remedying the error, the XXXX Ombudsman informed me that they " don't show any record of certification for College 1 '' ( impossible since College 1 and College 2 certification were contained in the same document ). The FSA Ombudsman also informed me that I am being considered for the FSA buyback program to resolve the remaining XXXX payments. Notably, before XX/XX/XXXX, I was unaware of such a program. I believe that FSAs unprompted consideration of my eligibility for a buyback program of which I was unaware amounts to a tacit admission of their error in failing to certify employment with College 1.

In the Ombudsmans last email to me on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX, I was told that certification for College XXXX needed to be updated, as certifications must be completed by the certifying employer within 40 days of submission to FSA, rendering my original submission outdated. However, I submitted certification via the FSA secure portal on XX/XX/XXXX, and the College XXXX certification was dated XX/XX/XXXX, the same day that I uploaded. Of note, the certification is outdated for the sole reason that FSA failed to certify when I timely submitted. In addition, because the deadline for the Temporary Relief PSLF program was XX/XX/XXXX, I fear that if I obtain an updated certification from College 1, FSA will deem the employer ineligible under the program, given the deadline of XX/XX/XXXX. 
Over the past 34 months, FSA has had multiple opportunities to inform me that they dont show certification for College 1 in their system. They did not, and their failure to manage documents submitted to their secure portal should not bar me from forgiveness for which I qualify and timely applied. 
Finally, FSA and XXXX  experienced significant delays in processing PSLF applications between XXXX and XXXX, yet those borrowers were not required to obtain updated employer certification every 40 days during FSAs backlog, which indicates inequitable consideration of PSLF applications. I dont believe FSA should require of me that which they did not require of other PSLF applicants who also timely applied, especially given that it was FSA who caused the delay when they failed to certify. FSAs XX/XX/XXXX email response to my Ombudsman complaintsent via certified mailis the first time for nearly three years that FSA informed me that they " don't show College 1 certification in their system '' despite my repeatedly bringing that information to their attention. 

I should not be required to participate in a buy back program when I timely provided required certification ; I shouldnt have to pay for FSAs mistake.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation