Consumer complaint received 2025-03-03 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: TX

Complaint narrative:
I am a federal student loan borrower enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education ( SAVE ) Plan through Aidvantage, my loan servicer. Due to a federal court injunction, I was placed in administrative forbearance starting in XXXX XXXX and I have been informed that this time does not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ).

This forbearance was not requested by me, and I was not given any option to opt out or continue making payments under another Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) plan. This situation directly harms my PSLF progress, as I have been actively working in public service and rely on PSLF to manage my student loan debt.

Key Issues : 1. Loss of PSLF Credit My time in forbearance does not count toward PSLF, meaning I am being penalized for a situation outside of my control.

Aidvantage has provided no option for me to manually request PSLF credit for these months.

PSLF rules require that I be on an IDR plan to earn qualifying payments, but I was forcibly placed in forbearance with no way to switch plans. 
2. Denial of Access to Other IDR Plans I requested to be switched from SAVE to Income-Based Repayment ( IBR ) to continue making PSLF-qualifying payments .

Aidvantage informed me that they can not process IDR applications at this time due to the court ruling, meaning I am effectively locked out of PSLF eligibility. 
I was not given any alternative repayment option, despite my continued employment in public service. 
3. Lack of Transparency and Guidance Aidvantage representatives were unable to provide clear guidance on how borrowers like me can maintain PSLF eligibility.

I was not offered a paper application for IBR or any workaround to continue my PSLF progress.

I was simply told to wait for further updates while my PSLF progress is being unfairly stalled due to this legal dispute.

Requested Resolution : 1. Immediate PSLF Credit for the Forbearance Period : I request that the Department of Education and Aidvantage count my months in forbearance toward PSLF. This was an involuntary forbearance imposed on me, and I should not be penalized for legal issues beyond my control. 
2. Immediate Processing of IDR Applications ( IBR, PAYE, ICR ) : I request that Aidvantage allow me to switch to an alternative IDR plan, such as IBR, so I can continue making qualifying PSLF payments. If online applications are unavailable, a paper application should be provided.

3. Clear Written Guidance on PSLF Impact : I request a written statement from the Department of Education or Aidvantage confirming how PSLF eligibility will be handled if the court ruling changes in the future.

If PSLF eligibility is restored later, will I be automatically credited, or will I need to manually request credit for these months? 

Why This Complaint Matters : This situation unfairly punishes public service workers who rely on PSLF. If this administrative forbearance continues indefinitely, it could significantly delay my loan forgiveness timeline and cause financial harm. The Department of Education and Aidvantage must offer a solution to protect PSLF borrowers from this legal uncertainty.

I request immediate action to ensure PSLF borrowers are not unfairly penalized.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation