Consumer complaint received 2026-02-19 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Problem lowering your monthly payments
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
I am experiencing serious financial and medical hardship and can not afford the current monthly payments while paying for rent, food, and medical care. I have tried in good faith to work with Sallie Mae and to request options such as forbearance, hardship relief, or reduced/interestonly payments. I have also been provided misleading and incorrect information causing significant impact to various aspects of this situation. I have also explained that I truly want to be able to pay this debt, but my current circumstances and hardship make it impossible to do so with the required payment amounts. Below is a timeline of detailed information about the situation including dates, conversations, actions and other additional information. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Spoke with representative who took my information regarding trying to get my payments lowered as I no longer will be getting unemployment benefits making my income drop to {$0.00}. Went through all the steps to review income and was told I do not qualify for any programs including lowering payment. Was denied multiple times in XXXX, XXXX and XXXX through the portal stating that I do not qualify for lowering payments. Due to this and no longer having any type of income while getting increases in SNAP and having state medical insurance, I was unable to continue to make the high amount payments on the two loans which together equal {$290.00}. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Spoke with representative and asked again to have my payments dropped in order for me to be able to afford them due to the significant financial hardship. Provided all income information and again was denied for any type of program. Representative then told me my credit was going to be affected and I needed to make a payment, which I did explain then too that I am trying my best that I can with my situation and that I really didn't have the money to pay the full amount that was due, was advised that I needed to make at least one otherwise my credit is going to be impacted significantly and that probably means I will struggle even more getting a job since they may pull my credit ( their words ). Made payment using credit card which I still have not been able to pay off. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Spoke with multiple representatives ( including being hung up on after explaining my situation and how I was told to call back in a voicemail to specifically speak to one representative ) this day. Was finally able to reach the appropriate department and asked again to be able to get some type of relief so I can make some of the payments as I really would like to be able to make payments for the loans so that it isn't impacting me negatively and they are at least getting some money. I did advise that I am hoping to begin freelance work while still looking for contract, temporary, part time, and full-time work. Representatives stated that I was denied again for any type of relief, but that if I started to have some type of income come in that I would be able to be approved for one of the programs. She stated as soon as I did to call in and have the re-evaluation started so that I can be approved, but that it did need to be at least a month of some type of income as I did explain the freelance work is project base and wont be a consistent income, she said that was fine, just as long as there was some type of income for the month. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Spoke with representative and explained that I was hoping that I would be able to get matched for a relief program especially as the payments are past due by significant amount of days and that I am doing some freelance work that has brought in some income, but still barely enough to get by. Provided all income information, and was not denied right away this time, Representative told me this was great news as it means I qualify for a program and will get me over to the department that will be able to review the programs specifically to match me with. Was transferred to the Loan Resolution department at XXXX AZ Time and sat on hold until disconnecting the call at XXXX AZ Time. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ XXXX Spoke with Representative and explained how I was calling to be able to get relief with my loans and that another representative had tried to transfer me to the loan resolution department to discuss the programs that are available to me as I was told that I wasnt denied when I spoke to someone on XX/XX/XXXX but was on hold for the loan resolution department for quite some time before I had to disconnect the call. Representative transferred me to the loan resolution department, and I was able to speak with a representative in the department this time. I went over how I am trying to be able to get some type of relief with my payments as I am unable to make the full amount. I explained that I spoke to someone on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that I wasnt denied and that I just needed to speak to someone in their department to be able to get fully matched with a program that would be able to help me. Representative asked for all the income information again, which I thought was odd since I just did this with the last call and was just supposed to be getting explained which programs I can be matched with, but went ahead and provided all my income information again. However, this time, I was told that there are no programs that I can be matched with at this point in time and that they are unable to decrease/change the amount of the payments. I explained that I was told that I wasnt denied, and she said that unfortunately there is no programs that I can be matched for. I asked again if there was any way to be able to decrease the amount as I know that my account is significantly past due at around 90 or so days, but that there is no way I can afford to make this months payment at that full amount. She told me that it was already reported on my credit and that my next payment would be due by XX/XX/XXXX and as long as I make the payment of {$290.00} by XX/XX/XXXX that it would not be reported as the 5th missed payment ( which is not true as I made a payment on XX/XX/XXXX, for a total of {$290.00} ). I asked for the number to call to make the payment if somehow, I was able to get the money together and asked if I would be able to make the payment online, she said I still may be able to but also provided me with the number. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Received incoming call from representative who was calling to discuss payment arrangements for my account to be able to get it back to current status ( I have spoken with this specific representative multiple times ) and I explained to her that I have not only spoken with her multiple times but also other representatives and that I was just told on XX/XX/XXXX that there is no way that they will decrease my payment amounts and that while I am doing some freelance work and working other odd jobs, that it still is a very inconsistent low income. She stated that she is sorry about the situation and that she is just calling because of how many days my account is passed due and that she would like to be able to obtain payment from me to be able to make the account current. Which upset me very much so as I have continued to beg for the amount of the payment to be decreased so that I could make the account current with my situation. I told her that I have no idea what they want me to do, that I can not make the full amount and that if I did make that full amount months payment that it would cause me to not be able to make my rent, electricity or probably even not be able to eat. I explained that I know that I have until XX/XX/XXXX to make a payment at the full amount and that I would call by then if I am able to come up with the money. She cut me off and told me I was wrong, that I needed to make the payment by XX/XX/XXXX, which upset me even more as now I am being told more wrong information. After that, I disconnected the call. XX/XX/XXXX Date on Final Notice letter from Sallie Mae stating Student Loan listed below is critical past due and in jeopardy of defaulting. Call us by XX/XX/XXXX, to set up acceptable payment arrangements before your loan defaults. Letter received from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX Date on Account Status and Potential Default letter from Sallie Mae stating Your student loan listed below will soon default because of severe delinquency. Your loan will default unless you make acceptable payment arrangements before XXXX XXXX ET on XX/XX/XXXX. Note : Same Loan IDs as on letter listed above dated XX/XX/XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AZ Time Sent Certified Hardship Letter to Sallie Mae through XXXX XXXX reasonable assistance. Tracking number on hand if it needs to be provided. Estimated Delivery Date of Monday XX/XX/XXXX.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation