Consumer complaint received 2022-05-06 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
I only ever received federal student loans for XXXX degree through XXXX University : both subsided and unsubsidized federal loans. I noticed that my loans being held with AES were still accruing interest during covid while federal student loan interest was stopped. They told me that in order to stop accruing interest, I needed to refinance with another company. These loans are refinanced through Fedloan but accrued interest for over six months during covid and may no longer be eligible for forgiveness due to my refinancing. I would like AES to be investigated for both the interest accrual and the advice to refinance. Since refinancing these loans are no longer accuring interest per covid policy via Presidents Biden and Trump. 

Attached is the conversation I had with an online AES rep : XXXX : Payments and Billing Questions XXXX : Hello, I noticed on my credit report that AES is adding interest to my student loans. These were all direct federal loans and it was my understanding that there should not be interest accruing on federal student loans under covid relief efforts. My other student loans held by other companies are not having interest added. 
XXXX : Can you please advise if this was a mistake or why interest is still being added? 

XXXX : Thank you for contacting us. My name is XXXX and my employee ID is XXXX. May I have your first name please? 

XXXX : Hello XXXX, thanks for your help. My name is XXXX XXXX : Good afternoon, XXXX. I can certainly review your inquiry. Please allow a few minutes while I research your account. 

XXXX : Thank you! 

XXXX : As we navigate the challenges posed by the spread ofCOVID-19, we remain committed to supporting our customers and clients.We are aware of the six month suspension of payments and that the interest would be waived for all federal student loans owned by the U.S. Department of Education ( ED ), including Direct Loans, Federal XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX loans held by the Department.All loans serviced byXXXX XXXX  owned loans ; they are not owned by the U.S. Department of Education.Please be advised, commercially held loans ( i.e., AESserviced loans, commercialFFEL, Private ) are not covered by this announcement ; therefore, your loans are not eligible to have the interest waived or an eight month suspension of payments. This information is available in the CARES Act of 2020 and those same provisions apply to the 2021 extension. '' Please accept our apology for anyinconvenienceor confusion this may have caused. 

XXXX : Is there anyway I can have them sent back to the department of education? They were originally federal loans. How did they end up as bank loans? 

XXXX : Upon review, these loans were always owned by a third party financialinstitutionand you may be eligible to have the loans consolidated into a Federal Direct Consolidation loan owned by the Department of Education. We do not offer refinancing or consolidation options ; however, if you would like to combine all of your federal student loans into a new Direct Consolidation Loan handled by a newservicer, you may refer towww.studentaid.govfor more information. 

XXXX : ok thank you for your help XXXX!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation