Consumer complaint received 2025-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Problem with your payment plan
Company: Maximus Federal Services, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
In XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, I enrolled in the XXXX Plan under the Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) program and began making monthly payments of {$310.00}. Following the loss of my job on XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted AidVantage to request a XXXX XXXX  monthly payment and submitted documentation of my unemployment benefits. 

Although I followed their instructions to update my income through the XXXX website, the system repeatedly generated higher monthly payments and never presented a {$0.00} repayment option. After multiple failed attempts online, I submitted a paper application. Unfortunately, it was rejected due to incomplete sections that were not applicable to my situation as an unmarried borrower. I received no timely email alerts or notifications about the issue, and I was not informed by phone eitherforcing me to restart the application process. 

Despite my unemployment status, AidVantage continued processing payments, which led to an increased loan balance. I formally requested that my balance be reset to the amount as of XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, and that my monthly payment be adjusted to {$0.00} until I am reemployed. 

To resolve the matter, I submitted two requests for review through the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, each time I received responses directly from AidVantage, simply denying the request. I also contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX, the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at the XXXX  XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX, on XX/XX/XXXX, and followed upbut have not received a response. 

I will try filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regarding the XXXX XXXX, I've submitted complaints twice before, but each time the responses I received were from AidVantage, not the XXXX  directly. It seems my complaints are simply being forwarded back to AidVantage, who is the party I'm in dispute with, and as such, they can not be impartial and have consistently refused to adjust my balance. 

I want to clarify that the core issue of my complaint is that AidVantage did not properly process my unemployment status under the XXXX plan from the outset. The plan was promoted as automatically reducing monthly payments to {$0.00} for individuals who are unemployed. I submitted the required documentation, but it seems thatperhaps due to the newness of the programthe AidVantage team was not fully prepared to apply the appropriate procedures to ensure this benefit was granted. 

In addition, updating my income through both the XXXX website and the paper forms was a difficult and confusing process. The instructions were unclear, especially regarding which questions applied to my situation. For example, I was initially told that certain questions did not apply to me because I am not married, only to be informed later that I was, in fact, required to answer them. This conflicting guidance caused avoidable delays and complications. To make matters worse, I received no communication from AidVantage regarding the status of my application after it was submitted, leaving me uncertain about what steps, if any, were being taken. 

Its deeply concerning that, rather than receiving the relief promised under the XXXX plan, my debt has increaseddespite my best efforts to follow all the requirements. From my perspective, this reflects a serious breakdown in process and communication that has had a direct financial impact.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation