Consumer complaint received 2024-11-06 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: MOHELA
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
The short ( er ) story is that I started repaying my XXXX loans in XXXX when rules were very different than today. I then attended XXXX  ( XXXX XXXX  ) from XXXX, and again, started repaying my loans. PSLF became an option in XXXX and I consolidated my loans hoping to get forgiveness because I started working for the government. Due to a variety of circumstances ( unemployment, underemployment, divorce ), my loans went to forbearance multiple times and changed providers ( I also didn't know that this would re-start any 20-25yr repayment outside PSLF because it was never told to me, or drastically change my interest rates ). 
I tried PSLF again with a new job which didn't work out. I then tried XXXX XXXX  again to dig out from under-employment. My loans were deferred during my second round of XXXX XXXX XXXX and at the time, XXXX XXXX showed that I'd need a job paying approximately $ XXXX to pay off my loans timely! ). After the second round of XXXX XXXX, I was unemployed from late XXXX - early XXXX and XXXX XXXX told me I'd used up my forbearance allowances and defaulted my loans- despite me having no income- when they could've put me in {$0.00} or XXXX XXXX monthly payments ( common now ) - and proof of no income ( no tax returns filed ). It resulted in tax refunds and my pittance of a paycheck being garnished when I started working again in XXXX all because of XXXX XXXX refusal to give me {$0.00} or {$5.00} payments. 
Another try at PSLF from XXXX working for the federal government, but we were on a student loan pause and I paid off other debts, and then XXXX XXXXMohela DENIED my PSLF because I couldn't get former FEDERAL employers to sign the needed forms. They refused copies of my XXXX and XXXX to prove federal employment. ( The IRS has no records past 10 years, so I am unable to even get W2 forms before XXXX and I no longer have those documents due to changes in computers over the years. ) I had no way to go back to federal agencies I no longer worked at to get signatures. Mohela said the only thing acceptable was paystubs, which I didn't have, and no access to the government systems to get them. I'd calculated approximately XXXX of eligible PSLF payments. I gave up and left federal employment because I couldn't keep being under-employed if Mohela refused to accept my XXXX or XXXX as proof of eligible federal employment for loan forgiveness. 
Now, Mohela and StudentAid.gov refuse to give me payment counts to tell me how many months I have left to pay. I have proof I was unemployed from late XXXX - early XXXX ( no income = no tax returns filed those years but uneligible for unemployment because I was out of the country ) and should never have been negatively defaulted on my student loan history ( which will affect overall eligibility for forgiveness ). 
I also have been denied a payment count multiple times despite complaints to Mohela and StudentAid.gov to know how much longer I may have paying and have to work well past retirement age. I have filed multiple complaints with StudentAid.gov to no avail ( no response given other than a canned form response that they're looking into it ). 
I have received NO ANSWER from Mohela despite multiple requests to know why only the unsubsidized loans were put into forbearance from XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX with no reply or explanation. I can't sit on hold for 3hrs or more a day trying to find out. I filed for help with my XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX to no avail- they only told me to apply for SAVE. 
I was already on SAVE as of XX/XX/XXXX. If SAVE goes away ( likely ), the proposed payments sent by Mohela exceed my current XXXX XXXX XXXX rent. I will be homeless. Mohela has sent me 6 repayment schedule changes since XXXX- and sent 3 alone in XX/XX/XXXX ( I have attached the most recent ).

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