Consumer complaint received 2025-03-14 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Can't temporarily delay making payments
Company: MOHELA
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Since XX/XX/XXXX, I have attempted to contact Mohela several times to discuss the repayment plan because they processed my XXXX, but I don't understand how they came up with the amount of {$710.00} that they wanted for me to start paying in XX/XX/XXXX. I have never been asked to pay that large amount and I don't make enough money to be able to make that payment. When I did the loan simulator on the service provider 's website, in which I indicated that I was having financial hardship, it stated that I was eligible to postpone my payment and to request the S.A.V.E where the payment amount was XXXX or the lowest payment. The amount that this service provider is asking to pay is more than what I make when I have a mortgage of {$2000.00} and other expenses such as car payment and insurance, utilities, child 's school expenses, gas, groceries, etc which leaves me with no money. I was driving about an hour and ten minutes to work each way every day also paying for gas twice a week and tolls every day. I submitted a new XXXX request in XXXX, and then again in XXXX, but I am not sure if they were processed because I continue to receive notifications from Mohela with a higher payment amount of {$720.00}. This is injustice and inhumane because nobody makes more than enough money to afford this type of payment, and it has become extremely stressful for me because being a single mother and the only adult with income plus now they want me to start making this payment amount knowing that I do not make enough and according to the loan simulator, I should be on a low payment plan but they are inconsiderate and expecting for me to pay this amount. I have been unable to reach anyone after attempting to call Mohela in XXXX and I keep being told that I have to wait until the temporary forbearance that they placed in the account because XXXX has not been processed when it ends on XX/XX/XXXX. I explained that I was having financial hardship and would not be able to make that payment of {$720.00} in XXXX because I am living paycheck to paycheck, but was told that I needed to wait a couple days before XX/XX/XXXX to call back and it is impossible to get a hold of anyone from Mohela because they have a hold time of over XXXX hours. It has now come to a point that my employer has started right-sizing because the government cut back on funds and they are laying off staff each day, I was told that they will have to let me go and here I am still trying to reach someone in Mohela to XXXX a forbearance or deferment because I really can not afford to make any payments. I have been crying due to all the stress and the financial hardship and now after XXXX  years working with the same company, I am getting laid off. I need help to postpone all my payments until I can find a job again and be granted my IDR with a low payment plan that I can afford. I don't know what else to do with nobody from that company answering the phone because so many people are calling with the same issues. I want to be stress-free knowing that my payments are postponed until I can be in a stable place and not struggling. So many people are dealing with the same issue as me where they make a lot more money than me and have been granted forbearance and deferment, but I don't understand why I am getting denied this request and expected to pay an amount that I can not afford.

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