Dear Congresswoman Robin Kelly – Part 1
I was then led to the department of education website where I was allowed to fill in some basic financial information. From this I was given the balances that would be paid and the amounts that would be due each month based upon my tax returns and all the payment options that were available.
This is where things got very confusing and very frustrating. The website very clearly provided monthly payment amounts and details about how much would be paid and how much would be added to your taxes at the end of the payment process depending upon which option you selected. The information provided did not indicate that any one individual payment plan was not available. All payment plans were presented, monthly payment amounts and total payment at the end of term was very clearly offered.
It wasn’t until after the system processed my request that I was told that the more affordable payment plans were not available for my loan. It was only after the system processed my request that I was told that the only options available thus far involved monthly payment amounts that far exceeded my ability to pay.
The system by which we are to plan how to pay these loans back are cryptic, confusing, and purposefully misleading.
To the average user, information and guidelines as well as rules and restrictions are not available.
It makes absolutely no sense that a computer system and the Department of Education website, which knows my loan information and is created based upon the rules and regulations that the Department of Education operates under should show payment terms for programs and payment options that are not available for the loan in question.
It also makes absolutely no sense that not all payment options are available to all who owe the money.
After some more time and phone calls and arguing and frustration I finally reached the point where I learned that consolidation would provide more options and would ultimately be beneficial.
I then went through the process of putting my existing payment plan on hold so that I could once again go through the steps of reapplying for a new payment plan, this time based upon consolidation. Once again I was shown an interface that presented me with all of the payment options, even the ones that I later learned I was not allowed to have. As I have subsequently reapplied and tried to reduce my payment amounts to an affordable number I was even presented with forms; paper applications that also allowed me to choose payment plans that I later learned I was not allowed to have.
Once again, the online forms, as well as paperwork and other documentation is very cryptic, confusing, and from a layman’s perspective purposefully misleading.
Every choice I made up to this point was made based upon the options that were presented as being available. These “unavailable” lower payment options would have allowed me to keep up with the payments while our financial situation changes thereby making larger payment possible at a later date. Once again the payment options that are available do not allow this flexibility.
I finally got a payment plan that was higher than I had hoped for but less than it was before. I figured I would bite the bullet and begin making payments to the best of my ability. I logged in on the day it was due only to find that the payment amount had once again gone up by about $75.
I called Navient to discuss the situation. In short, they did not take into consideration any of the additional documentation I had sent along detailing my financial situation. They looked at my Gross income, and selected a payment amount –even though the Income Contingent plan is supposed to be based upon your Taxable income.
That’s when she mentioned something that was the last straw in my patience and tolerance with this process: That even this amount, the one that was $75.00 more than I was originally promised, was about $60.00 less than the monthly accrued interest on the balance due.
Finally, after navigating the confusing and cryptic path through the options and stumbling blocks of the Department Of Education and the Navient payment system, I was left with only two options: One that was too high for me to afford, and another that was higher than promised, but not enough to EVER pay the loan off.
Other Points:
Early in this process, my daughter found out that if my wife and I were not married –if she came from a broken home- she would have had a much easier time getting better financial support. In essence, we have been punished for being and staying married.
Regardless of my simple financial situation, I have been told that we make too much money for any better financial support or pay options.
