OMG this thread is giving me PTSD flashbacks! I went through this exact same nightmare about 3 months ago and it took me almost 2 weeks to get it resolved. Here's what finally worked for me after trying literally everything: 1) The SSN formatting thing is 100% real - try it with no dashes, no spaces, exactly 9 digits 2) Make sure your browser isn't auto-filling any fields with saved info that might be slightly off 3) Try logging in at like 6 AM or really late at night when their servers aren't dying 4) If you've EVER had any name changes (even hyphenated names), that can mess things up The thing that actually solved it for me was calling them and having them manually reset my online account profile. Took 45 minutes on hold but the rep was able to see that my account existed but there was some weird data mismatch in their system. In the meantime, definitely use that phone payment line - the $3 fee is worth not stressing about late payments. And yes, once you get back in, SET UP AUTOPAY immediately! I learned my lesson and never want to deal with their broken login again 😅 Hang in there - this is frustratingly common but it does get resolved eventually!

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread! I had the exact same issue last month and what worked for me was actually logging out of ALL my other accounts first (bank, email, etc.) then clearing my entire browser cache and cookies, restarting my browser completely, and THEN trying to log into MOHELA. Apparently their system gets confused if you have too many financial sites open at once? Makes no sense but it worked! Also, try typing your SSN super slowly - I know it sounds weird but I swear their system times out if you type too fast. The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous but at least we're all suffering together 😂 Hope some of these tricks help!

This is absolutely terrifying and I feel for you so much! Having over $3000 just disappear is a nightmare scenario. I actually had a similar issue with MOHELA about a year ago with a $1,900 payment, and here's what I learned that might help: When you do get through to someone (and definitely try that early morning call strategy others mentioned), ask them to check their "ACH processing logs" specifically. My payment had been processed but got stuck because of a "name mismatch" between what I had on file and what my bank sent - even though it was just a tiny difference in how my middle initial was formatted. Also, this might sound obvious but make sure to check if MOHELA applied your payment to a different loan than intended. Sometimes large payments get auto-applied to whatever loan has the highest interest rate, even if that's not what you selected. I've seen people panic about missing payments only to find out it went to their graduate loan instead of their undergrad loan. One more thing - if you're comfortable sharing, what method did you use to make the payment? Credit card, bank transfer, or direct debit? Different payment methods sometimes have different processing timelines and error patterns with MOHELA's system. Really hoping you get this resolved quickly - keep fighting for your money! 💪

This is absolutely horrible and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! $3000+ is a huge amount to just disappear - I would be losing my mind right now. I haven't had this exact issue with MOHELA, but I've had my fair share of payment nightmares with them over the years. One thing I'd suggest that I haven't seen mentioned yet - check if your bank shows any "pending reversals" or "provisional credits" related to that transaction. Sometimes when payments get stuck in processing limbo, banks will show the initial debit but then there might be some kind of pending adjustment that isn't immediately obvious. Also, when you do get through to MOHELA (and definitely try all the great strategies others have shared!), ask them to send you a written summary of what they find via email. Even if it's just "we're investigating your payment dated X for amount Y," having something in writing makes them more accountable and gives you better documentation if you need to escalate further. The fact that so many people in this thread have had similar experiences really shows this is a systemic problem with their payment processing. That's both reassuring (you're not alone!) and absolutely infuriating that they haven't fixed these issues. Stay strong and keep pushing - that money belongs to you and they HAVE to account for it. Rooting for you! 🤞

I've been dealing with MOHELA for months and this thread is incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add another strategy that worked for me recently - I tried calling their main number but pressing the option for "making a payment" instead of "general account questions." Even though I wasn't actually making a payment, those reps can access your full account and help with most issues. The payment line seems to have much shorter wait times, probably because fewer people think to use it for general questions. Once I got connected, I just explained what I actually needed help with and the rep was super understanding. Took about 15 minutes total instead of the usual hours of frustration! Also, completely agree with everyone about documenting everything - I started keeping a spreadsheet with call times, rep names, and what was discussed. It's saved me so much hassle when following up on previous conversations. You all are amazing for sharing these creative solutions! 💡

I've been battling with MOHELA for almost 2 months now trying to resolve an issue with my income-driven repayment recertification, and this thread is absolutely incredible! You all have basically created the ultimate MOHELA customer service playbook that I wish I had found weeks ago. I'm definitely going to try the 7:00 AM sharp strategy tomorrow - love that multiple people have confirmed this works. The Spanish line hack is genius @Landon Flounder, and @Emma Wilson your payment line workaround is brilliant! I never would have thought to approach it from that angle. Also really appreciate @Carmella Popescu's tech support line idea - sometimes you have to get creative with these bureaucratic systems. The documentation advice is spot on too - I've started screenshotting every error message and keeping call logs, which has already helped when I had to explain my situation to different reps. It's honestly both frustrating and impressive how resourceful we've all had to become just to manage our own loans! This community is doing more to help borrowers navigate MOHELA than their actual customer service department. Thank you all for sharing these battle-tested strategies - you're giving me hope that I can actually get this resolved! 🙏

Diego, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this mess! MOHELA promised me forbearance back in November and it took THREE separate calls and filing a complaint before they actually applied it. Here's what worked for me: • Call and ask to speak with a supervisor immediately - don't waste time with regular reps • Reference the EXACT date of your January call and ask them to pull the call recording • Use the phrase "breach of verbal agreement" - they hate that • Demand they backdate the forbearance to when it should have started • Get a confirmation number for any changes they make Also, screenshot everything on your account before calling so you have proof of what it looked like. They tried to gaslight me saying I never applied for anything until I had screenshots. Stay strong - you've got this! 💪

Diego, you're definitely not alone in this nightmare! I had the exact same issue with MOHELA last fall. They promised me forbearance in September, said it would be processed "within 2 weeks" and I didn't see it applied until December after multiple calls and complaints. Here's my advice based on what finally worked: • When you call, immediately ask for the "Student Loan Resolution Team" - they have more authority than regular customer service • Tell them you need a "case escalation" due to unfulfilled promises from January • Ask them to notate your account with the forbearance commitment they made • Request they apply retroactive administrative forbearance back to when payments were supposed to stop • Get the rep's direct extension if possible for follow-ups Also, if you have any emails or confirmation numbers from your original applications, mention those specifically. MOHELA seems to "lose" applications regularly but they can usually find them if you have reference numbers. Don't give up - it's frustrating as hell but they will eventually fix it if you stay persistent. You shouldn't have to pay for their processing delays! 🙏

This exact thing happened to me about 6 weeks ago and I totally understand the panic! My payment disappeared for almost a full week. Here's what I learned: MOHELA's payment processing system has some serious glitches, but your money isn't gone. When I finally got through to someone (used the 8 AM strategy everyone's mentioning), they explained that electronic payments sometimes get "stuck" in their system and need to be manually pushed through. The rep I talked to said it's happening more frequently lately due to some backend system updates they've been doing. She was able to find my payment immediately once I gave her my bank's confirmation number. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - if you bank with a credit union or smaller bank, sometimes their payment processing codes don't play nice with MOHELA's system, which can cause these delays. The good news is once they locate it, it usually gets applied within 24-48 hours. Don't stress too much, this is definitely a "them" problem, not a "you" problem!

This is such a common and frustrating issue with MOHELA! I went through the exact same thing about 4 months ago and felt like I was losing my mind. The payment showed up as processed on my bank's end but was completely invisible on MOHELA's website. Here's what worked for me: I called them right at 8 AM when they opened (seriously, set an alarm - the wait times are SO much better early morning) and had all my documentation ready - bank statement screenshot showing the withdrawal, transaction reference number, exact date and amount. The customer service rep was actually really helpful and found my payment in what she called their "unprocessed electronic payments" queue. Apparently this happens more than they'd like to admit, especially with certain banks. She was able to manually push it through and it showed up on my account within 24 hours. Also definitely send a secure message through their website portal with all the same info as backup - having multiple contact points seems to help move things along. Your payment isn't lost, it's just stuck in their system somewhere! Stay persistent and you'll get it sorted out. Good luck! 🤞