MOHELA didn't apply forbearance as promised, still showing payments due. Help!
Hey everyone, I'm having some serious issues with my student loans and MOHELA. I graduated in May and applied for the SAVE and IDR plans. I called them in January and they said they saw my applications and I should be placed on forbearance until SAVE is sorted out. They told me it would happen by the end of January, but here I am still seeing past and current payments due. It's like I never got put on forbearance at all! Plus, I need all my old payments to show up under the IDR plan instead of these huge amounts. Has anyone else dealt with this? Any advice on how to get this sorted out?
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Anastasia Sokolov
Ugh, MOHELA is the worst! I've been dealing with similar issues for months. Here's what I'd recommend: • Call them again and explain everything clearly • Mention the specific dates they promised action • Ask for retroactive forbearance • Request they adjust your old payments to reflect IDR • Get everything in writing! Stay persistent and don't let them brush you off. Good luck!
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Sean O'Connor
•This is solid advice. I'd add: keep a log of every call, including who you spoke to and what they said. It's saved my butt more than once!
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Zara Ahmed
•fr fr mohela be playin games wit us 😤 we gotta stay on they ass or nuthin gets done smh
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Diego Ramirez
•Thanks for the detailed advice! I'll definitely try this approach. Fingers crossed it works 🤞
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Luca Conti
I found a way to actually get someone on the phone without waiting forever. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/kfgsWnbb8cU
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Nia Johnson
•Sounds sketchy af. How do you know it's legit?
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Luca Conti
•I was skeptical too, but I tried it and it worked like a charm. Saved me hours of hold time.
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CyberNinja
•20 bucks to skip the hold? sign me up lol 💸
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Mateo Lopez
have you tried threatening to file a complaint with the CFPB? sometimes that lights a fire under their a**es
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Aisha Abdullah
Oof, I'm in the same boat. MOHELA's customer service is a joke. I've been trying to get on SAVE for months and keep getting the runaround. Anyone know if there's a way to escalate beyond their regular customer service?
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Ethan Davis
•Try reaching out to your state's student loan ombudsman. They can sometimes help navigate these issues.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Thanks for the tip! I'll look into that. Anything's better than another useless call to MOHELA 🙄
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Yuki Tanaka
Pro tip: Always, ALWAYS get everything in writing. Email them after every call summarizing what was discussed and agreed upon. It's saved my butt more times than I can count.
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Carmen Ortiz
•This! 💯 I learned this the hard way. Now I record all my calls too (check your state laws first tho
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MidnightRider
idk why everyone's having so much trouble. i got on SAVE no problem. maybe yall are doing something wrong? 🤷♂️
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Andre Laurent
•Wow, thanks for the helpful input. 🙄 Maybe consider that different people have different experiences?
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MidnightRider
•jeez, no need to get all defensive. was just sharing my experience
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Zoe Papadopoulos
Has anyone else noticed that MOHELA's website is always "under maintenance" when you need it most? It's like they're trying to make this as difficult as possible 🤬
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Jamal Washington
•omg yes! I swear they do it on purpose to avoid dealing with us
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Mei Wong
•Protip: Try accessing the site late at night or early morning. Less traffic = fewer issues usually
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Liam Fitzgerald
Y'all ever wonder if MOHELA is just one guy named Steve trying to manage millions of loans from his basement? 🤔😂
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PixelWarrior
•LOL this would explain so much 🤣
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Amara Adebayo
•Poor Steve, no wonder he's always so grumpy on the phone
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Amara Eze
I feel your pain! I went through something similar last year. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Document EVERYTHING - dates, times, names of reps you spoke with 2. Send a formal complaint via their website AND email it to their compliance department 3. If that doesn't work, file a complaint with the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman (not just CFPB) 4. Reference the specific conversation from January where they promised forbearance The key is being persistent and escalating through proper channels. Don't let them keep giving you the runaround - you have rights as a borrower. Also, make sure to request retroactive application of any forbearance they should have applied in January. Good luck! 💪
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Diez Ellis
•This is incredibly helpful! I didn't even know about the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman - that sounds like it might be more effective than CFPB for student loan issues specifically. Definitely going to save this list and follow these steps. Thanks for taking the time to write such detailed advice! 🙏
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Liam O'Sullivan
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! 💪
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Darcy Moore
•This is exactly the kind of step-by-step approach I needed! The "breach of verbal agreement" phrase is brilliant - I never would have thought of that. Really appreciate you sharing what actually worked for you instead of just general advice. Going to try calling first thing Monday morning with this strategy. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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Sofia Gomez
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! 🙏
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