'I am now in the midst of my 208 minute wait for a call back': Guy gets student loans forgiven only for the loan company to un-forgive them less than a year later

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Feb 29, 2024 6:00 PM EST

Getting your student loans forgiven is such an amazing feeling and gives you a great new lease on life! But, apparently, now you have to worry about them being UN-forgiven… 

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  • What a time to be alive! You would think getting your student loans forgiven, you have hit the jackpot! That is such a HUGE relief of debt taken off of your shoulders. Can you imagine what it would feel like if that loan company turned around and said "PSYCH?" Ouch. 

    That's apparently what is happening to Reddit user albeer33 and other students. As someone with student loans, I cannot imagine having that slice of financial happiness ripped away. Reddit user @albeer33 has all the proof stating his loans were forgiven, both electronically and on physical paper. However, his loans from MOHELA, a private company the government uses for loans, says he has to start paying again. In confusion, he went to the site, but since his loans were officially forgiven and wiped from his credit, he couldn't even click on the links for them. So he called them and after a while of transfers and holds, he got through to someone who said there must have been a mistake somewhere.  

    Now he's waiting for a callback and has no idea what his financial future holds. Others with student loans chime in with questions and also similar experiences. What would you do?

    What's your next financial step, buying a house? See what these new homeowners have to say about that. 

  • 01
    "MOHELA just UNforgave my loans..." Hak e to wale antue
    via Vanessa Garcia via Pexels
  • 02
    MOHELA just UNforgave my loans What the title says. I was granted PSLF forgiveness last year. According to the FSA website, it was forgiven as of 5/31/2023. MOHELA sent me a letter dated August 9 2023 showing my loans fully forgiven under PSLF. They've even been closed on my credit report with a zero dollar balance.
    via albeer33
  • 03
    This past weekend I got an email about my payments starting back up. Went to the website, found my loans back in full. Got ahold of someone today on the phone (which was a miracle) who said it looked like there had been an error in my counts and they "canceled the discharge" on 2/21/2024. I told them I couldn't even access the forms for IDR on FSA because all the links are greyed out since I'm "fully paid" on the website. I was then "transferred" to someone, and am now in the midst of my 208 min
    via albeer33
  • 04
    HeftyPangolin2316 · 16 hr. ago Do not give them your bank info under any circumstances until you talk to a lawyer. You should definitely consult one! File a CFPB report immediately to get some free assistance. 597 Reply Share
    via HeftyPangolin2316
  • 05
    Betsy514 16 hr. ago President | The Institute of St... ● There have been a few of these that all happened over the weekend. Are you sure you were actually eligible for forgiveness when they gave it to you? How many eligible payments does the letter say you have and does that number ring true? 128 Reply Share
    via Betsy514
  • 06
    MasterElecEngineer 5 hr. ago Are you saying people are getting forgiveness, that didn't have qualifying payments, then they are turning around and charging them back because the government didn't keep track of the right number of qualified payments? Vote Reply Share
    via MasterElecEngineer
  • 07
    M danlab09 · 4 hr. ago If I remember right, it was FSA that was processing forgiveness based on signature date, not credible times of service... if you certified for 2017- 2020 but the form was signed in 2024, they were giving you 7 years of payments instead of the correct 3... so yeah, while OP and the like should have been counting their own payments, it ; it happened. Legally, the gov can't cancel them just because they made a mistake. Vote Reply Share
    via danlab09
  • 08
    pepesilvia1227. 16 hr. ago. edited 16 hr. ago I think they've been going through and auditing qualifying payments. My paymenta were listed at 118 until this month when they dropped to 98. They had been counting time in school as a payment and they went back and corrected it. but they're right in my case 66 Reply Share
    via pepesilvia1227
  • 09
    mustanoodle 8 hr. ago FYI - If you still made monthly payments while on in-school deferment, you can get the deferment removed and months counted. Vote ● How Bombshell522 - 6 hr. ago Vote Reply Share Reply Share ●●●
    via mustanoodle
  • 10
    mustanoodle 5 hr. ago • Call them up and let them know you want the in-school deferments removed in months you still made payments. In-school deferments are automatic, they get notified by the DoE once your school reports your status. As long as you've worked for a qualifying employer and still made payments during your deferment, those months should count. Vote Reply Share
    via mustanoodle
  • 11
    bubbles1990 · 3 hr. ago you're correct about in-school deferment, which typically refers to old loans that were taken before entering school (they're automatically put on deferment) However, you cannot waive in-school status, which is what loans are first placed on while you're still in the program the loans were taken out for. Vote Reply Share
    via bubbles1990
  • 12
    LotsOfGarlicandEVOO 4 hr. ago I have a huge error in my count as well. It's funny how big of an error it is. These people really shouldn't be in charge of these loans. Vote Reply Share
    via LotsOfGarlicandEVOO
  • 13
    FATCRANKYOLDHAG 13 hr. ago Oh God. You have just described my waking nightmare. I got mine discharged in November of 2023. Made a copy of my letter, email everything. It was an astronomical amount. Had paid off about 20k, but it was still insurmountable. I figured I'd die with it. I tried to look for the number of payments done over time but never found it. UGH. I think I'm going to be sick. 13 Reply Share
    via FATCRANKYOLDHAG
  • 14
    khaleesibrasil 17 hr. ago that's crazy!! I'm glad you kept your letter from Mohela. That's a legal document they need to abide by, they made a mistake and it's not your problem. sounds like it's lawyer timeee 61 Reply Share
    via khaleesibrasil
  • 15
    Dusty Mike 15 hr. ago ● That's not the way the government works. Maybe you can negotiate any penalties or interest they try to tack on, but if the debt was discharged in error, then the gov will prevail every time. MOHELA is a contractor, but they are dealing with gov funds. Reply Share 52
    via Dusty_Mike
  • 16
    Steve Rogers_USMC 8 hr. ago Funny how we can make a mistake and the world stops until it is corrected but they make a mistake, and it is just "oh well". Seems like in this case they should honor it but that's just me. Maybe next time someone will actually do their job before they forgive the loans. Vote Reply Share ●●●
    via Steve_Rogers_USMC
  • 17
    ShirtlessGinger 2 hr. ago Mohela is a private company committing corporate negligence just like nelnet has been though so they may have gvmt loans but they are the servicer not doing their job and due diligence. Vote Reply Share
    via ShirtlessGinger
  • 18
    SouthSTLCityHoosier 15 hr. ago Yeah, unfortunately, I think you are right. I have dealt a lot with public benefits. If the government overpays you benefits you were not entitled to, they can and will absolutely come after that money and get it back, even if the error was 100 percent their fault. I've seen it happen on everything from food stamps to SSI benefits. I am not as familiar with student loans, but my guess is that they are just as unforgiving. They don't draft regulations for these prog
    via SouthSTLCityHoosier

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financial loans financial aid college debt un-forgiven loans students money talk student loans student loan forgiveness university students student debt forgiven loans Reddit college MOHELA
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