Return to Main College Investor Site
1
Private Student Loans / Re: Private Student Loans - De...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - May 15, 2019, 10:54:01 pmIt will not be pleasant, but once you default, you probably don't have to worry about a lawsuit for a year or so. You will be hounded by debt collectors, and see a lot of fees and collection costs added onto your loan.
You might want to check this out: https://www.reddit.com/r/studentloandefaulters/
You might want to check this out: https://www.reddit.com/r/studentloandefaulters/
2
Student Loan Scams / Re: Student Loan Phone Calls
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - May 15, 2019, 05:01:25 pmYes, they are all scams. If the Department of Education or your lender needed something, they would send you a letter or contact you via the secure mailbox at your loan servicer's website.
Read this: https://thecollegeinvestor.com/317/top-student-loan-scams/
Not to say that you can't get loan forgiveness or a lower payment, but you can always do that yourself by looking at your options on StudentLoans.gov, calling your lender, or reading about different programs here: https://thecollegeinvestor.com/21541/different-ways-to-get-student-loan-forgiveness/
Read this: https://thecollegeinvestor.com/317/top-student-loan-scams/
Not to say that you can't get loan forgiveness or a lower payment, but you can always do that yourself by looking at your options on StudentLoans.gov, calling your lender, or reading about different programs here: https://thecollegeinvestor.com/21541/different-ways-to-get-student-loan-forgiveness/
3
Student Loan Scams / Student Loan Phone Calls
Last post by tlrossin01 - May 15, 2019, 03:09:44 pmIn the past few weeks, I have received multiple phone calls from different phone numbers (even originating from different states) regarding my student loans. The callers do not leave their name or their organization, but simply say there has been a chance to my student loans. The calls were worded exactly the same (like it was a script). I assume it is a scam, but just wanted to know if anyone else was familiar with these calls?
4
Private Student Loans / Private Student Loans - Defaul...
Last post by dreamchaser84 - May 14, 2019, 12:05:58 pmSo I'm looking for information regarding private student loans (PSL) and what the process is when they are in default. I have 4 PSL that will be in default status at the end of this month according to Navient. I have tried to negotiate lower payment for my loans but they have told me that there isn't one. So I want to know how much time I have before they try to sue me once they don't receive payment at the end of this month. I have plan to pay back the loans, I just need to know how much time I have to put the plan in motion. I welcome advice from anyone who is familiar with the default process of PSL.
5
Student Loan Scams / Re: National Document Experts?
Last post by jfranklin2479 - May 06, 2019, 05:12:58 pmckbrand, you are being a little paranoid. I used National Document Experts to help me with my application and everything turned out exactly as they explained.
As a matter of fact, I hadn't logged into my FSA for years and they walked me through on how reset everything, with my permission of course! Nothing is done without your permission. Yes, I received the same email as you but as I stated I gave them my permission to do it. I didn't even know my loan statuses or my total debt but they helped me through all of it.
There is an application fee but any fees paid to any company that negotiates personal debt is help in an escrow account until the work is done and approved. Also, I was given 100% money back guarantee! So at anytime I was able to cancel if I wasn't satisfied.
Anyway, I didn't need to cancel because they helped me through a process I felt I couldn't do myself.
Thank you National Document Experts!
As a matter of fact, I hadn't logged into my FSA for years and they walked me through on how reset everything, with my permission of course! Nothing is done without your permission. Yes, I received the same email as you but as I stated I gave them my permission to do it. I didn't even know my loan statuses or my total debt but they helped me through all of it.
There is an application fee but any fees paid to any company that negotiates personal debt is help in an escrow account until the work is done and approved. Also, I was given 100% money back guarantee! So at anytime I was able to cancel if I wasn't satisfied.
Anyway, I didn't need to cancel because they helped me through a process I felt I couldn't do myself.
Thank you National Document Experts!
6
Ask a Question / Re: I stupidly entered into a ...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - May 06, 2019, 09:11:58 amIf you're not satisfied with working with a third party company, you need to see what your paperwork says for cancellation. Typically you can call and cancel, and stop making payments.
You also just need to follow up directly with your loan servicer, ensure your paperwork/loan info is correct, and continue making payments on your student loans.
You also just need to follow up directly with your loan servicer, ensure your paperwork/loan info is correct, and continue making payments on your student loans.
7
Ask a Question / I stupidly entered into a scam...
Last post by Wah-Keetcha - May 05, 2019, 10:29:34 pmhello all,
I've been doing a lot of thinking about paying 35.00 dollars to Western Benefits Group since 2015 every month and never having to show proof of income or anything stating my job status has changed-- even though I've moved and switched jobs 5 times since. starting to think I unwittingly and stupidly am being scammed (I was dumb and out on my own for the first time, scared I wasn't able to make my loan payments and lo and behold this company comes out of nowhere to make things all better). I've searched online for how to get out of this scam, but to no avail. all I keep getting are articles on 'how to avoid student loan scams', which are helpful.. but don't tell me what to do now?
I'm thinking about stopping the payments on my banks end and seeing what they are going to do? I have no idea what I'm doing, all I know is I'm not happy with myself for being taken for a ride. Do I call navient and see what's going on? My personal loans were all consolidated through citizens bank, so it's only my subsidized and unsubsidized loans.... which I'm paying Navient for and the loan amounts on Navient are similar to what WBG shows in their paperwork from 2015.
I just need to know what to do. I finally got my credit to a good place and really don't want to take that hit unless I absolutely have too.
any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about paying 35.00 dollars to Western Benefits Group since 2015 every month and never having to show proof of income or anything stating my job status has changed-- even though I've moved and switched jobs 5 times since. starting to think I unwittingly and stupidly am being scammed (I was dumb and out on my own for the first time, scared I wasn't able to make my loan payments and lo and behold this company comes out of nowhere to make things all better). I've searched online for how to get out of this scam, but to no avail. all I keep getting are articles on 'how to avoid student loan scams', which are helpful.. but don't tell me what to do now?
I'm thinking about stopping the payments on my banks end and seeing what they are going to do? I have no idea what I'm doing, all I know is I'm not happy with myself for being taken for a ride. Do I call navient and see what's going on? My personal loans were all consolidated through citizens bank, so it's only my subsidized and unsubsidized loans.... which I'm paying Navient for and the loan amounts on Navient are similar to what WBG shows in their paperwork from 2015.
I just need to know what to do. I finally got my credit to a good place and really don't want to take that hit unless I absolutely have too.
any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.
8
Student Loan Scams / Re: National Document Experts?
Last post by ckbrand - May 02, 2019, 08:11:37 amI literally just created an account with the College Investor so I could respond to your question.
It IS a scam.
They called me yesterday saying that they could help me lower my monthly payments. Typically I don't respond to things like this, but I am in the process of getting my new monthly payments changed now that I just go approved for the Student Loan Forgiveness Program with a PAYE plan. I thought they were calling to give me some more info on this.
They were very cordial and nice to talk with. Everything seemed fine until they told me that I could pay less if I file paperwork with them that states that only my income, not my spouses, pays for my student loans. That seems kinda something the IRS wouldn't like, so flag one. I told them no, not now, i'll contact them in a few months when our financial status changes.
After I got of the phone, I noticed an email from the Federal Student Aid, saying that my password was changed..... I did not do this. The link FSA provided in that email to explain why my password may have been reset without my knowledge perfectly spells out what National Document Experts did. (https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/avoiding-loan-scams#change-fsa-id-password)
Come to find out, after going through the prompts to reset my password, the questions that National Document Experts asked me were the EXACT questions needed to reset my password for FAS. That was how they got all my loan info. Flag two.
And lastly, the fact they an outside company is asking money of me ($250 for 3 months, then my new monthly payment would be $53?!) is a major flag. You should NEVER had to pay money to get your student loans payments decreased. The Federal Government does not work that way.
So long story short, National Document Experts is a scam.
Hope that helps!
It IS a scam.
They called me yesterday saying that they could help me lower my monthly payments. Typically I don't respond to things like this, but I am in the process of getting my new monthly payments changed now that I just go approved for the Student Loan Forgiveness Program with a PAYE plan. I thought they were calling to give me some more info on this.
They were very cordial and nice to talk with. Everything seemed fine until they told me that I could pay less if I file paperwork with them that states that only my income, not my spouses, pays for my student loans. That seems kinda something the IRS wouldn't like, so flag one. I told them no, not now, i'll contact them in a few months when our financial status changes.
After I got of the phone, I noticed an email from the Federal Student Aid, saying that my password was changed..... I did not do this. The link FSA provided in that email to explain why my password may have been reset without my knowledge perfectly spells out what National Document Experts did. (https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/avoiding-loan-scams#change-fsa-id-password)
Come to find out, after going through the prompts to reset my password, the questions that National Document Experts asked me were the EXACT questions needed to reset my password for FAS. That was how they got all my loan info. Flag two.
And lastly, the fact they an outside company is asking money of me ($250 for 3 months, then my new monthly payment would be $53?!) is a major flag. You should NEVER had to pay money to get your student loans payments decreased. The Federal Government does not work that way.
So long story short, National Document Experts is a scam.
Hope that helps!
9
Student Loan Scams / Re: National Document Experts?
Last post by heidifletcher - May 01, 2019, 12:21:31 pmQuote from: MWgirl88 on March 13, 2019, 07:53:34 am
I'm a little apprehensive about this supposed student loan assistance company, National Document Experts. They contacted me about the Navient law suit, which I didn't qualify to be a part of, and then proceeded to ask me questions about my other loans (I have many and large amounts). They informed me that they can help me consolidate my loans and get me into a better program than I was currently in (I don't know much about the programs and have fought the DOE for a better repayment program, but they always want me to choose. I don't know what program is better! So NDE sounded really enticing.
They stated they weren't affiliated with the DOE and that they would take a percentage of my first three months of repayment once they got me into a new program. So that made me feel ok. However, they told me that I would qualify for loan forgiveness after minimum payments and income re-certifications for 20 years and they asked for my FAFSA log in so they could look at my loans. That made me a little uncomfortable. Plus, when you search for them online, there's NOTHING about them. They don't even show up as a business entity in California (where they're supposedly based). Granted they could be a d/b/a. They do have a very professional website and they've called now from the same phone number which is listed on their website.
Now they're asking for my pay stubs and first two pages of my tax returns. I just don't want to get scammed, but my loan payments are killing me, so if this is legit, I don't wanna pass this up. Anyone else have an experience with them?
Did you ever find out anything? They called me yesterday and offered a great deal for loan forgiveness. It sounds too good to be true really. I'm worried it's a scam as well.
10
General Discussion / Re: re certifying through fedl...
Last post by TheCollegeInvestor - April 24, 2019, 08:36:58 pmIf you use any alternative methods, like a paystub, they have to take into consideration the gross amount, not the net. It's the law. The reason is because they can't see your tax return to see what types of deductions you may have to lower your AGI. They just don't know if they exist with the alternative method.
And yes, you can resubmit your IBR plan request anytime, and you use your tax return. On the IBR certification form, box 1, check the box that says "I am submitting documentation early to have my income-driven repayment calculated early".
And stop submitting a paystub! Use your tax return.
And yes, you can resubmit your IBR plan request anytime, and you use your tax return. On the IBR certification form, box 1, check the box that says "I am submitting documentation early to have my income-driven repayment calculated early".
And stop submitting a paystub! Use your tax return.