GREAT LAKES – CFPB Complaint ID 3092062

Date Received: 2018-12-05T00:00:00.000

Product: Federal student loan servicing

Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer

Consumer Consent Provided to Share Complaint: Consent provided

Consumer Complaint: My loan service provider, Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates ( ” Great Lakes ” ), has refused to calculate my payment amount based upon my adjusted gross income ( ” AGI ” ). Instead, Great Lakes is calculating my payment amount based upon my reported income on my XXXX. By doing so, Great Lakes has improperly increased my monthly payment by a significant amount.

I am eligible for the Pay As You Earn ( ” PAYE ” ) repayment plan. I have submitted all required paperwork for the PAYE plan. Calendar year XX/XX/2019 is my third year in the PAYE plan.

Pursuant to Section 4B, Line 11 of the IDR Plan Request, OMB No. 1845-0102, I am required to submit my most recent Federal Tax Return with my request to remain in the PAYE plan. As in years past, I logged onto the StudentLoans.gov website to submit my application. This in turn redirected me to IRS.gov, whereby I authorized the IRS to electronically transmit my Tax Return to Great Lakes. IRS, U.S. Department of Education, and Great Lakes have provided email confirmation that Great Lake received my tax return. Further, I have verbal confirmation from multiple Great Lakes employees of the same. Specifically, over the past three days, ” XXXX, ” ” XXXX, ” and ” XXXX ” each confirmed receipt of my tax return.

Nevertheless, Great Lakes requested a copy of my XXXX to confirm my wage information was incorrect. I provided a copy of my XXXX, which confirmed the accuracy of my tax return. However, Great Lakes has now taken the position that they retain discretion to reject my tax return and calculate my payment amount based upon my XXXX wages, and not my AGI, as required by the U.S. Department of Education. Importantly, my AGI amount is lower than my XXXX wage amount, and using my AGI to determine my monthly payment amount results in a lower amount than using my XXXX wage amount.

I have spoke with Great Lake multiple times in an attempt to resolve this issue. But Great Lakes is unwilling to process my request in accordance with the requirement under PAYE. Moreover, Great Lakes is unwilling to process my request in a manner similar to years past.

I have ample supporting documentation, and can provide the same as necessary.

Company: GREAT LAKES

State/Zip: FL 325XX

Company Response to Complaint: Closed with explanation

Was Company Response Timely: Yes

Did Consumer Dispute Company Response: N/A

Complaint ID: 3092062

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