I've been in SAVE for 2 years and last July applied to change to IBR. Upon making the application, they placed me into an administrative forbearance. This is NOT something I requested but they did automatically. Now, today, I received this:
MOHELA received your request for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. We are unable to grant your request for the following reason(s): · Your loans are not in repayment. Your loans must be in an active repayment status to apply for an income-driven repayment plan.
What options do I have other than to wait until it goes back into repayment and try again? It's also important to note I have made more than 300 payments. HELP please from those who have navigated this very confusing system!
Denied IBR due to their forced administrative forbearance! HELP!
byu/mint_smoothie_ inStudentLoans
Posted by mint_smoothie_
4 Comments
If you are in SAVE then you are in forbearance and you cannot leave that forbearance until you switch to another plan.
You can be in forbearance and apply for IDR. This denial message sounds like an error. It sounds like they believe that your loans have NEVER enter repayment yet. You cannot apply for IDR while in in-school status or the grace period. Obviously you are not but it sounds like the person processing your application made a mistake.
I would contact Mohela about the error and/or submit another IBR application.
I’ve also been waiting (first since February, then applied again in June), and also just got the same email from Mohela today 🙁
I don’t think that’s right. I’m scared my servicer will do the same. All they got to do is put you in the IBR and then you can just be in the forbearance. I think this could be another class action suit because if they make me apply later and then I have taxes to pay on it then there’s definitely going to be a problem!
This is exactly what happened to my sister. In SAVE Forbearance with MOHELA, applied for IBR, got the same email 2 days later. Called many times and told she would be removed from Forbearance. Even filled out the form 4 times to stop Forbearance. No change. But MOHELA told her only FSA can remove the Forbearance. She calls FSA, they say it will be removed but still no change. Insurance PSLF, so this forced Forbearance is a real problem because she can’t make qualifying payments.