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My soldier needs your help- should she go to JAG?
She's paid her student loans on time, every time. But one loan (company to remain nameless) did not send her any statements or anything. What they did was email them...but she never got them as her email address was cancelled due to inactivity since bootcamp and AIT, and then another school- she didn't have time to log in. Now she's still in-processing in Korea.
Others were coming in to her home of record- and I'd let her know...and she's been paying them...but this one company just didn't disclose anything!
Has this happened to anyone else?
What should she do?
They claim she's 204 days past due- evidently she went into repayment while she was in boot camp but never did they mail her anything- nothing.
My soldier needs your help- should she go to JAG?
She's paid her student loans on time, every time. But one loan (company to remain nameless) did not send her any statements or anything. What they did was email them...but she never got them as her email address was cancelled due to inactivity since bootcamp and AIT, and then another school- she didn't have time to log in. Now she's still in-processing in Korea.
Others were coming in to her home of record- and I'd let her know...and she's been paying them...but this one company just didn't disclose anything!
Has this happened to anyone else?
What should she do?
They claim she's 204 days past due- evidently she went into repayment while she was in boot camp but never did they mail her anything- nothing.
Could JAG help?
She should check her credit report to see if it has gone to a collection agency. If so, she should pay the amount owed to the collection agency, and it should be taken out of her credit report.
However, if this is not the case, then she should probaby contact the company to see if there is anything that they can do in order to make the account free of any derogatory information before going to a JAG. Sometimes if you tell a company your situation, they'll be willing to work with you, and perhaps if she's lucky they may work out some payment plan with her. Good Luck.
Yea, my guess is that her collection letters are computer generated. I had 40 mortgages on rentals and got 40 late notices at the end of 2001. I called and they said my bank was in the WTC that was destroyed on 9/11. No problem, they said to just ignore the notices. We live in an age of computers, which are not smart. They're just being systematic. Good luck!
To my knowledge joining the military has nothing to do with fullfiling one's financial obligations.
The soldiers and sailors relief act adjusts the interest rate charged on loans but only after the financial institution is properly notified by the service member.
Military service doesn't trump personal responsibility.
PS: I'm a retired E-8 Army after 30 years so don't wave the flag at me in a reply.
Thanks for the advice, she wrote the advocate at the student loan place....she's already paid the lump sum to catch up.
After looking online, all they did was PDF her statements- not once sending them to her. So when she was in boot camp and all her student loans, credit cards, etc come in...I just let her know about them.....so when this company DID NOT mail anything- -
that just has to be wrong. There should be some type of requirement that they notify you that your student loan is in repayment.
Moderator cut: This is not the right place for consumer complaints. Such posts present defamation issues and they don't give the other side the opportunity to present their side of the argument. has responded with 'an email was sent to you in May 2009 with your repayment terms'....and that the credit bureaus have been notified with the negative information.
May 2009 my soldier was in boot camp at Ft. Jackson!
I'm really hoping someone out there in the military can help. The federal government (Army drill sgts) did not allow my soldier to check email...as that's part of boot camp.
So how can another 'federal' agency NOT snail mail a repayment letter? Email is sufficient?
And now my soldier has to suffer 7 years of bad credit?
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 03-11-2010 at 08:15 AM..
This seems really odd... when I took out my student loans (and all loans/credit cards I've ever had) I've had to give a "Nearest relative". Did her nearest relative move/change their phone number too? In my early 20s, I was once TWO months behind on my student loans and they sent my nearest relative a letter. My poor grandmother called me, worried. Of course, I didn't try to lie to cover my irresponsibility, I just admitted to being irresponsible, took the lecture and made arrangements to catch up on my payments.
Also, when you go into the military, you have to sign a "financial responsiblity" statement and list out your bills. You know before you ship that you will not have access to email, and are told to make arrangements for your bills to be paid.
PS You have to request electronic notices and sign a waiver, which is renewable each year - I know. Still making payments to Sallie Mae, all these years later myself. And I did sign up electronically. I am very familiar with Sallie Mae and their policies.
She started college years and years ago...from a 2 year school moving to a 4 year....all using her 'home' address. The same one that's used now...the home of record. The family home.
So EVERYONE knows her address.
At the beginning of each semester, a new promisory note was signed. In essence, a new loan.
Going from 1 school to another meant new lenders. Plus lenders would change mid season- as in selling or transferring. (supposedly normal practice)
My daughter finished school one day and within 1 month was leaving for basic training. Her financial aid counselor said repayment begins in 6 months...you will get notices in the mail- don't ignore them.
Okay, her support system (mom) at home will be on top of things...checking the mail, opening every letter. Credit cards, loans, and even student loans come in...some with strange names- but oh well- normal practice as loans from years prior have been sold/transferred- no biggie.
All payments set up by allotment or bank drafts. Perfect credit with all credit bureaus...never late on any payment. Gets to Korea and she plans to save 1/2 her paycheck so that when she returns in 1 year she can buy a car at her next duty station.
Yesterday, 'loan company' sends a letter to my mother....yes, my mother...the next of kin that was listed on the student loan applications from years earlier to semester earlier.
They write my mother...but not the debtor.
This is the crazy part! Not once did 'loan company' ever send anything in the mail...like the other student loan companies did.
This soldier is on top of her responsibilites and obligations- so it's not like she ignored this.
'loan company' states they did not ever mail her anything...but rather they emailed her something- during boot camp. And it's her fault she didn't get it!
Anyone see the problem? How can a soldier in boot camp be at fault for not receiving an email? And since then, 'loan company' did not mail any bills, statements- just this letter to my mother.
And thanks sskkc, the electronic notices? Must be renewed yearly? Then it wasn't renewed!!!! So if she did waive snail mail when she applied for the loan...a year had passed and they should have begun sending snail mail...but they didn't.
sskkc- do you by chance have anything or know where I can get that policy of the waiver of mail only lasts a year?
Last edited by VegasGrace; 03-11-2010 at 08:39 AM..
It doesn't matter if they sent statements.. It is her responsibility to pay. She should be able to think, "Hmmm... I have a loan with XXX and I haven't paid for 4 months, I should call them.'
You can't just cancel your email address, not pay, and blame someone else.
Even if they didn't mail the statements... that is crappy, and that is bad business, but it is not a legal excuse not to pay your just debts.
Sorry.
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