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Also, make sure to call early in the morning or later in the afternoon - I've found mid-day is when they're swamped. And definitely have your account number ready to go, they'll ask for it right away. One more thing - if you're calling about payment issues, have your bank routing/account info handy in case they need to update anything. Hope your call goes smoothly!
I've dealt with MOHELA multiple times and here's what I wish someone had told me: call with a specific goal in mind, not just "I have issues." Write down exactly what you want to accomplish (payment plan change, account question, etc.) and stick to that agenda. Also, if the call goes badly or you don't get what you need, hang up and try again later - sometimes you just get a better rep the second time around. Don't be afraid to be persistent!
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's absolutely maddening when your money just vanishes into their system! I haven't had this exact issue with MOHELA yet, but I've definitely had payment processing nightmares with other servicers before. One thing I learned is to always screenshot everything the moment you make a payment - confirmation pages, transaction IDs, everything. It sounds like you're already getting some solid advice here about calling early, getting trace numbers from your bank, and documenting everything. The CFPB complaint route that Pedro mentioned is legit - I've seen them actually force servicers to respond when nothing else worked. Hang in there and don't let them gaslight you into thinking this is normal! 💪
@Sarah Jones This is exactly the kind of support we need more of! You re'so right about screenshotting everything - I wish someone had told me that before this whole mess started. I m'definitely learning that lesson the hard way now. It s'crazy how these servicers can just lose our money and act like it s'no big deal. Really appreciate all the encouragement and practical advice everyone s'sharing here. Makes me feel less alone in dealing with this nightmare! Going to start working through everyone s'suggestions tomorrow. 🙏
I feel your pain! This exact thing happened to me about 3 months ago and it was absolutely infuriating. My bank showed the money was withdrawn but MOHELA kept insisting they never received it. What finally worked for me was filing a complaint with the CFPB (like Pedro suggested) AND simultaneously reaching out to MOHELA on Twitter. For some reason, their social media team actually has more power to escalate things than their phone reps. Within 48 hours of tweeting about it, I had someone from their executive customer service team calling me directly. They found the "lost" payment in their system and fixed it immediately. Sometimes you have to make noise publicly to get results unfortunately. Also definitely get that trace number from your bank - that was crucial evidence in my case. Don't give up! 💪
I just went through this exact nightmare with MOHELA! Here's what finally worked for me - when you call, immediately ask to be transferred to the "Account Resolution" department instead of regular customer service. They're more equipped to handle these forbearance/IDR mix-ups. Also, have your FSA ID ready because they'll want to look at your federal account too. The issue is usually that your forbearance status and IDR enrollment aren't syncing properly in their system. Don't let them tell you to "wait and see" - demand they fix it on the call. I literally stayed on the phone for 3 hours until they sorted mine out. It's ridiculous that we have to fight this hard, but it's worth it to get your account straightened out!
OMG yes! The "Account Resolution" department tip is HUGE! 🙌 I wish I had known about that sooner. Regular customer service just kept transferring me around in circles. And you're so right about not accepting "wait and see" - I made that mistake early on and it just made everything worse. Thanks for the FSA ID reminder too, I definitely need to have that handy before I call again!
I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now! It's like MOHELA's system can't figure out whether I'm on forbearance or my IDR plan. I've been getting conflicting information every time I call - one rep tells me I'm still on forbearance, another says I'm on IBR, and then my account shows I owe payments that should be covered. It's absolutely maddening! Has anyone had success getting them to actually look at both statuses at the same time instead of treating them like separate issues? I feel like there's some kind of system glitch where they can't see the whole picture of what's supposed to be happening with our accounts.
I'm experiencing the EXACT same system glitch issue! 😤 What's helped me is asking the rep to pull up both my forbearance history AND my IDR enrollment at the same time while I'm on the phone. I literally had to walk one rep through looking at different screens because they kept only checking one thing at a time. It's like their training doesn't cover how these two things interact with each other. Also, when they tell you conflicting info, ask them to put you on a brief hold so they can "consult with a supervisor about the discrepancy" - that usually gets them to actually dig deeper instead of just giving you the first answer they see. It shouldn't be this hard but apparently we have to be our own case managers! 🙄
Has anyone else noticed that MOHELA's website is always "under maintenance" when you actually need to use it? 🙄
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied for SAVE about 3 weeks ago, FSA shows it's processed, but radio silence from MOHELA. It's so frustrating because you don't know if there's an issue or if they're just slow. I've been checking my account daily like a crazy person 😅 From reading through these comments, it seems like calling them might be the way to go, even though the wait times sound brutal. Let me know if you hear anything - maybe we can compare notes!
Same here! I'm also checking my account obsessively hoping something will change 😭 The waiting game is the worst part because you never know if you should be worried or just patient. I might try that early morning calling tip someone mentioned - setting my alarm for 3 minutes after they open tomorrow. We should definitely keep each other posted on any updates!
AstroAce
Have you checked if theres a way to stop payments online? Sometimes its easier to do stuff through their website than actually talking to a human
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Sean O'Donnell
•I tried, but the website is so confusing. I couldn't find the option anywhere. 😕
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AstroAce
•Aw man, that sucks. Their website is like a maze designed by a drunk person 🤦♂️
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Anthony Young
I feel your pain! MOHELA's phone system is absolutely terrible. Here's what finally worked for me: try calling the forbearance/deferment line instead of the main customer service number. The wait times are usually shorter and they can often help with payment issues too. The number is on their website under "Contact Us" - look for the specific forbearance option. Also, if you're trying to stop payments temporarily, you might want to look into economic hardship deferment or forbearance options which you can sometimes apply for online. Good luck!
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James Martinez
•This is such a helpful tip! I never thought to try a different department line. Sometimes the specialized lines have way less volume than the main customer service number. Thanks for sharing the forbearance line suggestion - definitely going to try this next time I need to reach them!
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Sofia Price
•@Anthony Young This is brilliant advice! I had no idea there were different department lines. I ve'been banging my head against the wall trying to get through the main line. Definitely going to try the forbearance line - even if they can t'help directly, maybe they can transfer me internally without losing the call. You might have just saved my sanity! 🙏
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