Resolving Complex Issues and Getting Help with Student Loans

Dealing with student loan issues can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Many borrowers face challenges with their loans, and there are multiple ways to advocate for yourself. Below, we’ll walk through your options step-by-step, from filing official complaints to finding professional help. 

File Official Complaints 

When you’re hitting roadblocks with your loan servicer, filing an official complaint can often get results. Here’s where to start: 

Federal Student Aid Feedback System (Department of Education) 

The Department of Education manages student loans through their Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), so FSA is an official government branch that handles all federal student aid programs.  

For federal student loan issues, the FSA Feedback System is often your first stop. FSA oversees all federal loan servicers and has direct authority to resolve issues. They maintain records of all complaints, which can help establish a paper trail if you need to escalate later. 

FSA’s general customer service usually can’t access your specific loan details or servicer account information. However, when you submit a formal complaint/feedback, FSA can access your complete federal loan history and communicate directly with your servicer. 

Use this system when: 

• Your servicer isn’t responsive or gives conflicting information 

• You notice payment counting errors or misapplied payments 

• You’re having issues with loan discharge, forgiveness, or repayment plans 

• You need to dispute how your servicer is handling your account 

Pro tip: After filing, call your servicer and reference your FSA Feedback case number. This often prompts faster resolution since servicers must report back to FSA on all complaints. 

FSA Feedback System: https://studentaid.gov/feedback-center/ 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Issues

The PSLF Reconsideration process exists because the initial PSLF review process has strict requirements and often misses valid qualifying payments or employment. Through reconsideration, you can: 

• Challenge payment count errors 

• Submit additional evidence of qualifying employment 

• Address technical issues with loan or payment types 

Key reasons to use reconsideration before some other types of escalation: 

• It preserves your original application date 

• Triggers a fresh review of your entire file 

• Can be submitted multiple times as you gather evidence 

• Often faster than trying to resolve issues through your servicer 

Pro tip: Submit a reconsideration request even if you’re still gathering documents. You can always submit more later, and this starts the review process sooner. 

PSLF Reconsideration Portal: https://studentaid.gov/pslf-reconsideration 

Contact Government Representatives 

(Source: Student Borrower Protection Center Congressional Casework Tool)

Members of Congress have teams of caseworkers who help constituents experiencing issues with a federal agency. Student loan servicers are paid hundreds of millions of dollars by ED to help borrowers manage their student loans. If you are having an issue with your federal student loans or your student loan servicer, you can contact your senator or representative for assistance. Problems with your federal student loan debt might include (but are not limited to): 

• Challenges reaching your student loan servicer or excessively long wait times
• Lost paperwork or inaccurate information from your servicer
• Incorrect information on your credit report related to your federal student loans, including loans that have already been paid off
• Issues filing an application for Borrower Defense to Repayment

Start by finding the website for your representative or senator. 

Each Member of Congress has their own website, so they are organized differently. To submit a request, look for the option on their website that says something like “Constituent Services,” “Casework,” or “Get Help With a Federal Agency.” You will need to complete a privacy waiver so that a caseworker can take action on your behalf; some offices will have you complete the privacy waiver first, or it may be part of the form to submit your case information.

It can take time for a caseworker to review and start looking into your case, so you may not get an immediate response. If you have not received a response within 3 business days, call the office to request an update on your casework request.