Infuriating Paperwork

I have student loans that I’ve had on an Income Driven Repayment Plan.

When I found out my job was ending in September, I applied for them to be recalculated and included my severance letter.

A month passed, and I was starting to be suspicious.

I called.  The paperwork had hung because my husband’s proof of income didn’t say ‘Gross’ on it.  They didn’t mail me anything to let me know.

I faxed a new version in.

I called the next day to check that they received it, and the gentleman on the phone said he attached it.

All is well and good.

I got a bill for the full amount because I didn’t get it in before that month’s bill was calculated.  Note that this was FIVE TIMES the size of the payment I had… when I still had a job.

Now I don’t have a job, and it was a scramble to find the money.

I called to follow up, and the lady said they had 20 days to process paperwork.

Okay.  I waited.

I called to follow up.

The lady on the phone was awful and basically said that I hadn’t faxed it in because she couldn’t find it in THE most condescending way.

There were rage tears.

I faxed the second version of my husband’s paperwork immediately after talking with her.

I called to follow up two days later.

My paperwork was more than 90 days old so I needed to resubmit.  The gentleman also told me to suspend my payment and how to do that.

I tried to suspend the payment – it wouldn’t do it.  I can try again on the 20th.

I filled out the paperwork again, and at the end it told me ‘click here to review, print, sign, and mail in’.  I did.  It took me to a page that had the different applications listed, and they all had links to print EXCEPT the one I did.

I tried to go back to access what I had filled out.  The page crashed.

My husband tried to go in and do his part – it wouldn’t let him.

I took screen captures of all of the parts that didn’t work, found a blank form, filled out the form by hand, and put it in the mail with proof of income for my husband.  AGAIN.

I am so frustrated it isn’t even funny.

I started this before I even lost my job, and it has been three months of infuriating paperwork snafus.

I keep records, and I’m good about following up.  THIS SHOULDN’T BE SO HARD.

So, that’s my gripe for the day.