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Author Topic: Student Loans  (Read 4383 times)

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Offline darryaz

  • Member
  • Posts: 450
Student Loans
« on: August 04, 2013, 11:15:45 am »
Several months ago I had given up on the effort to have my Student Loans discharged based on my disability.  The process was far too complicated and the Student Loan people seemed incredibly picky. 

My doctor filled out the application twice and it was refused both times.  The first time it was because they claimed they couldn't read his handwriting (strange, since I could read it just fine) and the second because he abbreviated HIV and AIDS.

Later this month I see a new doctor so I decided to tackle the process again.  I went online this morning to re-print the application.

To my HUGE surprise, things have changed a bit in the last 6 months.  There is now a website where you can apply for disability discharge online.  http://www.disabilitydischarge.com/Home/

The requirements have changed as well.  Before it was made clear that the student loan discharge WOULD NOT take into account a person's disability status with the Social Security Administration.  That does not appear to be true any longer.

From what I'm seeing I don't have to have my doctor involved at all.  The documentation ALL comes from the Social Security Administration.

This is a terrific change and makes me much more hopeful about getting the student loans discharged.

I'll keep you all posted.

Offline GSOgymrat

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,122
  • HIV+ since 1993. Relentlessly gay.
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2013, 03:29:32 pm »
Sounds encouraging. I hope it works out.

Offline mikeyb39

  • Member
  • Posts: 980
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2013, 03:39:21 pm »
My student loan has been a huge monkey on my back for years.  I used to only pay the interest for the longest time, which was doing nothing to decrease the almost 30,000 I owed. 

Two years again I bit the bullet and just started paying the 400/month and now I have it below 6000.00, my plan is to get it paid off by next summer.  whatever I owe by next April im going to just pay it off.   I cant wait to get this done and out of my life.

College was fun, but It was not worth the pain u have to deal with later.  Unfortunately I did something completely opposite than what my degree was in.

11/02/2010  cd4-251, vl-591000
12/09/2010  started Atripla
02/18/2011  cd4-425, vl-800
06/10/2011  cd4-447, vl-70
10/10/2011  cd4-666, vl-80
01/05/2012  swiched med (prezista,norvir ,isentress, )
02/10/2012  cd4-733, vl-UD  Viread removed
06/10/2012  cd4-614, vl-UD
12/14/2012  cd4-764, vl-UD
09/01/2013  cd4-785, vl-UD
03/06/2014. cd4- 1078, VL-UD
09/05/2014  cd4-850 , VL-UD
09/05/2014 switched meds isentress, prezcobix -still only two antivirals
10/14/2015  cd4-600 , VL-UD

Offline darryaz

  • Member
  • Posts: 450
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2013, 04:10:51 pm »
Mikey, I know how you feel.  I paid off the student loans from my first attempt at grad school in 1993.  And like you I ended up in a career COMPLETELY different from what I studied.

Offline bocker3

  • Member
  • Posts: 4,285
  • You gotta enjoy life......
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2013, 05:48:52 pm »
Not sure I am understanding the connection between your student loans and your current career?
Having hired a number of folks over the years, trust me, your college degree matters -- regardless of the major.
I, too, work in a field that has nothing to do with either my undergrad or grad degrees -- but I would NOT have this job if I didn't have those degrees.

I suspect that you will make more over the course of your working life because of those degrees, than without them -- and that difference is probably much more than the cost of the loans.  May not be true in 100% of the cases, but it is far more true than not..........

It took me ~15 yrs to pay off my undergrad loans -- fortunately, my employer paid for my grad degree.

Mike

Offline darryaz

  • Member
  • Posts: 450
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2013, 08:00:23 pm »
Actually in both cases I acquired student loan debt without ever completing a degree.  The first time I quit school because I got a good job in a different field. 

The second time my disability interfered with my ability to complete the degree.

Offline tednlou2

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,730
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2013, 03:11:34 am »
Several months ago I had given up on the effort to have my Student Loans discharged based on my disability.  The process was far too complicated and the Student Loan people seemed incredibly picky. 

My doctor filled out the application twice and it was refused both times.  The first time it was because they claimed they couldn't read his handwriting (strange, since I could read it just fine) and the second because he abbreviated HIV and AIDS.

Later this month I see a new doctor so I decided to tackle the process again.  I went online this morning to re-print the application.

To my HUGE surprise, things have changed a bit in the last 6 months.  There is now a website where you can apply for disability discharge online.  http://www.disabilitydischarge.com/Home/

The requirements have changed as well.  Before it was made clear that the student loan discharge WOULD NOT take into account a person's disability status with the Social Security Administration.  That does not appear to be true any longer.

From what I'm seeing I don't have to have my doctor involved at all.  The documentation ALL comes from the Social Security Administration.

This is a terrific change and makes me much more hopeful about getting the student loans discharged.

I'll keep you all posted.

I think it has really depended on the servicer of the loan, as they handle the discharges.  My mom went on SSDI, and applied to have her parent plus loans discharged.  She had no problems.  I know they required the doc to state specifics on what your disability is and they had to state that it was permanent. 

I always thought it was totally ridiculous how they did this.  If the federal govt, through SSDI, has deemed you disabled, then I always felt that should be good enough for the dept of Ed.  For many, you have more than one doc submitting med records, that SSDI uses to determine you are disabled.  The Dept of Ed wanted one doc to fill our their form.  One doc and one condition may not deem you permanently disabled, rather it is the total of all your conditions.  For example, an HIV doc may not be able to say you are disabled.  But, add their diagnosis with a mental health dx, to a liver doc dx, and you are considered disabled by SSDI.  So, it wasn't fair they wanted one doc to make this determination for student loans.

I hadn't heard they are now using SSDI claim that you're disabled, to make their decision.  If that's the case, that is good to hear.  Btw, they have to return any payments your made, after the doc signed the form-- of course, pending their approval.   

Offline BT65

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 10,786
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2013, 04:13:55 am »
Ted, if you look at the form Darryaz linked to, there is a section to be filled out based on SSA's determination of disability.  It includes sending a BPQY, which is a form from SSA stating when they will be reviewing a case next.  Because if it's 5-7 years, then SSA considers a person permanently disabled, and that's the maximum amount of time that can go by without SSA conducting a review.

There's also another section for a doctor to fill out.  But it seems the person filling out the form, who wants the loan discharged, can decide whether to use a doctor, or SSA. 
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Offline wolfter

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,470
Re: Student Loans
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2013, 11:54:31 am »
I might have to look into this also.  I was talking with Mitchypoo the other day about a letter I rec'd from the Student Loan Administration.  I took out loans in the 80's to finance my education.  We paid according to schedule and I'm sure we paid it all back. 

Now they're claiming that I had just under $2,000 remaining due on the loan.  I paid about $20,000 and failure to pay that relatively small amount?  I never rec'd any notice for 2 decades and now they're coming after me for over $8,000 thanks to interest and penalties. 

Speaking to them in person has been a lesson in patience.  "According to our records" was uttered constantly without any sort of documentation to support their assertion.  I literally LOL'd when she said that we could clear it up if I could provide proof of payment.  My bank branch manager even laughed when I called and asked her if we could retrieve archived statements.

Wolfie
Being honest is not wronging others, continuing the dishonesty is.

 


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