IBR Update

Here is a post I did on what IBR is, and here was my last issue with signing up for it.

I ended up calling Sallie Mae a couple weeks ago and telling them I wanted all deferments ended, so that IBR could be processed on all my student loans. They complied, but then said I had to apply for IBR all over again. I did, except this time I sent in my tax return instead of form 4506-t (which lets SM access my tax returns at the IRS). I originally had sent 4506-t because I e-filed, and thus didn't have a signed copy of my return. The rep encouraged me to send in the return instead of 4506-t because the processing would be faster, and told me that they didn't need a "wet" signature and just to send in the confirmation page. That's proved to be a problem.

What I sent in was a copy of my status as provided by TaxAct (showing that my return was accepted by the IRS). SM didn't like that and sent me a letter stating that I needed to send in a signed tax return or, if I e-filed, the "signed confirmation page." I called SM again, asking them if I could just sign my tax return and send it in. They reiterated I should send this signed confirmation page, which was defined as the page where I put in my pin. I vaguely remember that page, but there was no reason to print it out. So I went to TaxAct for help. They basically said SM was stupid, and that what I had provided should have been more than good enough. "It would be more than you would get it if you had paper-filed," they said. They also said that the pin entering page was irretrievable.

So what did I do? I just signed the tax return. I should have done it to begin with, but I was being silly. I thought, "oh, since I e-filed, there won't be a signature block."

So I did that, except now I haven't heard from SM. They just sent me a round of e-mails, but not a word about the IBR. So I guess I'll have to call them again. Great.

Why does this have to be such a hassle?

2 comments:

j. said...

Because it's Sallie Mae. In the quest for a newer, friendlier DMV they had to get rid of some people. Those people *all* wound up at S. Mae.

That's *my* theory, anyway...

April Elizabeth said...

im nervous about IBR - im married and my hubs income would be included. We are litterally living pay check to pay check on his income.... we couldnt afford another penny.

But im gonna look into it.

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