Katy
Charlotte,#2Consumer Comment
Fri, January 29, 2010
First, federal student loans, taxes etc. are never included in bankruptcies. It may be that your bankruptcy attorney failed to disclose that to you but it is included in the legal documents that each filer must sign. ECMC contacted me about old students that were already in default and the impending garnishment. Since I had moved several times without notifying the lender and since I knew they were not paid off, I was upset with myself but I knew it was something I just had to deal with. The interest accrued and I had a large debt to pay, but it was no one's responsibility to keep up with it but my own. ECMC was not responsible for the terms of my loan. While I was raising my kids I was barely scraping by and just didn't have the extra money toward paying the loans. I called ECMC and made payment arrangements and they were very cordial. My account manager's name was Karl and I had his direct number should anything arise that I could not make a payment. I was scared that I'd have some unforseen emergency and not be able to pull it off. But I kept up the agreement for 9 months and this not only prevented the garnishment from going into effect, but rehabilitated my loan! After 9 months my rehabilitated status made me eligible to receive federal student loans again to return to school and finish my degree. I was able to then defer payments until after I finish my degree and my monthly payments will drop significantly when I do have to start making payments again.
It was hard to make the payments for 9 months when my budget was so tight, and once I was late but Karl had a manager look at how hard I'd worked to stay on track and they made an adjustment. Now that I am back in school, I am so appreciative for the opportunity to reach my goals again. I was also in contact with others at ECMC in their Title IV department who made sure my school received the proper documentation to allow me to apply for financial aid. With the exception of one person, each ECMC employee treated me with respect and dignity. This has made such a difference in my life and my outlook. I hope others are experiencing what I have received from ECMC.