Student Loan Services
Nelnet - National Educational Loan NetworkHeadquarters
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Nelnet - National Educational Loan Network's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 1,148 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 282 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:04/05/2023
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
-Around Sept. 2022 I sent documentation to ****** in the form of a PSLF. The PSLF was due on on OCT.30, 2022 for student loan forgiveness. I filled out all paperwork, had it signed by my work, and sent it to ****** ahead of said due date. When I checked the status of my form it stated "09/22/2022 -Processed- A notice has been sent. Please allow 7-10 business days for the notice to be received." It said said that since 9/22/22 with no change in status. When I called the company it says that the status was processed as of "10/7/22". Either way, my paperwork was sent before said due date.
-4/4/23- Finally called StudentAid.gov to see if they could give me more information and they stated that they could not and I had to directly call who my direct loan was being serviced by.
-4/4/23- Called ****** (loan company who consolidated my loan and involved in PSLF) stated that my loan was not consolidated and they could not approve a loan they had no information on. Stated that my loan service company did not send over necessary paperwork regarding the loan for consolidation to occur and for process to be approved. Was told to call NELNET.
-4/5/23- Called NELNET today who had no explanation for why loan was not consolidated and sent me paperwork to consolidate. I also asked about the following: As stated from from Federal Student Aid website- "Refunds During the Payment Pause-
You can get a refund for any payment (including auto-debit payments) you make during the payment pause (beginning March 13, 2020). Contact your loan servicer to request that your payment be refunded."
- I was on an auto debit plan with NELNET and since March 2020 paid 35 payments. I asked about my refund status since I paid during the federal forbearance. They stated I was ineligible because the loan was not consolidated by 10/30/22.
-the loan was not consolidated by 10/30/22 because of their negligence.Business Response
Date: 04/12/2023
Pertaining to Gina ********
federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My loans were switched from Nelnet to ****** on July 29th, 2022. They have since been discharged under the public service loan forgiveness program. My credit reports are showing I currently have a balance with Nelnet even though my loans were transferred from them last July. I disputed the accounts with all three credit bureaus on 12/17/2022, 2/12/2023, and 3/2/2023. Nelnet advises the bureaus they are accurately reporting my account. I also made a complaint with the department of education on 1/31/2023. I haven't received a conclusion to the complaint from them. I also disputed the information with Nelnet on 1/31/203. They still are refusing to correct my reports. I've spoken with them on January 5th, 12th, 31st, March 2nd. 28th. I have gotten different answers each time. I'm still waiting on a call from them.Business Response
Date: 04/27/2023
Pertaining to Tanika ******** federal student loan account, we
reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.Customer Answer
Date: 05/01/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
Tanika ******Good morning,
Attached is my Experian credit report showing that some of my Department of Education/Nelnet accounts have been updated and some have not. There are seven accounts that have not been updated. I put stars next to them. I respectfully request Nelnet update the seven accounts reflecting they have a zero balance. I appreciate your help with this.
Thanks
TanikaBusiness Response
Date: 05/05/2023
Pertaining to Tanika ******** federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/14/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:The letter from Nelnet stating they updated my accounts with the credit bureaus is dated April 27, 2023. Attached are screenshots from my Experian credit report showing that my accounts were reported as having a balance as of May 2, 2023. The report on May 2nd stems from a credit dispute of the accounts with Experian. Though Nelnet is saying they've updated the information with the credit bureaus, when Experian reached out to them in reference to the dispute they said they were reporting the accounts accurately. According to their reply this is false. I respectfully request Nelnet accurately report my accounts immediately to Experian.
Sincerely,
Tanika ******Business Response
Date: 05/23/2023
Pertaining to Tanika ******** federal student loan account, we
reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am part of the ***** * ******** class settlement. February28 The US Dept of Ed emailed me to say I would be getting my entire student loan forgiven and refunded for the money I paid it, as my school was on the list of predatory lenders.
Nelnet says I never paid anything even though I have years of bank statements showing monthly payments. And that they’re only forgiving $***** not $******. They show a list of all these different loans but I only have one loan. I consolidated years ago. Biden looked at it and said I qualified for his ****** in forgiveness, I have that email as well.
The number they picked is the interest ***** ****** was going to give me when she was randomly denying borrower defense claims. I appealed, with others, was included in the class and won.
Prior to all this I refinanced from Nelnet because of their interest rates and payments and consolidated to one loan with ****************. So any FFELP loans were now one loan. And the government bought them all during the recession.
Biden stopped certain loan servicing companies and I’m stuck with Nelnet again, I didn’t ask for them and I don’t want them. And now they’re trying to steal from me, they money I’m owed and my relief. The school preyed on me, we fought and we won. Now I have these **** ******* trying to lie and prey on me again.Business Response
Date: 04/19/2023
Pertaining to Karen *******
federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2023
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am one of the people who qualify for tuition reimbursement that the Biden Administration is rolling out. When the news was announced, I quickly made a call to Nelnet to request a reimbursement on my $****** payment I made at the beginning of 2022 to cut down my loan balance.
The call was placed to them back in September and they told me they would begin to process my refund of $****** with an estimate of 8-12 weeks until I would receive it. Come December 2022, I called them asking where that money was. Their response “if you didn’t get it then it probably got lost in the mail and we will have to issue another check”.
They directed me to call the department of education for a tracking number or additional answers. Upon making the phone call, they told me Nelnet is responsible and should have the answers. Nelnet then told me to call the treasury department. Needless to say, nobody knows what happened to the $****** I gave them. They told me they cancel the check for me and issue another, which means they have the tracking number and everything, but they continued to tell me that’s not true.
Unfortunately, that money was taken out of a bond account and I was forced to pay over $***** in income taxes on that money this year and lost a year's worth of interest on that money.
Upon calling them again this month, March, to get an update as another 3 months had passed, the answer I received this time was “I’ve been advised to tell you that we don’t know and have no timeline for you. The refund check was never issued and we don’t know when it will be.” I think it’s fair to say that my money is being held hostage at this point as nobody is providing a real reason as to why I can’t get my refund back 8 months later.Customer Answer
Date: 04/13/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:1. I’m not Andrea so they didn’t pay attention to who they were responding to
2. This is borderline a FERPA violation and negligent
Sincerely,
Ryan *****Business Response
Date: 05/05/2023
Pertaining to Ryan ****** federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
attached response.Customer Answer
Date: 05/08/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because the information provided by Nelnet in response to what actually happened is not sufficient nor accurate. They told me they didn't have a tracking number or check number, but in this response, they did have it and provided me a series of excuses and additional avenues I needed to go through to track down the check. Additionally, in December, I called and asked them to cancel the check because it was allegedly lost in the mail, yet I had no proof a check was actually cut or sent. They are now saying they cancelled this check AFTER I filled the BBB claim in April. Even though when I called in March and again in April they assured me it was cancelled. The new check that should have been recut in December doesn't exist and now I will have to wait at minimum another 3-4 months before seeing the money.Again, this is $****** that is unaccounted for and I have got the run around for 9 months now. Repayment is starting again soon and not only does my account have ****** back on it that I have to make payments on, but I don't even have that money back *** *** ****** ******** ** ******** **** **** ***** ***** ** *****.
Sincerely,
Ryan *****Business Response
Date: 05/17/2023
Pertaining to Ryan ******* federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/17/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because: The issue is not being properly addressed or acknowledged. Please have a manager/superior respond to this claim and review the documentation I submitted and previous responses.
Sincerely,
Ryan *****Business Response
Date: 05/24/2023
May 24, 2023
Ryan *****
***** ***** **** ******* **** ****
******** ** *****
RE: BBB Rebuttal ********
Account: **********
Dear
Ryan,
We
appreciate your BBB Rebuttal to case ********. We understand you still have
concerns related to receiving a refund check for payments made during the
COVID-19 national emergency and our previous responses.
We
apologize for the frustration this issue has caused. We responded to your similar concerns with
our responses dated May 4, 2023, and May 17, 2023. Our responses
are enclosed for your review.
On April 14, 2023,
a stop payment was requested on the check numbered ****** issued by the U.S. Department
of Treasury. On the same date we requested a check in the amount of $********
be reissued.
The U.S.
Department of Treasury must approve refund requests before funds can be issued
back to the remitter of the payment. We appreciate your patience while our Payment
Processing team works diligently to process refund requests. Due to the high
volume of refund requests, we cannot provide a time frame for when you will
receive your refund.
Because
we have not received updated information with your recent correspondence, our
determination dated May 4, 2023, will
stand.
Additional
Information
We
understand you requested this refund due to the recently announced Biden-Harris
Student Debt Relief Plan, and you may qualify for the cancellation of all or a portion
of your loans. Please be aware that since November 10, 2022, courts have issued
orders blocking the Biden-Harris Debt Relief Program. Should your refund be
approved, the requested amount refunded will be added to your existing account
balance or, if applicable, reinstate your previously paid-in-full balance. This
adjustment may result in the loans reflecting on your credit report and the
potential for billing. For the latest information regarding the status of
student debt relief, visit?StudentAid.gov.?
We hope you find this
information helpful. If you have any other questions, please call us at ************,
from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Eastern) Monday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through
Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. You can also visit our website at Nelnet.com, or email **********************************.
Sincerely,
Joe **
Nelnet Loan Servicing
Enclosures:
Previous
Response dated May 4, 2023, and May 17, 2023Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am not liable for this debt with NELNET and I do not have a contract with NELNET. They did not send me the original application as I have requested!Business Response
Date: 04/12/2023
Pertaining to Andrea ****** federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.Customer Answer
Date: 04/19/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:
Sincerely,
Andrea *****Initial Complaint
Date:04/03/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
This Student Loan Provider has been reporting illegal late payments to my credit report. I have tried multiple attempt, put the company on notice, and asked to see a copy of my disclosures that should’ve been provided upon signing my promissory note. I have also attempted multiple times with the CFPB and no resolution there either. The company has responded with copies of my promissory note and not the disclosures. My desired resolution is to just correct the late payments to pay as agreed or on time.Business Response
Date: 04/04/2023
Pertaining to Demitria ****** federal student loan account, we
reviewed their concerns and provide the ******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:03/28/2023
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I’ve been dealing with Nelnet now for months and have called in the below times:
I’ve called in on
August 29th
September 22nd
October 15th
November 29th
December 27th
Jan 19th
March 7th
March 27th
In august i request a refund of student loan payment, roughly $***** - i continued to call back through the end of the year as I was never sent a check but was told every time it takes 3-4 week to process…the first call was in august so i just though they were backed up.
I called back again early this year and was told they wrote the check and hve now added the funds back to my total owed. However I never received the check or cashed it. I do not have that money, if they check they’d see I did not cash it.
I’ve requested them to cancel the refund at this point and remove the funds added back to my loan. I keep calling to see an update or to speak to a supervisor and continuously get the run around. I have no where left to turn, they’ve added funds to my loan and will not take them off. On top of this and somehow by account is accruing interest - when my loans are on the federal pause, which they should not be accruing interest.
I’m pleading for a callback from someone who can help but every time i call in, I can’t talk directly to their resolutions department and when they tell me I’ll get a call back I never do. Not once have they returned my call.Business Response
Date: 04/05/2023
Pertaining to Malcolm ************ federal student loan account, we
reviewed their concerns and provide the ******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:03/27/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I attended ******* ****** ********* back in 2011-2012 the school closed down in 2012-2013 around that time. When the school closed down they erased everyone's student loans but my student loans weren't erased and it's $****** worth of debt on my credit that shouldn't be due to the fact ******* closed down and I need that removed from my credit and cleared.Business Response
Date: 04/05/2023
Pertaining to Luvanisha ********** federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:03/27/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have a student loan with Nelnet. My entire loan is supposed to be discharged because the US Department of Education said that loans stemming from ******** ******* should be discharged. I have called Nelnet who said that although my loan qualifies, they are waiting "for more information" from the Department of Ed. I called the Department of Education and they said that I should contact my loan servicer and that I do not need to do anything to have my loan discharged. I called Nelnet back and they said that there is nothing I can do. In the meantime, beginning in January of 2023, my dashboard read that I did not have to make payments on my loan until May 2023. I then stopped making payments. Today, March 26, 2023, I got a notice in the mail that I was over 60 days late on making payments. I was told that I did not have to make payments and my loan is supposed to be discharged anyway.Business Response
Date: 03/30/2023
Pertaining to Briar *********
federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.Initial Complaint
Date:03/22/2023
Type:Billing IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My father was an endorser on my student loans. He passed away in September of last year and per 34 CFR Section 685.212 my loans that were cosigned by him should have been discharged.
§ 685.212 Discharge of a loan obligation.
Link to an amendment published at 87 FR 66058, Nov. 1, 2022.
(a) Death.
(1) If a borrower (or a student on whose behalf a parent borrowed a ****** **** Loan) dies, the Secretary discharges the obligation of the borrower and any endorser to make any further payments on the loan based on -
(i) An original or certified copy of the death certificate;
I provided a copy of the death certificate but Nelnet has not discharged the appropriate loans. I would like those loans to be discharged.Business Response
Date: 03/30/2023
Pertaining to Salman ******** federal student loan account, we
reviewed their concerns and provide the ******** response.Customer Answer
Date: 03/31/2023
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:My father was an endorser on my **** loans (I provided a death certificate and Nelnet just removed him from my loans and did not discharge them) and per 34 CFR Section 685.212 my loans that were cosigned by him should have been discharged. I provided a copy of the death certificate but Nelnet has not discharged the appropriate loans. I would like those loans to be discharged.
Sincerely,
Salman ******Customer Answer
Date: 04/08/2023
Hi,
Please see the ******** documentation/letter.
Thanks,
Salman ******
Business Response
Date: 04/19/2023
Pertaining to Salman ********
federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
******** response.
Nelnet - National Educational Loan Network is BBB Accredited.
This business has committed to upholding the BBB Standards for Trust.
Why choose a BBB Accredited Business?BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.