Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Ascendium Education Group, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 21 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 8 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:06/13/2025
Type:Status: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.
Complaint Against: MOHELA Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority Account: #********** Filed By: ******** ******* Location: *****, ******* This is a formal complaint against MOHELA for continued misrepresentation, false credit reporting, and obstruction of lawful remedy. Despite multiple lawful notices, MOHELA has failed to correct inaccurate and derogatory entries regarding the above-referenced FFELP student loan ********** January 2025, this account was transferred to Ascendium Education ***************, after default reimbursement. ****** has no servicing rights, legal interest, or authority to continue reporting this tradeline. Nevertheless, they persist in furnishing derogatory information to credit bureaus in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s-2), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692e), and *** regulations prohibiting deceptive practices.Requests for verification, UCC ***** accounting, and cessation of false reporting were issued in good faith. MOHELA has not responded with any valid documentation or legal rebuttal. This conduct constitutes willful negligence, bad faith, and fraud by concealment.MOHELA is hereby requested to:Cease and desist all credit reporting on this account.Issue a retraction to Equifax, **********, Experian, and Innovis.Provide a formal written statement acknowledging they no longer service this account.If unresolved within 10 days, I will escalate this matter to the ***** FTC, state regulators, and initiate a commercial lien claim for damages.Respectfully,******** ******* Email: ******************* *****, GA *****
Business Response
Date: 06/20/2025
Ascendium
ID: 26336574Dear Mr. Ogbefho,
As you are aware,
Ascendium has reviewed your account information and history; however, we have
made it clear that the documents that we’ve already provided (Promissory Note,
Account Summary, and Payment History) are all that’s necessary to validate the
legitimacy of the two Ascendium-held loans, and our position remains
unchanged. For reference, attached is a copy of Ascenidum’s May 2025
response to the inquiry you submitted to the Customer Finance Protection Bureau.
We’ve also advised you that as a borrower borrower under the Federal Family
Education Loan Program, you have the right to contact the U.S. Department of
Education’s Federal Student Aid Ombudsman's office for further assistance. The
easiest way to contact the Ombudsman is to file an on-line assistance request
thru Submit Feedback or you can call (800)433-3243.
Sincerely,
Ascendium
Solutions Ombudsman
Under some laws,
Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that
any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loans.Initial Complaint
Date:05/18/2025
Type:Status: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.
On 05/07/2025 at 12:05 p.m. A letter was mail to me about some fraudulent student loan collection agency try to collect a debt that I don't even have defamation of character.Business Response
Date: 05/21/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Mr. *******
The inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium) for review and response. Your concern, as we understand it, is that you received a letter from Ascendium regarding a fraudulent student loan. For purposes of explanation,Ascendium is national guarantor of student loans, not a collection agency,which insures private lenders if a borrower defaults on a student loan that we as the guarantor will reimburse the lender for all eligible outstanding principal and accrued interest.
Attached is a copy of your ***** Federal Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note, which was signed on November 21, 2004, the corresponding Notice of Loan Guarantee and Disclosure Statement and an Ascendium Account Summary. The Ascendium Account Summary displays balance information and some historical loan information. The reason you are seeing two entries for the ***** Consolidation Loan on the Account Summary is because ***** Consolidation Loans are separated into subsidized and unsubsidized portions to properly account for any applicable interest subsidies.
Ascendium guaranteed the loan on February 4, 2005, for $15,125.51, and it was obtained through SLM Education **************** serviced by ********************** (Navient). The ***** Consolidation Loan was made up of, or paid through the consolidation process, six ***** ******** Loans, one Direct Consolidation Loan and one ******* Loan. The underlying loans were used to cover your education expenses while in attendance at ******************************* The copies provided meet the Freedom of Information Act requirements, which allow Ascendium to provide requested records in any form or format readily reproducible.
Ascendium assumed ownership and responsibility over the ***** Consolidation Loan after paying a default claim to Navient on September 16, 2019. The claim payment(s) were the result of the loan being more than 270 days past due and the lender/servicer not receiving payments or a completed request for deferment or forbearance to prevent the loans from defaulting. Ascendium has not received any payments since the default of the loan.
To review the options available to resolve the default status of the loan, please visit Ascendiums online student loan portal at *******************. Once youre on the ******************* website, you can begin the account username/password creation process by clicking the orange SIGN UP button on the upper right-hand corner of the webpage. Once youve logged on, you can click the DEFAULT RESOLUTION tab at the top of the webpage to view your options to resolve the current default status of your loan. The consolidation option is the quickest way to resolve the default status of the loan if you are unable to pay the account balance in full.
Benefits of Loan Consolidation:
Lower Monthly Payment: Consolidation may reduce your monthly payment, making it easier to manage your finances.
Access to Additional Income-Driven Repayment Plans: You may have access to repayment plans that base your monthly payments on your income and family size.
Access to Forgiveness Options: Consolidation may provide access to loan forgiveness programs like ******************* Loan Forgiveness.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be
used to collect your student loan.Customer Answer
Date: 05/21/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Theirs no student loans debt to pay on record. All obligations are met and paid.
Regards,
******** ******Business Response
Date: 05/28/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Mr. ************************************* has addressed your concerns and provided you with the documentation necessary to validate the legitimacy of the Ascendium-held 2005 Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) Consolidation Loan. If you would like for Ascenidum to review the matter further, please provide us with documentation which supports this loan was paid-in-full i.e., bank statements, check copies, etc.The supporting documentation can be emailed to ******************************************************************************************************.
Ascendium we will no longer reply to any similar inquiries that do not include supporting documentation that the loan has been paid, however, as a borrower under the *****, you have the right to contact the *************** of Educations Federal Student ********************** for further assistance. The easiest way to contact the Ombudsman is to file an on-line assistance request thru Submit Feedback or you can call *************.
Sincerely,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Customer Answer
Date: 05/28/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[Please type your response here.]
Regards,
******** ******Initial Complaint
Date:05/05/2025
Type:Status: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.
Last week I called the Department of Education and was logged into my account with them, and I arranged a payout agreement for my loans. Ascendium was not showing up on my loans or showing as a loan servicer on my account and I was given a Written Payout Statement for what was showing on my account. Now, a week later, Ascendium is showing on my account and my ********************** are $11,000 higher.Business Response
Date: 05/08/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Ms. ****************** inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium) for review and response. Your concern, as we understand it, is that you established a settlement offer with the *************** of Education **** and thought the payoff amount you were quoted applied to all of your federal student loans.
Its important to understand that your loans held by ** were/are separate from the loans Ascendum holds for you. As such, the settlement amount you agreed to with ** cover their loans only. You can contact *************** and Collections System (DMCS) by phone at ************* to confirm this information and have any additional questions you may have regarding the loans you settled with them.
The two defaulted Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) ******** Loans current held by Ascendium were guaranteed in 2007 and remain active. For reference, attached are copies of your Ascendium FFELP Federal ******** Loan Master Promissory Note and corresponding Notices of Loan Guarantee and Disclosure Statements. Also attached is a copy of your Ascendium Account Summary and four pages of payment history two pages per loan. The Ascendium Account Summary displays balance information and some historical loan information. The payment histories reflect payments Ascendium received after assuming these two loans defaulted on June 2, 2017. The copies provided meet the Freedom of Information Act requirements, which allow Ascendium to provide requested records in any form or format readily reproducible. Furthermore, with the passage of Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, guaranty agencies, such as Ascendium, can use electronic records and electronic signatures in place of traditional paper records and handwritten signatures.
Although your Ascendium loans remain active, you can seek a settlement with us by calling ************* or visiting our online student loan portal at defaultloanhelp.com.Once youre on the ******************* website, you can begin the account username/password creation process by clicking the orange SIGN UPbutton on the upper right-hand corner of the webpage. Once you reach the homepage, you can click the DEFAULT RESOLUTION tab at the top of the webpage to view your options. The available options include the following:
Option 1: Consolidation
Consolidation can improve your repayment terms, including more flexible repayment options, lower monthly payments, and greater loan forgiveness opportunities.
Benefits of Loan Consolidation:
Lower Monthly Payment: Consolidation may reduce your monthly payment, making it easier to manage your finances.
Access to Additional Income-Driven Repayment Plans: You may have access to repayment plans that base your monthly payments on your income and family size.
Access to Forgiveness Options: Consolidation may provide access to loan forgiveness programs like ************** Loan Forgiveness.
Option 2: Loan Rehabilitation Program
In addition to consolidation, there is a loan rehabilitation program that allows you to rehabilitate your defaulted loan and get your loan back in good standing after making nine consecutive qualifying payments. For more information, please visit our website:*******************.
Option 3:Pay off the balance or make voluntary payments
If youre able to, paying off the entire balance of your loan is an option to resolve the defaulted status of your loan. If your unable to pay the balance in full, you can still make payments online at our website: *******************.
If you decide to pursue consolidation, follow the prompts to generate a PDF Direct Loan Consolidation Application and Income Driven Repayment Form.
Please note, Aidvantage processes all consolidation applications on behalf of the ************** of Education, but you can request your new Direct Consolidation Loan be serviced by Aidvantage, Edfinancial, or MOHELA. The completed forms can be submitted via email to Aidvantage at: ******************************************************************************************************,or via fax at: ************.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loans.Initial Complaint
Date:04/21/2025
Type:Status: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 received multiple letters in the mail referring me to a "delinquent Student Loan Account" and that I need to contact them concerning getting it consolidated/paid off. Except there is no actual information in the letter and I am aware that all my Student Loans were paid off almost a decade ago. These letters are misleading and could push someone to reach out to them via the included phone number to engage their services regarding an account that does not exist. While there may be a discrepancy on their side, this reads like a SCAM and I would not like any further contact from this company.Business Response
Date: 04/23/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Mr. ********************* inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium) for review and response. Your concern, as we understand it, is that you believe your loans were paid in full years ago.
For reference, weve attached your Ascendium Account Summary, which displays the account balance and reflects that the August 2004 Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) ******** Loan defaulted on October 31, 2014. Also attached are two pages of Ascendium payment history. The payment history reflect any payments Ascendium received after the loan first defaulted on February 20, 2009, and after the second default of the loan on October 31,2014. The first default was resolved through your participation in the Default Loan Rehabilitation Program, which provides defaulted student loan borrowers with a one-time opportunity to have defaulted loans returned to good standing. The successful rehabilitation of the loan occurred on July 18,2013.
Please note that in August 2022, The Department of Education **** announced they were going to automatically cancel the loans borrowers had received to attend *********************** (********) which were disbursed on or after January ******, through September 2016. Therefore, one of the two FFELP ******** Loans that were guaranteed by Ascendium was discharged effective December 13,2023. The remaining loan was disbursed prior to January 1, 2005, and therefore were not eligible for the automatic discharge.
We encourage you to contact **s Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) hotline at ************ and ask what the additional steps ** requires to discharge the remaining loan. While you may be eligible for the discharge of the remaining loan, we want to point out that Ascendium has no role in the review or determination of a borrowers eligibility for BDR.
To access your Ascendium account **********************, please visit out student loan portal at portal at *******************. Once youre there, you can begin the account username/password creation process by clicking the orange SIGN UP button on the upper right-hand corner of the webpage.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Initial Complaint
Date:04/05/2025
Type:Status: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 been contacted via letter 2x by Ascendium claiming my student loans are in default. ALL my loans are currently owned by ******, are approved for the SAVE plan, and are currently in administrative forbearance due to ongoing legal battles on the federal level. None of my loans are in default. I have not and never have signed a contract with Ascendium. I owe Ascendium nothing. Stop contacting me.Business Response
Date: 04/15/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Ms. **************** inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium) for review and response.
Your concern, as we understand it, is that you believe all your student loans are current held by MOHELA and in the SAVE Repayment Plan.
For purposes of explanation, we reviewed the information found on the National Student ********* System (*****), which is a database maintained by the ************** of Education **** that tracks all Title IV student loans for each borrower in the program. The ***** reflects that you have additional loans held by *** which are being serviced by MOHELA, that are different than the one Federal Family Education Loan Program ******** Loan held by Ascendium since it defaulted on August 13,2018. MOHELA can be reached at ************** with further questions. In addition, you are able to review the same information by visiting EDs website at *****************************.
Attached is your Ascendium Account Summary, which provides the current balance, and some historical information associated with the loan, and a copy of your Federal ******** Loan Master Promissory Note. The copies being provided meet the Freedom of Information Act requirements, which allow Ascendium to provide requested records in any form or format readily reproducible. Furthermore, with the passage of Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, guaranty agencies, such as Ascendium, can use electronic records and electronic signatures in place of traditional paper records and handwritten signatures. Ascendium has not received any payments since the loan defaulted on August 13, 2018.
To review the options available to resolve the default status of the Ascendium-held loans, please visit Ascendiums online student loan portal at *******************. Once youre on the ******************* website, you can begin the account username/password creation process by clicking the orange SIGN UP button on the upper right-hand corner of the webpage. Once you reach the homepage, you can click the DEFAULT RESOLUTION tab at the top of the webpage to view your options to resolve the current default status of your account. The available options include the following:
Option 1: Consolidation
Consolidation can improve your repayment terms, including more flexible repayment options, lower monthly payments, and greater loan forgiveness opportunities.
Benefits of Loan Consolidation:
Single Loan with One Monthly Bill: By consolidating your loans, you will have one fixed,stable interest rate based on the weighted average (rounded up to the nearest 1/8 of a percent) of the interest rates of the loans being consolidated.
Lower Monthly Payment: Consolidation may reduce your monthly payment, making it easier to manage your finances.
Access to Additional Income-Driven Repayment Plans: You may have access to repayment plans that base your monthly payments on your income and family size.
Access to Forgiveness Options: Consolidation may provide access to loan forgiveness programs like ************** Loan Forgiveness.
Please note, Aidvantage processes all consolidation applications on behalf of *** but you can request your new Direct Consolidation Loan be serviced by Aidvantage, Edfinancial, or MOHELA by sending the completed form to the applicable servicers mailing address below.
The completed forms also can be submitted via email to: *************************************************************** or via fax at: ************.
Option 2: Loan Rehabilitation Program
In addition to consolidation, there is a loan rehabilitation program that allows you to rehabilitate your defaulted loan(s) and get your loan(s) back in good standing after making nine consecutive qualifying payments. Call today to find out if your loan is eligible.
Option 3: Pay off the balance or make voluntary payments
If youre able to, paying off the entire balance of your loan(s) is an option to resolve the defaulted status of your loan(s). If your unable to pay the balance in full, you can still make payments online at
our website: *******************.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loans.Customer Answer
Date: 04/24/2025
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Thank you for providing me with the original Master Promissory Note for this ***** loan. According to the note provided, you are not the entity I signed a contract with. Provide me with with a *** showing I signed a contract with you and I'll be willing to discuss further.
My original request stands. Stop contacting me.
Regards,
***** ****Business Response
Date: 05/05/2025
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Ms. ****************** you for your follow up inquiry. As we understand, you believe that because your 2007 Federal Family Education Loan Program ******** Loan was obtained through the Arkansas Student ************** (ASLA), you are under no financial obligation to repay Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium)
Ascendium is a national guarantee agency and insured or backed your 2007 Federal Family Education Loan Program ******** Loan in the event of default. When your lender and loan servicer, ASLA and ******************************** were unable to reach you to prevent the default of the loan, per the terms of your promissory note,they filed a claim with Ascendium. Effective August 13, 2018, Ascendium paid the claim and has held the loan ever since.
The information related to your repayment options were provided in our earlier response.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Initial Complaint
Date:02/04/2025
Type:Status: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.
Navient and Mohela play games with people and so does ascendium I took out three student loans when I was 25 years old I am 57 today I have had my loan come out of my bank account for 5 years at one time and almost 7 years at another time they keep adding on interest I have qualified for an IDR when I only work 2 days a week they would tell me to apply for things and then reject it I also worked at that time for a non-profit Nursing Home in healthcare they told me to put in paperwork to get my student loan forgiven and they rejected it navient knew all of this and then switch my loan over to this Mohela place I am tired of this they play games when they call you they don't even call with a person they call with an automated machine asking if you are the person they're trying to call or it hangs up student loans wrecks people's lives I took out less than $7,000 all of my payments in total have more than paid that all this interest they want to keep tacking on every time you turn around is bad they constantly tell me to do something and when I would do it they would reject me on purpose I want my student loans dissolved and I need to know what I need to do to do that I have been paying on these things since I was 26 years old and I'm almost 58Business Response
Date: 02/04/2025
Ascendium ID: 24406217
Dear Ms. ******************* inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education **************. (Ascendium) for review and response.
Your concerns, as we understand, are associated with student loan related entries on your credit report, and with the loan servicer, the Missouri Higher Education ************** (MOHELA), not providing you with adequate assistance to apply for an Income-Driven Repayment plan or a Income-Driven Repayment plan in relation to your March 2003 Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)Consolidation Loan. Please note that ************************************* as the servicer of your loan but ****** has not purchased or merged with *******.
We would also like to clarify that Ascendium is a national guarantor of student loans. In its role as a guarantor, Ascendium insures private lenders that if a borrower defaults on a student loan, the guarantor will reimburse the lender for all eligible outstanding principal and accrued interest. In addition,student loan lenders/servicers, such as MOHELA, must request default-aversion assistance from the guarantor between the 60th day and 120th day of a borrower's delinquency. It is this type of assistance that your loan servicer, MOHELA, requested of Ascendium on October 19, 2024, and has resulted our attempts to reach to avoid the default of your loan. Please note Ascendiums default-diversion assistance to loan servicers does not include crediting reporting on non-defaulted accounts; this would be done by MOHELA in your case.
MOHELA can report loans as delinquent if they become more than 90 days past due. If MOHELA or Navient is the business appearing on your credit history, you would need to work with them directly to resolve any possible discrepancies on your credit history.
For additional information regarding the status of the loan, we encourage you to contact MOHELAs Office of the Customer Advocate at ************** with any questions you may have. Furthermore, FFELP Loans, such as yours, are not eligible for ************** Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) without first consolidating the loan into the *************** of Educations **** Direct Consolidation Loan program. For more information regarding PSLF, please visit EDs website at ************** Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Help Tool | Federal Student Aid
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any
information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Initial Complaint
Date:12/19/2024
Type:Status: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 writing to address an urgent issue with my student loan account with **********************. My loans are currently showing as being in default, despite being in deferment. This discrepancy is jeopardizing my ability to continue my nursing education.I am in nursing school and have been enrolled in school continuously for over two years, and my financial aid for the upcoming winter quarter is at risk of being withheld due to this incorrect default status. If this is not resolved before the start of the quarter in two weeks, I will be dropped from the nursing program I have worked so hard to get into. My credit has also been affected negatively.I contacted my loan servicer, AES, who has been very helpful and responsive and assured me that my loans are not in default, are in deferment and that they have contacted Ascendium several times. However, when I speak to Ascendium they tell me that they haven't heard from AES and are not helpful in resolving the issue at all. They seem to be more interested in sending me in circles.This delay is unacceptable given the gravity of the situation. If my aid is not released, I will lose my place in the nursing program, my job as a nurse tech (which requires enrollment in the program), and my ability to maintain housing. This situation is not due to any fault of my own, and I should not be penalized for a clerical error.I need conformation from Ascendium that my loans are no longer in default on their end and are now in deferment and that they should have been in deferment since Oct of 2021 when I went back to school, I want to know who reported my loans as defaulted to ************** of Education and Federal Student Aid, I need the negative reports to three major credit bureaus from Oct 2021 to present to be fixed on all three accounts. I also need any interest that has been accrued since I went back to school starting October of 2021 as my loans should have been in deferment.Business Response
Date: 01/02/2025
Ascendium ID: 25712342
Dear Ms. ******************** inquiry you filed with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin was referred to Ascendium Education Solutions*****. (Ascendium) for review and response. Your concerns, as we understand, are that your three Federal Family Education Loan Program ******** Loans should be in an in-school deferment status and not in default and that your credit has been negatively impacted.
Though your loan servicer, American Education Services (AES), advised you that the default had been reversed, Ascendium was unable to reverse the default status until AES returned the default claim payment. The claim payment was returned on December 27, 2024, and as reflected in the attached Ascendium Account Summary, the three loans are no longer in a default status. Ascendium is now working to update the status of three loans as reflected on the National Student ********* System (NSLDS), a database maintained by Department of Education, which tracks all Title IV student loans for each borrower in the program. In the meanwhile, we are providing a Title IV Clearance Letter, which should be provided to the school to are attending.
Our office has confirmed Ascendium is not reporting any loan information to the four ***** ************************************** (CRAs), which include TransUnion, Experian, Equifax and Innovis. Please be aware that student loan servicers, such as AES, can report loans as delinquent if they become more than 90 days past due. If AES is the business appearing on your credit history, you would need to work with them directly to resolve any possible discrepancies on your credit history. For additional information, we encourage you to contact AESs Ombudsman at ******************************* any questions you may have.
If you have further questions regarding your account, please contact us at ************ or email ******************************************************************************************************.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loans.Initial Complaint
Date:09/12/2024
Type:Status: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 want to delete and block this account, this is not mine. Navient and Department of Education state that they have no record of this company having my account. ********************** Federal Aid also state that the only people who ever had my loan was ********** and I have a 0 balance. Please resolve this within 5 business days.Business Response
Date: 09/16/2024
Ascendium ID: ********
Dear Ms. ***************** request for assistance, filed with the Better Business Bureau of *********,regarding the validity of your Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP)Consolidation Loan, was referred to Ascendium Education ***************(Ascendium) for review and response. We thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist you and we understand, neither ********************** (Navient) or the *************** of Education have records of Ascendium holding your account. The loan was originally guaranteed on January 25, 1999, by United Student *************** (USA Funds). For purposes of explanation,Ascendium assumed USA Funds portfolio in 2018.
We would first like to clarify that Ascendium, is a national guarantor of student loans; in its role as a guarantor, Ascendium administers FFELP Loans on behalf of *** Guarantors insure private lenders if a borrower defaults on a student loan that the guarantor will reimburse the lender for all eligible outstanding principal and accrued interest. Furthermore, a review of the information found on the National Student ********* System (NSLDS) confirms that Ascendium is the current holder of the loan and that Navient was the prior servicer of the loan, while **************** and Collections (DMCS) is the holder of your Direct Loan that was previously serviced on EDs behalf by **********. ***** is a database maintained by *** which tracks all Title IV student loans for each borrower in the program. To access the same information, please visit *****************************.
The 1999 FFELP Consolidation Loan was originally obtained through the *** Education *********** and serviced by ********************** (*******). Please find enclosed a copy of your Federal Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note and an Ascendium Account Summary.
Ascendium,formerly USA Funds, assumed ownership and responsibility over the referenced loan after paying a default claim to your lender on two separate occasions. The first claim payment was made on October 3, 2014, and the second claim payment was made on November 26, 2018. The claim payments were the result of the loans being more than ****************************************************************************************************** forbearance to prevent the loans from defaulting twice.
The initial default in 2014 was resolved through your participation in the Default Loan Rehabilitation Program, which provides defaulted student loan borrowers a onetime opportunity to have defaulted loans returned to good standing. The successful rehabilitation of the defaulted loan occurred on October 5,2017. Also attached is one page of payment history that reflects the payments received after the initial default of the loan on
October 3, 2014, through the successful rehabilitation of the loan on October 5,2017. With regards to payment application, payments are applied in the following order as required by federal regulations: a portion of each
payment is first applied to outstanding collection costs, next to late charges, then to outstanding interest, and the remaining amount to principal. No payments have been received since the second default of the loan on November 26, 2018.
Effective February 10, 2022, your account was placed in a protected bankruptcy status. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact a member of our bankruptcy team at *************.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws, Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Initial Complaint
Date:07/11/2024
Type:Status: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 want to delete and block this account, this is not mine . you are violating consumer loss. Please resolve this within 5 business days.Business Response
Date: 07/11/2024
Ascendium *************************************** *******************************
Thank you for your inquiry, sent to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of *********, regarding the information being reported to the Nationwide *************************** (CRA). Your inquiry was referred to the Ascendium Education *************** (Ascendium) Ombudsman for review and response.
Based on the name, mailing address and phone number you provided to the BBB, we are unable to locate an account in your name on our system. If youd like Ascendium to review this matter further, please provide us with a copy of your credit report, where you can see data being reported under the Ascendium trade line. The report can be emailed to our office at ********************************************************.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education Ombudsman
Under some laws,Ascendium may be considered a debt collector that is required to disclose that any information we obtain may be used to collect your student loan.Initial Complaint
Date:04/30/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore 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 The ********************************** in the 80s. I paid all my student loans and my wife's student loans off in 1988. I am now at 58 attempting to go back to finish my degree. In the process I find an $****** default loan that has been picked up by Ascendium Education Solutions and over the 30 plus years has compounded to close to $600.00. To make matters better ************** has no record of my owing them any money. ************** has cleared me yet Ascendium is holding up my ability to receive financial aid. IF and a big IF a company has hundreds of thousands of 30 yr old $600.00 debts on there balance sheet it could equate to a very large tax situation for said company. I received zero notice of said debt infact the university has no record of it. This compounded ****** is holding me up and looks unethical as I paid my student loans with my tax return and cleared the accounts off MANY years ago.Business Response
Date: 04/30/2024
Ascendium ID: ********
Ascendium has reached out to ***************** directly to confirm his concern was resolved.
Kind regards,
Ascendium Education OmbudsmanCustomer Answer
Date: 04/30/2024
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*****************
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