New Jersey has the largest state-based student loan program in the country. However, the terms of the loans offered through the program are particularly harsh and can lead to financial hardship.
Recently, internal emails from the staff at Higher Education Student Assistance Authority were released where employees were instructed not to tell families that they may qualify for loan forgiveness unless they ask.
The email sent to staff members in May 2016 from a supervisor said, “Families of deceased borrowers (or surviving cosigners) must inquire if HESAA has a policy on loan forgiveness. We should not be volunteering this information.”
The agency’s chief of staff, Marcia Karrow, released a statement that said the emails “do not accurately reflect the Authority’s policy or practice on loan forgiveness.” However, Karrow did not provide any proof that management had corrected the instructions that were sent out by email.
According to HESAA, they have helped 35 out of 50 cosigners or co-borrowers who have requested assistance after a borrower died or became disabled over the past four years.
The same company released a statement directly following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 stating that borrowers’ credit ratings would not be affected if they made a late payment. Instead, the agency only erased late payment reports if a borrower requested it.
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For borrowers who are struggling with student loan debt, relief options are available. Many student loan borrowers are unaware that they have rights and repayment options available to them, such as postponement of loan payments, reduction of payments or even a complete discharge of the debt. It is important you contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
