My taxes seized for Student Loan default

[Anonymous]

Hello. I'm miserable and confused. I feel like I'm getting the run around from everyone concerning this. My federal and state taxes were seized by the Offset program for defaulted student loan. This caused me to become homeless. Was behind on rent and planed on squaring it off with my refund. If I had been properly notified or even called with a warning that this would happen, I would have gladly made a payment arrangement with the debt collectors. I would never have allowed this to happen. I'm homeless, broke and very confused about who to plea to.

[Anonymous]

Your student loan lender definitely notified you that once you are in default, you can get a tax offset.  This was FOR SURE in your delinquency warning letters.

http://blog.credit.com/2017/04/tax-refund-taken-for-student-loan-debt-110255/

The only time I've ever seen a tax offset reversed is via "injured spouse" -- such as if you filed jointly with a spouse and THEIR defaulted student loans took a piece of YOUR refund.  But if it's your student loans that defaulted, there's not much hope.

It sounds like you have a poor budget but have a job so right now you'll want to stay with friends or family and work on a budget and live by it.  Also you are obviously withholding too much of your paycheck if you get a refund -- you should set you withholdings so your refund is as little as possible (your paychecks will be bigger).

Note that if you retire and collect social security, they will dock those checks, too, until your loans are paid in full.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the quick response and the advice. Currently have no income but fixing that. As far as my ability to budget properly, have you ever fed 4 kids for a week on just $34.75? Lol. I got a **bleep** good system in place. It's simply a lack of steady income. Don't pay bills on time, you get fined, sometimes things get shut off and then there is recollection fees, so on and so fourth, snowballing out of control. So yes 2 years ago when I got information concerning my student loans being in default, I mistakenly believed other bills were more important and it didn't cross my mind again until my refund dissappered. I was never informed about the lean against my Tax Refund or this Offest Program due to my contact information being out of date. Things must have not gotten forwarded properly. Some issues have been resolved others are in the works. DON'T LET YOU LOANS GO INTO DEFAULT. Lesson learned the hard way. Lot of good college did me, still just flip burgers.

[Anonymous]

Hey. I know this a bit late but keep your head up. I’m a single mother of five kids and have been in your situation before. If you need to talk... I don’t mind it. Hopefully you and your children has a place to lay your head. Wishing you the best!

[Summer16]

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@Anonymouswrote:
Hello. I'm miserable and confused. I feel like I'm getting the run around from everyone concerning this. My federal and state taxes were seized by the Offset program for defaulted student loan. This caused me to become homeless. Was behind on rent and planed on squaring it off with my refund. If I had been properly notified or even called with a warning that this would happen, I would have gladly made a payment arrangement with the debt collectors. I would never have allowed this to happen. I'm homeless, broke and very confused about who to plea to.

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You need to contact the student loan agency that requested the offset. If you don't have an offset letter, contact the Treasury Departments Financial Management Service. They can give you the exact contact information. Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

I'm definitely not an expert in this area, but I feel like I've read that if you were on any government assistance programs you might be able to get a retroactive forebearance.... I have no idea if that's true, but you should definitely contact the agency that is maintaining your loans. I'm pretty sure you can find this info in the Student Loan Data Base.  If you google that you should be able to find it. Call them.... tell them your circumstances. If they can't help ask to speak to their manager.  Keep working your way up until you get help.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

If you’re not working you should be able to get them deferred. I get laid off in the summer and there’s no way i can pay all my bills and my student loan and car payment, so i go on the website and request to get them deferred. Send in my unemployment letter & when i go back to work in September i continue my payments.