To: President Donald Trump, The North Carolina State House, The North Carolina State Senate, Governor Roy Cooper, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT CORRUPTION
I am an elderly, 63-year old woman living on disability with a little over $800 per month (before this deduction). STOP AUTOMATIC ELECTRONIC DEDUCTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $151.00 (which began at $144.00 a year ago) for repayment of a student loan over 25 years old! A student loan that began at $2, 500 is now in excess of $17,000 with interest! This is a grave travesty! I cannot pay my bills, rent, utilities, cannot afford to buy food and I am also a diabetic! I lost my husband in 2004 and live alone.
Why is this important?
I am an elderly person living on social security disability and have been as a result of a car accident back in May of 1997 that took me out of work from my job in law enforcement where I was employed for almost 24 years. I attempted at one point to go back to school (when around 1985-86). However, due to health problems, I was unable to complete the course (in advertising and computer design). I had to leave school. My initial student loan was not more than $2,500. Today, on social security disability, I am told that I owe the student loan educational people in excess of $17,000! Despite the fact that they have been deducting $151.00 from my disability check EACH MONTH, leaving me less than $800 to live on for the month, they called me this week and asked me how soon I can send in the balance of the loan which is in excess of $17,000! I am also a diabetic and cannot afford the types of food I need to eat to care for my health. I lost my husband in 2004, live alone and cannot meet my personal needs. I receive $16 per month in food stamps! This is a grave travesty in this supposedly richest country in the world. I reapplied for a forbearance, and was told that the fact that I am on disability and have been for some time is not enough of a reason for them to stop this monthly electronic deduction. I need proof from the medical profession that my disability is sure to result in death! I am 63 years of age and cannot take on gainful employment, and even if I could, where would I get 'gainful employment' at this age? I worked all of my life for this money. Because I had no dependents, very much was taken out of my pay. Why now is it possible for this to be happening that I cannot get access to money that I worked for! No one gave it to me. Is this why the checks went to automatic electronic deduction? So that they could have full control over the money we worked for and paid into the system. Have we no more control over the money we worked for? Is there no recourse for this in that they can take this money out now INDEFINITELY--leaving me not enough to live on!