Ombudsman Programs

• U.S. Department of Education Student Loan Ombudsman
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Student Loan Ombudsman
• State Student Loan Ombudsperson or Advocates
• Guaranty Agency and Lender Assistance

U.S. Department of Education Student Loan Ombudsman

There are a number of different ombudsman programs.  The Department of Education ombudsman office was created to help borrowers with difficult problems.  Borrowers can submit problems online. The toll-free phone number is 877-557-2575 and the fax number is 606-396-4821; the mail address is U.S. Department of Education, FSA Ombudsman Group, P.O. Box 1843, Monticello, KY  42633.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Student Loan Ombudsman

The CFPB has an online form that you can use to tell them about complaints with private student lenders or about servicers and collectors of all types of student loans.  The CFPB website also includes other tools to help borrowers understand their student loan options.

State Student Loan Ombudsperson or Advocates

Several states across the county have a Student Loan Ombudsperson or Student Loan Advocates. These state officials are a dedicated resource committed to providing information that is critical to many student loan borrowers.

Colorado
Martha Fulford, Student Loan Ombudsperson
Office of the Attorney General
(702) 508-MySL (6975)
studentloans@coag.gov
coag.gov/studentloans

District of Columbia
Ricardo Jefferson, Student Loan & Foreclosure Ombudsman
Department of Securities, Insurance & Banking
(202) 727-8000
dcloanhelp@dc.gov
disb.dc.gov/studentloanhelp

Illinois
Joseph Sanders, Student Loan Ombudsman
Office of the Attorney General
1-(800)-455-2456
www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/

Maine
William Lund, Student Loan Ombudsman
Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
(207) 624-8527
william.n.lund@maine.gov
www.credit.maine.gov/

Maryland
Sean McEvoy, Assistant Commissioner
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
(410) 230-6185
sean.mcevoy@maryland.gov
www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/consumers/frslombud.shtml

Minnesota
Betsy Talbot, Manager
Office of Higher Education
(651) 259-3965
betsy.talbot@state.mn.us
www.ohe.state.mn.us/

New York
Winston Berkman-Breen, Student Loan Advocate
NYS Department of Financial Services
1-(800) 342-3736
students@dfs.ny.gov
www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/student_protection

Nevada
Evelyn Castro, Student Loan Ombudsman
Office of Nevada State Treasurer
(702) 486-3384
SLO@nevadatreasurer.gov

Virginia
Scott Kemp, Student Loan Advocate
State Council of Higher Education
(804) 786-2832
studentloan@schev.edu
www.schev.edu/studentloan

Washington
Stephanie Sampedro, Student Loan Advocate
Student Achievement Council
(833) 881-0397
loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov
www.wsac.wa.gov/

Guaranty Agency and Lender Assistance

Many guaranty agencies and lenders have their own ombudsman or customer service offices. Some of these agencies do not publicize these services very well and you will have to ask to find out whether they exist.

Below is a partial list of guaranty agency and lender resources. If your loan holder is not on this list, you should still check to see if they have an ombudsman or customer advocate unit.  If you do not know which agency is holding your loan, you should also be able to get this information from the National Student Loan Data System.

The agencies prefer that you first try to resolve your problem with the representative from their company or from a collection agency that has already contacted you. The ombudsman will get involved if these initial efforts are unsuccessful. You should only call one of these programs if they hold your loan.

• • American Student Assistance

    Ombudsman: Kevin Fudge
    Phone: (617) 728-4649
    E-mail: kfudge@asa.org

  • Ascendium Education Solutions

  • 2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

• • College Assist/Nelnet Guarantor Solutions

    Regular Mail: P.O. Box 82561 Lincoln, NE 68501-2561
    Phone: (888) 486-4722
    E-mail: nelnetcustomersolutions@nelnet.net

    Since November 1, 2015, College Assist support services have changed from Nelnet Guarantor Solutions to Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC). Please contact ECMC at 866-264-8566 or visit www.ECMC.org for assistance.

    Customer service toll-free number: 866-264-8566
    Email: collegeassistcustomerservice@ecmc.org

  • Edfinancial Services

    Contact: Misty Hamilton
    120 North Seven Oaks Drive, Knoxville, TN 37922
    Phone: (866) 847-0149, ext. 5304 or (865) 342-5355
    Fax: (865) 692-6341
    Email: mhamilton@edfinancial.com

  • EDFUND/CSAC

    The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) transferred its student loan portfolio, which was serviced by EdFund, to ECMC.  (see ECMC information below).

  • Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC)

    111 South Washington Avenue, Suite 1400  Minneapolis, MN 55401
    Phone: 651-325-3015
    E-mail: Ombudsman@ecmc.org

  • Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Ombudsman

    [Ombudsman inquiries handled by Ascendium Education Solutions]
    

    2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

  • Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.

    Contact Escalation
    PO Box 7860
    Madison, WI 53707
    Phone: (866) 348-0708
    Fax: (866) 451-1183
    E-mail: greatlakesservicingombudsman@glhec.org

  • Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA)

    Regular Mail: P.O. Box 549 Trenton, NJ 08625
    Contact: Gregory Foster, Esq., Compliance Officer/Ombudsman
    Phone: (609) 588-3300 ext. 1220
    FAX: (609) 588-2427
    Email: Gregory_Foster@hesaa.org

    OR

    Contact: Rita Larkin, Assistant Compliance Officer/Ombudsman
    Phone: (609) 588-3351
    FAX: (609) 588-2427
    Email: Rita_Larkin@hesaa.org or rlarkin@hesaa.org

  • Illinois Student Assistance Commission

    Ombudsman: Sue Kenik
    1755 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL 60015
    Phone: (800) 477-4411 x 18633
    Fax: (847) 831-8549
    E-mail: sue.kenik@isac.illinois.gov

  • Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority

    Ombudsman: Elaine Brumback
    Regular Mail: KHEAA Ombudsman PO Box 798 Frankfort, KY 40602
    Phone: (502) 696-7278 or  (877) 593-6608
    E-mail: ebrumback@kheaa.com

  • Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Ombudsman

    [Ombudsman inquiries handled by Ascendium Education Solutions]
    

    2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

  • Michigan Guaranty Agency

    Ombudsman: Tom Trudgeon
    Mail Address: 7285 Parsons Drive, Lansing, MI 48821
    PO Box 30047 Lansing, MI 48909
    Phone: (800) 642-5626 (toll free) or (517) 373-1243
    Fax: (517) 241-0155
    E-mail: trudgeont@michigan.gov

• • MOHELA

    Contact: Gwen Abernathy
    Mail: 633 Spirit Drive Chesterfield, MO 63005-1243
    Phone: (636) 733-3700 ext. 4466
    Fax: (636) 787-2606
    Email: gwendolyna@mohela.com
    Formal request 

  • National Student Loan Program

    NSLP Ombudsman Office
    1300 O Street
    P.O. Box 85207
    Lincoln, NE 68501-2507
    Phone: (800) 735-8778 ext. 6380
    Fax: 402.479.6762
    E-mail: ombudsman@nslp.org for more information about NSLP Ombudsman.

  • Navient

    Office of the Customer Advocate
    P. O. Box 4200
    Wilkes-Barre, PA 18773-4200
    Email: advocate@navient.com
    Phone: 888-545-4199 (toll free)
    Website

  • Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) Ombudsman

    Affiliate of Ascendium Education Solutions

    2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

  • NY State Higher Education Services Corporation

    Cori Biviano, Agency Ombudsman
    Regular Mail: 99 Washington Avenue, 13th Floor Albany, NY 12255
    Phone: (518) 408-0004 or (866) 387-6123
    Fax: 518-474-2839
    Email: ombudsman@hesc.ny.gov
    

  • Oklahoma College Assistance Program (OCAP)

    Contact: Jaime Shelton, Sr. Regulatory Compliance Specialist
    Mail: P.O. Box 3000 Oklahoma City, OK 73101-3000
    Phone: (405) 234-4281
    Fax: (405) 234-4586
    Email: jshelton@ocap.org

  • Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Association (RIHEAA) Ombudsman

    [Ombudsman inquiries handled by Ascendium Education Solutions]
    

    2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

  • Sallie Mae

    Office of the Customer Advocate
    P. O. Box 3349
    Wilmington, DE 19804-4349
    Phone: (855) 342-2014
    FAX: (855) 826-1069

    Customer Advocate Unit More information about Sallie Mae Customer Advocate Unit, including how to contact the Unit.

  • Student Loans of North Dakota

    Wally Erhardt, Private Loan Contact
    1200 Memorial Hwy
    Bismarck, ND 58504
    Phone: (701) 328-5654
    E-mail: werhardt@nd.gov

• • Trellis Company (formerly Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation)

    Contact: John Seibert
    Trellis Ombudsman
    P.O. Box 83100
    Round Rock, TX 78683-3100
    Phone: (800) 252-9743; ext. 4782 or (512) 219-4782
    Fax: (512) 336-6520
    Email: john.seibert@tgslc.org
    More information about Trellis Company Ombudsman 

  • United Student Aid Funds (USAF) Ombudsman

    Affiliate of Ascendium Education Solutions

    2501 International Lane
    Madison, WI 53704-3192
    Phone: (866) 486-7140
    E-mail: ombudsman@ascendiumeducation.org

  • Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority

    Ombudsman: Michelle Hansen
    Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
    The Board of Regents Bldg., The Gateway 60 S. 400 West
    Salt Lake City, UT 84101
    Phone: (801) 321-7225
    E-mail: mhansen@utahsbr.edu