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Mark

From the time I was 5 or 6 years old I was told by an abusive father, "You'll be a great engineer one day!" When I graduated high school in 1988 I really did not know what I wanted to do with my life. But little did I know my abusive father had been filling out college applications and forging my name.Apparently I was accepted at one of the most respected engineering schools in the mid-west, the University of Missouri-Rolla.

So, in August of 1988, eventhough I never filled out a college application, I found myself enrolled at UMR.  I struggled because I just did not enjoy engineering.  Finally I changed my major to economics (UMR did not offer much else) and graduated in the spring of 1995.

Again, I did not know what to do with my life.  I bounced around from one low paying job to the next.  The most I ever made annually was just over $20,000.  Twenty thousand a year is not enough to live on even without student loans.Finally in 2004 I made $41,000 and repayed one loan that came directly from UMR.

As has been my luck with employment I am again unemployeed/underemployed.  Currently I work part time for $8 per hour and have no hope of getting out of student loan debt.  I called MOHELA (Missouri Higher Education Loan Association)in the mid and late 1990s and told them I didn't even have enough money to feed myself so there was no way I would be able to make payments on the student loans.

I called them at least 30 to 40 times over the next few years.  Each time I was bounced around from person to person and never found anyone who could help me.  I honestly think they just did not know what to do, so they did nothing.Finally I just gave up calling because nothing ever happened.To this day I'm not sure of all the companies that have held my loans.

I originally owed around $18,000. 

I have been trying to work out a deal with any collection company that contacts me but they just don't care about my situation.  They just want money and I don't have any money to give them.One of the companies told me I now owe around $40,000 with penalties, fees, interest and who knows what else...

I would really like to be interviewed but even more than that I would really like someone to help me find justice within the student loan system.My understanding is that if the debt burden is more than 20% of disposable income then the loans are eligible for forbarence or deferrment.  My rights have been violated and I have been injured because of the continued violations.

Can you help me?

Can you get me in contact with someone who can help me?

Please help me.