I’m Kayla, and I was drowning. I had $94,300 in student loans. Some were federal, some private. Mohela had part of it. Navient had the rest. The letters kept coming. So did the calls. One notice even said wage garnishment. My chest got tight each time I checked the mail.
Coffee helped. Barely.
So I hired a student debt attorney. Not a hero. Not a wizard. Just a sharp person who knew the rules better than me.
And you know what? It worked. Not fast. Not perfect. But it worked.
How I Found Her (and Why I Picked Her)
I found her through a local bar referral line. I read real reviews. I liked that she had handled PSLF cases and private loan settlements. Our first call was 20 minutes. Free. She asked for my loan breakdown, my income, and any scary letters. I emailed scans that night.
Her fees:
- $350 for a longer intake call and full review
- $1,800 for federal loan cleanup and forms
- $1,200 for private loan negotiation
- $100 to help scrub errors on my credit report
Total: $3,450. Was that cheap? No. Was it worth it to stop the spin? For me, yes.
The Mess on My Desk
I had:
- Old FFEL loans in default
- A Direct Loan with Mohela that wasn’t in any plan
- Two private loans with Navient, one in collections
- A garnishment warning from a federal contractor
- A PSLF dream I’d almost given up on, since I work at a county clinic
My folder looked like a scrapbook. Sticky notes. Highlighters. Crumpled envelopes. My cat walked across it and made it worse.
Federal Loans: The Plan That Actually Stuck
She gave me two paths. Rehab or consolidation. She laid it out plain, no fluff. If I rehabbed, it would take longer but heal my record in a certain way. If I consolidated and picked an income plan, I could move faster and stop the garnishment push once it processed.
We picked consolidation. She submitted it online with me on Zoom. She put me in the SAVE plan. My payment went from $620 to $92 per month. I cried a little. I’m not proud, but there it is.
She also chased a mistake from an old servicer. They had my balance wrong by $813 because of a payment misapplied in 2019. She fixed it with three emails, one call, and a very firm letter. I had tried for months. She got it done in a week.
Time from first call to new plan active: about 10 weeks. It felt like a year, but it was 10 weeks.
PSLF: Not a Fairy Tale, But Real Progress
I work at a county clinic now. Before that, I had a split schedule at a non-profit. She used the PSLF Help Tool with me and sent forms to my old HR. We had one snag. The employer’s EIN was wrong on the first form. We refiled. I had to dig up W-2s from a shoebox. It wasn’t cute.
In the end, 18 months got counted. Not all the months I hoped for. Enough to keep me going. She set a reminder for my recert date. I set three.
Private Loans: The Part That Scared Me Most
The private loans were ugly. One was in collections. The collector was loud and pushy. They wanted a lump sum I didn’t have. I felt like hiding.
My attorney told them to stop calling me at work. She asked for validation. She pushed for a written offer. The first one was silly. The second one was better. The third one was real.
We settled one private loan at 48% of the balance, split over three payments. I used a small credit union loan to cover it. Rate was 9.5%, which still made my stomach twist, but the math worked for us. We got the release letter in writing. Frame-worthy? No. But I did screenshot it and sent it to my sister.
The other private loan stayed on a payment plan I can breathe with. That was fine. Not every knot needs a sword.
Time from first call to signed settlement: about six weeks.
The Good, The Bad, and The “Ugh, Really?”
What I loved:
- She explained SAVE vs. PAYE vs. REPAYE like she was teaching me a recipe.
- Weekly updates. Even when nothing moved, she said “nothing moved.” That helped.
- She had a template for debt collectors. “Please send me written validation.” I used it word for word.
One resource that made the paperwork feel a lot less mysterious was the National Consumer Law Center’s free Student Loan Toolkit—grab the PDF here if you need a step-by-step guide.
What I didn’t love:
- She talked fast. I kept asking her to slow down. She did.
- The portal was clunky. It logged me out a lot. I yelled at my laptop more than once.
- Some steps I could’ve done myself. If I had the time and calm. I didn’t. That’s the truth.
One small miss: that wrong EIN on my PSLF form. We fixed it in a day. Still annoying.
Real Numbers, In Plain Words
- Starting monthly payment (federal): $620
- New monthly payment (SAVE): $92
- Private loan settlement: 48% of balance, three payments
- Total fees paid to attorney: $3,450
- Time to see real change: 6 to 10 weeks, depending on the part
Did this fix everything overnight? No. Did it stop the slide? Yes.
I even toyed with picking up a weekend side hustle—rideshare, tutoring, and yes, I briefly wondered whether those “sugar baby” headlines could translate into real money. Curious? Check out this detailed breakdown of how much sugar babies actually make for hard numbers, common arrangements, and safety considerations so you can decide if that world is worth exploring or just a late-night rabbit hole.
What I Learned the Hard Way
- Keep every letter. Take photos. Name the files like “Mohela_2023-11-02.pdf.” Future you will thank you.
- Ask for all offers in writing. No promises on the phone.
- Put your recert date in your calendar with three reminders. I used my phone, my wall calendar, and a sticky note on my fridge.
- If you get a scary call, breathe. Say, “Please mail me validation.” Then hang up. You don’t need to debate your life with a stranger.
Also, eat lunch. I kept skipping. That made me snappy. Not good for anyone.
Who Should Hire a Student Debt Attorney
- You’re in default or facing garnishment.
- You have a mix of federal and private loans and you’re stuck.
- You want PSLF but your records are a puzzle.
- You’re getting calls that feel like a storm.
- You’re going through a divorce and need to know how student loans get split—check out this candid story if that’s you.
- You’re unsure whether your loans count as marital debt; this straightforward breakdown can clear the fog.
For a plain-language overview of your rights—and a directory of experienced consumer lawyers—start with the National Association of Consumer Advocates’ student loan page.
If your loans are current and you just need an income plan, you can do that yourself on the federal site. I’ve done that in the past. It’s doable. But when my loans splintered and the letters went red, I wanted someone in my corner.
For step-by-step walkthroughs, template dispute letters, and the latest policy updates, visit Occupy Student Debt; their free resources can help you decide whether you need professional help or can go the DIY route.
Final Take
A student debt attorney didn’t save my life. She gave me margin. Room to breathe. Space to think about more than bills. Like dinner. Like my kid’s science fair rocket that fell apart twice and finally flew three feet. I cheered like it was the moon.
With that breathing room, I even felt ready to reboot my social life; if you’re in Northeast Ohio and want a no-pressure way to meet new people, consider a quick round of speed dating in Medina at One Night Affair’s events—their rotating lineup of age-grouped sessions makes it easy to dip a toe back into dating without endless swipes or awkward small talk.
Would I hire her again? Yes. Do I wish I called sooner? Also yes.
If your stomach drops when you check the mail, you’re not weak. You’re human. Get help if you need it. I did. And now my payment is $92, my phone is quiet, and my coffee tastes like coffee again.