student loan issues

[lkg4ansrs]

What is the name of your state? California

I took out student loans in college in 1980-1984 and after college made payments for a few years. Then I had some financial setbacks and was unable to make payments. The tried to collect for a while, then just sort of faded away and I did not hear anything for a long time. I do know that they loans were sold/transferred several times and are not held by a collection agency (Van Ru Credit Agency). As I said I had not heard anything for quite a few years, until just recently (maybe the last 3-4 months) I began to get collection agency calls at my home. Then today I got a phone call from Van Ru at my workplace, asking if I could make arrangements to begin paying them back. I said I could not talk to them at work, as I was not allowed such personal calls and I was told to call them back at their number.
This debt has never shown up on my credit report, it still does not today. Is there a statute of limitations on student loans? Has this one run out? Is there a way to make this go away, with out paying a huge sum of money (penalties and interest do add up!), because my circumstances may be better I am not in any position to service any more debt? How can I stop the calls to my work? How did they find out where I work?
Help!

 

[Ladynred]

Finding out where you live and work is a slam dunk these days. Have you applied for credit and put down your job on the application ?? That's all it takes, employers DO show up on your credit report. They have lots of other ways.

There is NO SOL on student loans, they are valid and will literally follow you to your grave if unpaid. The only way to be rid of them is to pay them. You might try to negotiate a settlement, but they're not going to just go away. They cannot even be discharged in bankruptcy.

To stop the calls at work, you've really already done what is legally required, informed them that you cannot take calls at work. Unfortunately, they're cretins and it will take a written cease and desist letter to make them stop and to tell them they are to only contact you by mail. The FDCPA DOES apply to them !

 

[Skylyn]

Lady summed it up nicely. However, now that they know where you work, they'll seek a wage garnishment and/or intercept your federal tax returns.

 

[lkg4ansrs]

I hate to sound really naive, but what is the FDCPA?

I did receive a notice from the state of California in July, stating that they "no longer intends to order your employer to withhold wages for payment of your defaulted student loan, pursuant to federal law (P.L. 102-164; 20 United States code (USC) 1095a et. seq).
The Commission will cease all action related to Administrative Wage Garnishment. The Commission hereby withdraws from any hearing process commenced pursuant to federal law (P.L. 102-164; 20 United States code (USC) 1095a et. seq). the Commission, however, retains the right to renew actions to initiate Administrative Wage Garnishment in the future. "

Any idea what this means in the big picture? It sounds to me like there was a move to garnish wages but for whatever reason it was dismissed. Is that a correct assessment? Any idea why this happened?

thanks for all your help