Date Published: January 11, 2017
National student debt currently reaches over $1.2 trillion.
In California, the debt has reached 4.2 million student loan borrowers, leading to $1.2 billion in debt.
Requirements for student loan servicers.
According to the Student Loan Servicing Act (Assembly Bill 2251), California student loan servicers are required to post a surety bond. Student loan servicers help manage repayment, process requests for deferment of forbearance, work with loan receivers to collect payments, and determine if recipients are qualified for loan forgiveness. Currently, these servicers are not accountable for certain federal standards, so the AB 2251 plans to revise that within California. In order to receive a license, student loan servicers must manage a $25,000 surety bond.
Materials and fees for the application with the Department of Business Oversight (DBO):
- Completed license application (provided by the DBO)
- $100 application investigation fee + cost of fingerprint processing and criminal background check
- $300 application fee
- Audited financial statements showing a net worth of at least $250,000
On top of these materials, it is mandatory for student loan servicers to file an annual report with the DBO to present the former year’s business activities.
Why is a license now mandatory for student loan servicers?
AB 2251 will ensure that students who borrow money for school have trustworthy information, receive exceptional customer service, and are able to have access to repayment and loan forgiveness programs. The goal for the AB 2251 is to enact policies by requiring servicers that are not banks or credit unions to be licensed so students who take out loans for school are more protected and have extra opportunities to pay them back. AB 2251 will force more accountability for loan servicers which will achieve higher student loan servicing standards. The DBO is protected by AB 2251 which will provide authority to deny, give, suspend, and revoke licenses to any servicers that does not comply with AB 2251 standards.
Surety1 was founded in 2003 and helps thousands of clients find the best prices on their surety bonds. We take pride in our work so that we can give you great service. Learn more about Surety1.