Fighting for Justice Since 1966
Once Burdened by Coercive Loan Debt Collection,
Now Financially Secure
Beautiful Middle Aged African American Woman
Cecelia, 68, is sometimes in too much pain to leave her home. She suffers from diabetes, and has trouble getting by on her fixed income. Years ago, Cecelia took out student loans so that her son could go to college, and the enormous expense loomed over her as she became unable to make ends meet. A weight was lifted off her shoulders in 2012 when she was approved for a student loan discharge due to her disabilities. She thought the process was complete when she received the notice that her loans would be discharged. Three years later, she did not understand why $200 per month was suddenly being deducted from her Social Security benefits to go toward the loans. CLS attorney and Francis & Mailman Fellow in Consumer Law Joanna Darcus looked into Cecelia's case, and realized the discharge process was never finalized administratively. In 2015, Cecelia's loans were reinstated without her knowledge, triggering the collections from her Social Security.
 
Cecelia must budget every dollar of her income; the $200 monthly deductions caused serious confusion and financial shock. Joanna advocated for Cecelia with the representatives of the federal student loan programs and disability discharge servicer, and submitted all the documentation to have the discharge processed correctly, and as quickly as possible. Joanna ensured the that the federal government stopped withholding funds from Cecelia's monthly Social Security, and successfully advocated for a refund for those months that Cecelia's income was taken. The refund will allow her to catch up on the expenses she struggled to pay during that time. Now, Cecelia knows her finances are secure, and she's no longer subject to this kind of coercive loan debt collection.
New from CLS: Pathways to Economic Stability 
10 Ways the Federal Government can Alleviate Poverty and its Devastating Effects

The White House in Washington DC against a clear blue sky

As the nation turns its eyes to the national political conventions in Cleveland and in Philadelphia, it is important that both political parties focus on poverty and on policy solutions to address this critical issue.  Among the ten largest cities in the nation, Philadelphia ranks first in residents living in poverty. As experts who have been working for 50 years to help low income Philadelphians achieve economic stability, CLS advocates for the following changes to help our clients and lift people out of poverty nation-wide.
We Asked Our Interns
 
Each year, our law student interns work on a variety of interesting and important projects. Our internship program allows law students to gain valuable experience and expand their knowledge of public interest law. From helping clients get the public benefits to which they are entitled, to participating in a criminal record expungement clinic (pictured above), to helping families keep their utilities turned on, our interns are making a huge difference in the lives of low-income Philadelphians. We recently asked our law students what they are working on. Here's what they told us.
Learn About New Protections for Philadelphia Workers
 
Please join us at the Philadelphia Bar Association on August 3rd for a training on new protections for Philadelphia workers. To respond, contact CLS social worker Patty McGlone at [email protected].
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia 
www.clsphila.org
 
Support our work at www.clsphila.org/give
STAY CONNECTED: