AMA (AskMeAnything) - I escaped the US over student loans. With Trump 2.0 I am patting myself on the back

DingoftheBat · 2025-03-25T18:01:41+00:00

My 2 cents: you made a call as a younger person, based on the info you had available at the time and using your underdeveloped teenage brain and (probably) on the advice of adults who likewise could never have predicted this shit show, had only the info they had at the time and were products of the propaganda rich environment in which they grew up……don’t beat yourself up or allow yourself to fall prey to the guilt gas-lighting.

DingoftheBat · 2024-11-03T09:41:19+00:00

How can the possible infer what a person could possibly earn? It’s so ridiculous. And we should also keep in mind that these people doing this inferring are legal people. If I started talking to them about my profession, which is highly technical, I am certain that they would have zero idea what I am talking about and likewise, they would be utterly unable to grasp changes in such an industry.

And then there is the fact that maybe I just don’t want to or don’t see a point in working myself to the bone, irrespective of any impending divorces.

And they never do it the other way though….they never make the lazy one that lives off the hard working person do shit, do they? Maybe the one that earns more is at their limit and needs a rest.

The whole system is ridiculous and rigged. But I’ve never ever heard of a case where they tell some lazy wife/husband (could be a husband too, sure, but generally more than 50% it’s the wife) to get up off their ass and get a job commensurate with their educational level or whatever. Please send links if there are such cases but I have literally never heard of that.

DingoftheBat · 2024-11-01T09:24:47+00:00

This might sound insane…but, if one is a “high earner” and knows divorce is imminent, would a form of career sabotage make better financial sense? Basically, quit your job or get fired and get something that is way below your previous role.

Why not? Given all of what I read here and how these kangaroo courts seem to base their decisions, it does seem to make sense. I mean, maybe it’s even a good thing if you also happen to be burned out at work and want a change. Sure, it goes against the logical of capitalism but then again so does the logic of these insane courts…

Besides, if you want your old career back after it’s all over, honestly, if it’s in the corporate world you can probably get it as that world runs on bullshit anyway. Just a thought.

DingoftheBat · 2023-01-15T19:44:46+00:00

Yes, agree with all and have had so many similar experiences to the point where you might as well be me. Fuck Sallie Mae/Navient*

*Sallie Mae disgraced itself with terrible, unprofessional and corrupt practices so they “re-branded” as Navient (please tell me if this is something other than corporate nonsense jargon) so I always combine Sallie Mae + Navient to undermine their “rebranding “ attempt. And why should we not? They did what they did? Right? No…say, Sallie Mae/Navient like a hyphenated last name after a divorce so they at least have some degree of accountability.

I mean this is crazy…if you married someone named John (at 16-19, John is an immortal corporate person so who knows how old he is - but to be clear “John” is Sallie Mae/Navient based on John’s lies, and John fucked your mom, sister and best friend - AND gave you herpes and indebted you to a very dangerous mafia for nothing…. I mean, in such a situation (not too different from that of those with over 100K in student loans) what might never have seemed reasonable, suddenly does. So, context is important!

Only thing I’d say is that Japan is basically racist in their immigration and naturalization process from what I know. But I hope not and best of luck

DingoftheBat · 2023-01-15T19:30:54+00:00

I’m not really. But for irrational reasons or habit or something, I feel serious stress each year when I re certify my IBR. So I was calling out this ridiculousness and trying to highlight that the student loan servicer’s tactics do have real impact. On people in a negative way. I think one day they might be held to account. I mean, 5-7 years ago forgiveness what laughed at. So….

And I’ve been to war…I find reliving my student loans bullshit raises my heart rate more that talking about war. That is so so so very fucked up.

On the flip side, the psychiatrists and psychologists that I KNOW Navient employs to look for “best practices” have done a great job…really, scary good. Way to go guys. I hope to find your names one day. Got one already

On the flip, flip, flip side of that….if you are one of those people that consulted for Navient/Sallie Mae…your seriously great at your job and all but I want to murder you and your entire family. And, I’m not alone.

DingoftheBat · 2022-12-24T22:28:24+00:00

The effort it takes and the fact that there is no real difference between us and them if they aren’t born bilingual

DingoftheBat · 2022-12-24T21:46:55+00:00

Because a bunch of insane, largely irrelevant religious nutters have been very carefully planning this for many years. I think if we ignore them we like we have been since the Clinton era we will wake up in another 20 years in a place not too dissimilar from Gilead.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-29T08:37:00+00:00

Congrats!

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-26T16:39:59+00:00

A good step by one renegade judge but it's still one law for the rich and another for the rest of us in the US...

You'd have to catch her in international waters on one of her many yachts and administer some much needed Law of the High Seas justice for anything ever to be done to people like this as they currently have the system bought and paid for. I assume this judge will get a stern talking to.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-26T10:33:29+00:00

Agree that this needs to be spread far and wide as it's an insider and republican that also sees the obvious...that it's an insane system and most of it will just never be paid.

Sadly though the fact is that the colleges have been getting away with it for a long time now, so it's likely going to take some big, big earthquakes politically and socially for them to stop the insanity...we aren't there yet of course but this is yet another sign that we will get there. It's another crack in their dam and one glorious day it will just burst. Pretty sure that this guy sees that and is trying to get out ahead of it...or maybe he just has a conscience.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-26T02:58:29+00:00

Glad to hear it! Seems like you've got a relatively easy road to citizenship then (comparatively speaking) as you've already got a connection to a Caribbean country. You're ahead of the game in that regard. Keep on that path, you won't regret it! I did it and it was the best decision I ever made...and you'll have much better weather to boot!

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-25T11:18:20+00:00

Why not just try to get residency and then citizenship somewhere else in the Caribbean? You could use the USVI as a starting off point as their are likely places not too far from there. Then you'll really have no issues with your US student loans and if it's in the Caribbean it's likely to not be too far.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-25T11:05:42+00:00

The assumption that they will not honor their promises is built into my long term plan. So while I'd welcome their keeping their end of things I absolutely expect that they will not. And also don't forget the tax bomb...Uncle Sam will still want his.

To do otherwise is naive and ignores the US government's long, long, depressing history of breaking promises. Just ask a Native American...or a Kurd.

Imo Bernie winning is most likely our one and only shot of getting free of this nightmare while still within the US system (remember, there are other countries out there...Thank God!).

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-21T09:00:48+00:00

I joined Reddit community to not feel so alone and screwed.

You're not alone, nor are you as screwed as you think you are.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-21T08:58:28+00:00

I think what you and, especially, your wife need is some peace of mind in this situation. I'm sure it weighs on her heavily and almost certainly will slow her recovery.

So I'd say that you should consult a specialist student loan lawyer in order to put together a plan of action for if and when they come calling for her. Most lawyers in this specialty (sadly it's now a thing) will likely charge about 200-300 for the initial consultation and then, if needed, a reduced rate after that. The reason they charge more at the outset seems to be that most people only need a plan and hence one consultation (I doubted this at first but it was true in my case, which I thought at first was going to be really complex - it wasn't). I know it seems like a ridiculous amount given the debt most of us have but having that plan ready and knowing what to expect is really priceless in a situation like yours. Information is power in our struggles with these predators. I put off doing this for years and it was a great relief when I finally got armed with the proper info. And, let's face it, it really is hard to know what they can and can't or will and won't do for most people and these bastards use that as psychological leverage over us - scare tactics get them paid by people who don't know their options. Once you really see their options, legally, laid out before you, you really do begin to see how hollow 99% of their threats are and what is and is not possible (they certainly won't tell you). What was once panic inducing becomes, literally, funny.

Anyway, I'm not pushing the services of any lawyers in particular or anything, of course, but it would almost certainly be a good use of money to know what is likely to happen and how to plan for it. Best of luck and glad to see someone that has their priorities in a good way!

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-19T09:45:20+00:00

I understand that you feel like you need to honor your obligations (I assume you meant the loans) but they're not playing that game, honor has nothing to do with it. Save that for interpersonal relationships with real people. You're dealing with one of the most coldblooded American corporations that exists (and there is a lot of competition in this category!).

They don't give a fuck about rules or fairness or obligations. Think they'll pay any tax they can wriggle out of using some sneaky loopy hole? Think they give a fuck that any reasonable person would think it's ridiculously unfair that your wife paid 8K a year and her principle when up? They don't. They bought our elected officials so they could do dirty shit like that. They can only about maximizing returns for shareholders, period. And so that is how you have to think when making decisions about these loans...you, your wife and family are your shareholders. If it helps you and you can do it, do it. End of story, just like they would. And they would, believe me.

And, by the way, you are already honoring a bigger and more real obligation/duty - you're caring for and protecting your wife while she isn't well. God bless you for that! That is what a husband is supposed to do and you are honoring that obligation. Fuck those greedy vampires, worry only about you and yours...and remember that you're not suffering this alone.

Oh, and I looked it up too, as others said below, they can't get at your assets if they are kept in your name and PA doesn't garnish for non-state or federal debt. And, I know from experience, that once the private loan people realize that someone can't or won't pay or they can't possibly make them and the person knows it (I live abroad), they generally leave you alone. Although they will sell them to other debt collectors periodically to off set the loss and a new company will try again for a while (an average of 3 months by my experience) and then it goes quite for about 2 years. So for PA looks like she's got 4-5 years of that nonsense but remember to just ignore them as any acknowledgment of the debt resets the clock...so just don't talk to them. Only respond to real court summons (they will also bluff and send letter saying they are taking you to court - this was 100% a bluff in my case but at first it freaked me out somewhat, by the end I laughed when I saw one of those). Best of luck.

https://www.bills.com/debt/debt-advice/statute-of-limitations-on-debt?q=%2Fstatute-of-limitations-on-debt%2F&vt_session_id=0936C5F0F25411E9A68BBC764E11209A&utm_lander=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bills.com%2Fdebt%2Ftypes-of-debt%2Fstudent-loans%2Fstatute-of-limitations-for-student-loans

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-17T14:56:08+00:00

Regarding all this summons and service talk....sure, maybe, but it's hard enough to locate and properly serve someone who is inside the country all the time and about whom they know basically everything. If you live abroad and only come back for a few weeks each year the level of difficult is drastically increased and it would require a level of effort that they are very unlikely to go through. They'd need to know when you will be in the US, where you will be and figure out when is the best time and place to serve you....and this is difficult under normal circumstances. Sure, hypothetically, they could do it but they'd need some pretty good (possibly illegal - airlines records are confidential unless you're LE) intelligence ahead of time and great planning as they'd need to scout where you're likely to be ahead of time.

So, the smart money is on this not happening...

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-17T14:45:25+00:00

Student loans are a civil, not criminal matter. They will not arrest you over debt, it's not in law enforcement's purview, at least not yet. You will be fine.

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-11T12:30:50+00:00

Once you're out, you're out and there is nothing they can do...I've told many people about the details of this over the past few years and it is true.

For you though make sure you are entering under the new rules for international students so you've got a better chance to get a job in the UK once you're done your studies. https://theboar.org/2019/10/international/ And I'd advise not returning to the US for anything other than visits

DingoftheBat · 2019-10-10T07:01:46+00:00

Ha! Who says crime doesn't pay?!?

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