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What to expect with Trellis Company student loan servicing
Where to go with questions and more with this Texas-based federal loan servicer.
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Formerly Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, Trellis Company is a nonprofit servicer of federal student loans. Its website is comprehensive, but can be difficult to navigate — especially without login credentials. And it’s not always obvious how to contact customer service.
How repayments work with Trellis Company
Trellis Company provides little information on how repayments work to the general public — you’ll have to log in to learn about your options. However, it does allow borrowers to make repayments online, by mail or through Autopay.
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AutoDraft involves having repayments automatically deducted from your checking or savings account each month. You can sign up by logging in to your MyTrellis account.
This is the most hands-off repayment option since you never have to remember your due date. You also might qualify for an interest rate discount. But there’s less flexibility on how or when you make repayments as you might have with other options.
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You can make one-time online repayments from your checking account. Trellis also accepts repayments by credit card and debit card, though you’ll have to pay a processing fee.
You can make an online repayment at any time by logging in to your MyTrellis account.
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Trellis accepts repayments by check or money order sent to the following address:
Trellis Collections
PO Box 659602
San Antonio, TX 78265-9602While Trellis doesn’t provide specific instructions, most student loan servicers require you to write your account number on your check and instructions on a separate piece of paper if you’d like the funds applied to specific loans.
How can I pay off my loans early?
You can find out how to pay off your loans early by reaching out to Trellis’s customer service team. They don’t provide this information to the general public.
How to contact customer service
Like most student loan servicers, Trellis has several ways to get in touch with customer service and different departments that handle specific needs.
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General information
- Toll-free number: 800-252-9743
- Local or international number: 512-219-5700
Managing repayments
- Toll-free number: 800-222-6297
Trellis’s collections team is available during the following hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT
- Sunday: Closed
Default prevention
- Toll-free number: 800-338-4752
Trellis’s default prevention team is available during the following hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. CT
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Financial aid and loan forgiveness
- Toll-free number: 800-845-6267
Trellis’s financial aid and loan forgiveness team is available during the following hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
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- General correspondence: customercare@trelliscompany.org
- Managing repayments: collections@trelliscompany.org
- Default prevention, financial aid and forgiveness: trellishelps@trelliscompany.org
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- Documents related to repayments: 512-219-4739
- Documents related to default prevention, financial aid and forgiveness: 512-336-6566
How to refinance your Trellis student loans
You can refinance your Trellis student loans by applying for another loan from a private company to pay off your student debt. Refinancing is one way to change up your student loan servicer, but it might not be the best choice for federal loans.
That’s because federal loans come with benefits refinancing companies can’t offer, such as income-driven repayment plans and multiple deferment and forbearance options. If you’re unhappy with Trellis, consider getting a Direct Consolidation Loan, which allows you to keep your loans federal while also switching up your servicer.
What lenders does Trellis Company service?
Trellis Company only services federal student loans, so you don’t need to worry about having Trellis as a servicer again if you refinance with a private student loan servicer.Compare student loan refinancing options
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We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How to avoid common problems with Trellis
Trellis has a relatively low volume of complaints compared to other student loan servicers. As of February 2019, it has just over 100 complaints filed against it with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and 34 with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
But that doesn’t mean all customers are happy. Here’s how to avoid two common complaints against the lender:
Inflexible repayments
A handful of borrowers reported having trouble with the way Trellis handled repayments, especially when they were facing financial hardship. Some complained they couldn’t qualify for deferment or forbearance even though they were unable to afford loan repayments.
- How to avoid this: Contact customer service before you apply for a new repayment plan, deferment or forbearance to make sure you’re following the right procedure. And after you apply, check your account and credit report to make sure the correct changes have gone through.
Incorrect information on credit report
A few borrowers also said their credit report wasn’t reflecting repayments. Some said the account was still listed as open after they’d fully paid off the loan. And one said their credit report showed their loans were in charge-off after they’d consolidated them.
- How to avoid this: Keep tabs on your credit report — especially if you make any changes to your loan like applying for deferment or closing your account. If you notice anything wrong, contact Trellis customer service or file a complaint with the Trellis Ombudsman.
Resolve issues with the Trellis Ombudsman
The Trellis Ombudsman is a neutral third party that handles complaints against the student loan provider. You can submit a complaint by calling 800-252-9743 or sending a letter to the following address:
Trellis Ombudsman
PO Box 83100
Round Rock, TX 78683-3100
If the Trellis Ombudsman is unable to resolve your issue, you might want to consider filing a complaint with the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group or the CFPB.
What to expect with other student loan servicers
Bottom line
If Trellis handles your federal student loan repayments, you need to set up an online account to get the most out of it. Its customers appear to be relatively happy — at least compared to the competition. But if you’d rather work with another servicer, consider consolidating or refinancing your student loans.
Frequently asked questions
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You can apply for deferment or forbearance by filling out a form and submitting it to Trellis. Which form you need depends on what type of deferment or forbearance you’re interested in.
Before you get started, read about your deferment and forbearance options. You can find the forms on the Trellis website by going to the homepage, clicking Borrowers in the main menu and selecting Borrower Forms.
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You can change your repayment plan by submitting a form to Trellis. It currently only has an income-driven repayment plan form available on its website. If you’re interested in switching to another repayment program, contact customer service.
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Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation — also called TG Student Loans — changed its name to Trellis in 2017. It changed its logo and web interface at the same time. Its goal was to rebrand the company and widen the scope of the services it offers to borrowers and colleges.
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Anna Serio is a trusted lending expert and certified Commercial Loan Officer who's published more than 1,000 articles on Finder to help Americans strengthen their financial literacy. A former editor of a newspaper in Beirut, Anna writes about personal, student, business and car loans. Today, digital publications like Business Insider, CNBC and the Simple Dollar feature her professional commentary, and she earned an Expert Contributor in Finance badge from review site Best Company in 2020.
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