I want to pay, but how?

You need to talk to the ED and see if they are ready to accept payments from you. I have heard in some cases that the ED will not accept the payments if the file is already sent to the collection agency. Give a call and know the latest status of your account. Also, send a debt validation letter to WAM to make sure that they are authorized to collect on your account.

If you just got a garnishment notice, you have NO choice but to work thru the CA. ED will not deal with you. Also keep in mind that you only have 30 from the date of the garnishment letter to appeal the garnishment and set up voluntary payments.

Ok, so i call WAM today and say I want to set up a payment plan, and the first thing they want is a full financial disclosure faxed to them including paystubs, bills, mortgage, the works! I'm sorry, but I AM NOT faxing my mortgage papers to some guy at a collection agency. Is this legal? How do I tell these people that I'm willing to pay monthly without sending them all of my finances?

I don't know if you can get around it. I had to fax my daughter's daycare receipt, morgage, insurance, car payments, cell everything you can think of I had to report and then I was able to set up voluntary payment arrangements after nine payments, my loan went back to the dept of education and my payments were reduced further. If I had not reported all of my bills, my voluntary payment would have been much higher if I chose not to send them copies of my bills.

You cannot get around it. It is a requirement that you provide proof of expenses to avoid garnishment,