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The short answer
Contact your mortgage servicer early and ask about loss-mitigation options. A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you review the process. If you have foreclosure papers or a sale notice, seek legal help promptly; an online questionnaire does not pause the process.
The useful goal is a housing plan that can last. A temporary income interruption, a permanently unaffordable payment and an error in the account need different conversations. Start with what changed and what payment, if any, your household can sustain.
Prepare a clear explanation for the servicer
Use the company and contact details on your verified mortgage statement. Explain the hardship, whether you expect income to recover and the current budget. Ask what documents the servicer needs and how to track receipt. Write down the representative, date, reference number and next action.
The servicer may ask for an assistance application. Keep a copy of what you send and ask whether anything is missing. Asking about help and receiving an approved arrangement are different events; record them separately.
Sources: CFPB: Options when mortgage payments are unaffordable
Understand what each arrangement changes
Available programs depend on the loan and circumstances. Compare their effects on the entire payment schedule, not only the first reduced payment.
| Approach | What it addresses | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Forbearance | A temporary pause or reduction | When and how are the missed amounts repaid? |
| Repayment plan | Catching up over time | Can I manage the regular payment plus catch-up amount? |
| Loan modification | A change to loan terms | What are the new payment, balance and term? |
| Leaving the home | A different housing plan | What approvals, remaining liability and moving costs apply? |
Sources: CFPB: Mortgage forbearance; CFPB: Mortgage repayment plans
Test the payment against the whole housing cost
Build the comparison from take-home income and necessary expenses. Include taxes, insurance, association dues, utilities and maintenance as well as mortgage principal and interest. If a proposed plan leaves no room for essentials, say so before accepting it.
Forbearance is not debt cancellation. A repayment plan can require higher monthly payments to catch up and may not immediately change delinquency reporting. Request the written terms and ask what happens if income recovers later than expected.
Sources: CFPB: Mortgage forbearance; CFPB: Mortgage repayment plans
Use independent help and verify promises
The CFPB’s counselor locator lists HUD-approved agencies and their services. Ask whether the agency handles foreclosure prevention and what fees, if any, apply. A counselor and a lawyer have different roles; legal papers may need legal advice in addition to budget or application help.
Be wary of guaranteed mortgage reductions, demands to transfer title, and instructions to stop speaking with the servicer. Mortgage-relief fee rules are specific; an attorney label alone does not establish that an advance fee is lawful. Verify the professional and the written scope before paying.
Sources: CFPB: Find a HUD-approved housing counselor; FTC: Mortgage relief scams
Your starting checklist
Keep these records privately. You do not need to upload them here.
Checks stay on this page only.
Questions worth asking
- Which options were considered for this loan and why?
- What is the complete payment schedule, including any later lump sum?
- What is still required, and how will I receive the written decision?
Common questions
Do paused payments disappear?
No. Forbearance generally changes when payments are made, not whether the missed amount is owed. The repayment arrangement matters.
Can the guide stop a foreclosure?
No. Contact the servicer, an appropriate housing counselor and qualified legal help for a pending notice or sale. Do not wait for a provider request.
Sources & further reading
- CFPB: Options when mortgage payments are unaffordable
- CFPB: Mortgage forbearance
- CFPB: Mortgage repayment plans
- CFPB: Find a HUD-approved housing counselor
- FTC: Mortgage relief scams
Sources checked October 19, 2026. Rules and programs can change. This article uses AI-assisted research and has not received attorney or other professional signoff. Read our editorial standards.
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Educational guidance for U.S. debt situations. This page does not decide legal rights, eligibility, fees or suitability. If you have a court, property or service deadline, seek appropriate help promptly; reading this page does not extend it.