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Act early
The earlier you call, the more options you have. Servicers must make live contact (or try to) by your 36th day of delinquency and send a written notice about options by day 45. Don’t wait for them—call as soon as you know a payment will be late.
Step 1: Prepare for the call
Have ready:
- Loan number and property address
- Your monthly income (all household members contributing) and expenses
- The reason for the hardship (job loss, illness, divorce, disaster, death, payment increase) and whether it’s temporary or permanent
- When you expect income to recover
- What you can realistically pay now
Ask the servicer:
- Who is the investor/guarantor on my loan (FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, private)?
- What options do I qualify for?
- Can you send me a complete loss mitigation application and a list of required documents?
- What’s the deadline, and what happens to late fees and credit reporting?
- Is any foreclosure activity scheduled?
Write down the date, name, and what was said for every call.
Step 2: Understand the options
| Option | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Repayment plan | Adds part of the past-due amount to regular payments for a period | Short, resolved hardship |
| Forbearance | Pauses or lowers payments temporarily | Temporary income loss |
| Deferral / partial claim | Moves missed payments to a non-interest-bearing balance due at payoff or sale (partial claims are FHA’s version) | Can resume normal payment but can’t repay arrears |
| Loan modification | Changes rate, term, or balance to lower the payment | Long-term reduced income |
| Short sale | Sell for less than owed with lender approval | Keeping the home isn’t affordable |
| Deed in lieu | Give the home to the lender to avoid foreclosure | Keeping the home isn’t affordable |
Options by loan type:
- FHA: repayment plans, forbearance, partial claims, modifications, and payment supplements. After 2025 changes, the pandemic-era COVID recovery options ended and most permanent home retention options are limited to once every 24 months.
- VA: VA loan technicians can intervene with your servicer (877-827-3702). Options include repayment plans, forbearance, modifications, and in some cases VA-specific programs.
- USDA: USDA guaranteed loans offer forbearance, repayment, modifications, and mortgage recovery advances; direct loans can include payment assistance and moratoriums.
- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: payment deferral, Flex Modification, repayment, and forbearance.
- Private loans: options vary by servicer and investor.
Step 3: Submit a complete application
- Use the servicer’s application and include every document requested: pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, hardship letter, and benefit letters.
- Keep copies and proof of delivery (upload confirmation, fax receipt, certified mail).
- The servicer must acknowledge your application and tell you what’s missing (within 5 business days if received 45+ days before a sale).
- Respond quickly to requests for additional documents.
- The servicer must evaluate a complete application received more than 37 days before a sale within 30 days and tell you in writing which options you qualify for.
Step 4: Review offers carefully
Before accepting, ask:
- What will my new payment be, and for how long?
- Does it include escrow for taxes and insurance?
- Is there a trial period? What happens after it?
- What happens to missed payments, fees, and interest?
- Will any balance be due at sale or payoff?
If you’re denied a modification and your complete application was received 90+ days before a scheduled sale, you can appeal within 14 days.
Your federal protections (RESPA Regulation X)
- 120-day rule: the servicer generally can’t make the first foreclosure filing until you’re more than 120 days delinquent.
- Dual tracking: if you submit a complete application before foreclosure starts, the servicer can’t file until it evaluates you. If submitted more than 37 days before a sale, it can’t move for judgment or conduct the sale while the application is pending.
- Notice of error and requests for information: you can send written notices and requests; the servicer must respond.
- Successors in interest: if you inherited a home or received it in a divorce, you can be confirmed as a successor and apply for help.
Get free help
- HUD-approved housing counselor: reviews your budget, helps with applications, and communicates with the servicer. Find one at hud.gov/counseling or call 800-569-4287. See housing counseling.
- Legal aid: especially if foreclosure has started.
- State homeowner assistance programs: some states still run programs using state or remaining federal funds.
Avoid scams
Never pay upfront fees for mortgage help, sign over your deed, or send payments to anyone other than your servicer. See mortgage relief scams.
Frequently asked questions
Will asking for help hurt my credit?
Missed payments hurt your credit whether or not you ask for help; getting on a workout plan usually limits the damage. How forbearance or a modification is reported depends on the arrangement—ask the servicer how it will report.
What is forbearance?
A temporary pause or reduction of payments. The skipped amount doesn’t disappear—you’ll need a plan to repay it through a lump sum, repayment plan, modification, deferral, or (for FHA loans) a partial claim. Ask what happens at the end before agreeing.
Who owns my loan, and why does it matter?
Your options depend on whether the loan is FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or privately held. Ask your servicer who the investor is, or use Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s online loan lookup tools.
Can the servicer foreclose while I’m applying?
Federal rules generally prohibit a servicer from making the first foreclosure filing until you’re more than 120 days delinquent, and from conducting a sale if you submitted a complete application more than 37 days before the sale while it’s being evaluated. Submit early and keep proof.
Do I have to pay someone to help me?
No. HUD-approved housing counselors help for free or at low cost. Anyone who demands an upfront fee for mortgage relief is likely running a scam.
Sources and verification
Use these sources to check program rules. Funding, openings, and local procedures must be confirmed with the agency handling your application.
Update note (2026-10-01): Replaced a missing source link with an official program page or governing regulation. This was a source-link update, not a complete review of every claim.
- If I can’t pay my mortgage loan, what are my options?Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- 12 CFR 1024.41 — Loss mitigation procedures (Regulation X)Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Find a housing counselorU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- FHA Loss MitigationU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- VA home loan help if you’re having trouble making paymentsU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Know Your Options (Fannie Mae)Fannie Mae
Found a changed rule or a broken link? Report a correction for this guide.