Need Mortgage Help? Here Are Your Options (2024)

If you’re struggling financially, you don’t have to face your problems alone. If you think you might need mortgage relief, you should contact your mortgage servicer as soon as you think you might have an issue. There may be several options your servicer can evaluate you for, but the earlier you contact them, the better you give yourself the best chance to stay in your home.

Your mortgage servicer is the entity you make your payment to. It may or may not be the lender that originated in your loan.

Aside from limited situations like natural disasters, mortgage relief options typically have a negative impact on your credit. However, the impact of relief options is often less than if you had a foreclosure on your record, and you may be able to stay in your home. Moreover, the credit impact will lessen over time if you maintain good habits after getting current with your payments.

Rocket Mortgage® clients can request help by filling out our Application for Success. You’ll have the opportunity to tell us about the nature of the trouble and share documentation regarding your financial circ*mstances. From there, we’ll be able to go over options with you. After all, we’re here to help.

Refinance

One thing you can do before you miss any payments to set yourself up for success in the future is to refinance. Refinancing can lower your payment with a new interest rate or loan term. However, a mortgage refinance involves getting a brand-new loan. VA and FHA loans have their own types of refinancing that may offer an option with no appraisal and less paperwork.

  • VA Streamline Refinance:If you’re struggling to pay your existingVA loan, you can refinance at a lower rate with a VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL). One thing to keep in mind is that the VA has a net tangible benefits test. They want you to be able to see significant benefits in terms of rate and payment before you can do a streamline loan. In addition, you have to make at least 6 months’ worth of payments on your existing loan and at least 212 days must pass between the closing date of your existing loan and the closing of the new one.
  • FHA Streamline:Consider this method to refinance if you have anFHA loan. If you haven’t had any mortgage payments more than 30 days late in the last 6 months or haven’t made more than one payment more than 30 days late in the past year, an FHA Streamline may work for you. The FHA does have similar rules to VA Streamlines in terms of client benefits. Without an appraisal, your term can’t be extended beyond 30 years or more than 12 years when compared to your previous term.
  • Conventional refinance: A conventional refinance is for those who don’t have a government-backed loan. These usually require full appraisals and documentation, but they can be used to lower your rate, change your term or even better your financial situation by converting equity into cash to consolidate debt.

HUD Housing Support

Although all mortgage servicers wish to help, it’s understandable if you find yourself nervous or you want options outside of your mortgage services. There are other resources available to you.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers several resources to help with mortgage payments. The Homeowner’s HOPE hotline, which can be reached at (888) 995-HOPE, has mortgage counselors to help answer your questions about payment assistance. To find local housing counseling agencies, you can call (800) 596-4287.

HUD-approved housing counseling services will be able to go over various options your servicer might be able to qualify you for. Depending on the circ*mstances surrounding your hardship, they may also be able to connect you with homeowner assistance funds that may be available.

Forbearance

The first option that servicers can use to provide you with relief during a hardship is forbearance. Forbearance refers to a temporary pause or reduction of your monthly mortgage payment. No new late fees are charged by Rocket Mortgage when you’re on forbearance. Your lender will advance your property tax and insurance payments if you have an escrow account.

You have the option of paying whatever you can afford to reduce the amount you’ll have to make up later. Every situation is different, so the maximum length of any forbearance will vary, but the longer you’re on it, the more payments you’ll have to make up.

Reinstatement

If you have missed payments in the past and are in a situation where you can make them moving forward, the fastest way to get your mortgage back on track is byreinstating your loan. Mortgage reinstatement is a one-time lump sum payment of the full past-due amount, along with any late fees and other advances paid on your behalf by your mortgage servicer.

With a one-time transaction, the loan does not go any further into delinquency and negative credit impact ceases as long as the mortgage is continued to be paid on time.

One scenario in which this could come into play is if you’ve been working for a while without a paycheck and finally receive promised backpay. This money could also come from a large tax refund, bonus at work or a helping hand from a friend, family member or other source.

This option is unlikely for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty or currently going through a mortgage hardship that makes it difficult to make their payment now and in the future. If you’re in the midst of financial hardship, the following options may be better suited for you.

Repayment Plan

A repayment plan involves adding a portion of your past-due payments back into your monthly payment until you’ve made up your back payments. While everyone is evaluated individually, these are usually short-term, lasting 3 – 6 months.

Payment Deferral

In certain situations, you may qualify for a payment deferral. When you qualify, you just pick up your payments where you left off after your hardship has ended. Your missed payments are deferred and due when you sell your home, after you refinance, when your loan matures or you otherwise pay off your loan. This is also referred to as a partial claim on FHA loans.

Loan Modification

Loan modification involves changing the terms of your loan in order to add your missed payments back into your loan balance. Your rate may change and your term may be extended. However, it’s different than a refinance. There is a negative impact on your credit in the majority of cases.

As with all of these options, your lender will evaluate you for this based on your financial situation and the nature of your hardship.

Need Mortgage Help? Here Are Your Options (2024)

FAQs

What are the options when you can't pay your mortgage? ›

Some options that your servicer might make available include: Refinance. Get a loan modification. Work out a repayment plan.

What if I am struggling to make mortgage payments? ›

If there is a hardship, your servicer will explore mortgage assistance options with you. Options might include a repayment plan, loan modification, short sale or Deed-In-Lieu of foreclosure. If a mortgage assistance solution cannot be reached, and the account remains delinquent, your home may be foreclosed on.

What is a mortgage hardship? ›

Forbearance is a process that can help if you're struggling to pay your mortgage. Your servicer or lender arranges for you to temporarily pause mortgage payments or make smaller payments. You still owe the full amount, and you pay back the difference later. Forbearance can help you deal with a financial hardship.

What are my options with mortgage loan? ›

Conventional, government, or special program

Mortgage loans are organized into categories based on the size of the loan and whether they are part of a government program. This choice affects: How much you need for a down payment. The total cost of your loan, including interest and mortgage insurance.

How long can you go without paying your mortgage? ›

If you miss one mortgage payment, lenders will often issue you a 15-day grace period to pay without incurring a penalty. If you miss four consecutive mortgage payments (or are 120 days late), most lenders begin the process of foreclosure on your home.

What happens if a person Cannot pay their mortgage? ›

Foreclosure means that you are unable to keep up your mortgage payments and, as a result, your mortgage lender takes possession of your property; a foreclosure stays on your credit report between seven to 10 years.

How many months can you defer a mortgage payment? ›

Mortgage payments are typically suspended for three to six months, but the time could be longer or shorter depending on your financial situation. When the forbearance period ends, there are a few ways borrowers can repay the missed amount, one of which includes deferment.

Who helps consumers who are having difficulty paying their mortgage? ›

Difficulty Paying Your Mortgage

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help you get in touch with housing counselors and other free resources in your state. If you are having a tough time making your mortgage payments, you may be eligible for the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

What happens if you are 2 months behind on your mortgage? ›

Two Months Late

After two months, you can expect not only the late fees and the punch to your credit, but your lender is likely to take more serious actions. Being two months late is a clear indicator of financial distress; you may receive formal pre-foreclosure notices.

Can you freeze your mortgage? ›

Typically, you will often have needed to have made payments on time for a minimum period before you qualify to take a mortgage holiday. Your ability to take a mortgage holiday also depends on the size of your mortgage and the value of your home.

What is mortgage disability? ›

Mortgage disability insurance is a limited type of disability coverage that covers some of all of your mortgage payments if you're hurt or sick and can't work. Your mortgage lender will usually offer you some kind of mortgage protection coverage when you take out a loan, but you don't have to accept it.

What happens if I lose my job and can't pay my mortgage? ›

If your mortgage is federally backed, you may be eligible for forbearance, which typically allows you to postpone payments for up to a year, and 18 months in some cases. 8 There are also additional options for mortgage relief, such as your state's Homeowner's Assistance Fund program.

What to do when you can't afford your house? ›

If you're facing the possibility of one or more missed payments or you are behind on your mortgage, here are steps you can take.
  1. Contact your lender right away.
  2. Short-term mortgage assistance: Forbearance.
  3. Long-term mortgage assistance: Loan modification.
  4. Mortgage assistance tips.
Nov 9, 2023

What is the HomeReady program? ›

HomeReady offers high loan-to-value (LTV) ratio financing to help homebuyers who would otherwise qualify for a mortgage but may not have the resources for a larger down payment. HomeReady mortgages offer low rates, minimal risk-based price adjustments compared to other programs, and reduced mortgage insurance costs.

How to get out of a mortgage? ›

Methods for Getting out of a Mortgage

Three of the most common methods of walking away from a mortgage are a short sale, a voluntary foreclosure, and an involuntary foreclosure. A short sale occurs when the borrower sells a property for less than the amount due on the mortgage.

What if I can't pay my mortgage loan? ›

Seizing of Property: Banks give you about two more months to pay your missed loan instalments after sending a legal notice. If you default on the same, the bank will send you the auction notice with the estimated value of your property.

What happens if my mortgage goes up and I can't afford it? ›

Contact your mortgage provider and they will discuss the options available. You can start talking to your lender around six months before your deal finishes to understand what offers are available for new rates. Ask your current lender if you can 'reserve' a new rate. Some let you hold a rate for up to 3 months.

How can I get out of my mortgage without penalty? ›

  1. Sell Your House. One of the best and fastest ways to get out of a mortgage is to sell the property and use the proceeds to pay off the loan. ...
  2. Turn Over Ownership to Your Lender. ...
  3. Let the Lender Seek Foreclosure. ...
  4. Seek a Short Sale. ...
  5. Rent Out Your Home. ...
  6. Ask for a Loan Modification. ...
  7. Just Walk Away.
Feb 22, 2021

Can I be forced to pay mortgage? ›

Yes a judge can order you to pay the mortgage. However, you have the right to defend yourself against any motion your wife files with the Court. If you can prove to the court that you simply do not have the funds to continue to pay, the judge may rule in your favor.

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