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If job loss means you may miss a mortgage payment, call your mortgage servicer now—before the payment is due if possible. Ask for its mortgage-assistance or loss-mitigation team, explain your situation, and find out which options may be available on your specific loan. A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you understand the choices for free or at little to no cost.
This guidance is for homeowners in the United States. Available options, eligibility, and foreclosure procedures depend on your loan and state.
What to do first: call your mortgage servicer
Your servicer is the company that receives your monthly mortgage payment; its phone number is on your mortgage statement. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) advises borrowers who are worried about missing a payment to call the servicer right away: CFPB: If I can’t pay my mortgage loan, what are my options?
- Ask for mortgage assistance. Request the mortgage-assistance or loss-mitigation team, which handles options for borrowers having trouble paying.
- Describe the hardship and your finances. Explain that you lost your job, whether you expect the difficulty to be temporary or ongoing, and what income, expenses, and assets you currently have.
- Keep a written record. Note call dates, the names of people you speak with, reference numbers, documents you send, and any deadlines. Keep copies and proof of delivery.
You can say: “I recently lost my job and I’m concerned I can’t make my mortgage payment. I want to understand my options to stay in my home.”
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What to ask the servicer about your options
There is no single relief plan that applies to every borrower. Ask what the servicer can consider for your specific loan, and get the terms in writing before you agree. Options depend on factors including the loan, the investor or program behind it, and your circumstances.
- Which options may be available for my loan, and what eligibility requirements apply?
- What documents do you need to review my request, and how will I know when my application is complete?
- Do I need to make any payment while you review my application?
- Will interest or fees accrue, and what will my payment be after any temporary plan ends?
- How and when will missed or reduced payments have to be repaid? Could a lump sum be due?
- When will you contact me before a forbearance plan expires?
Submit requested forms and documents promptly, respond to calls and letters, and keep copies of everything. The CFPB explains how to prepare for conversations with the servicer in How to work with your mortgage servicer.
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Mortgage relief options to ask about
The CFPB lists several possibilities, but the servicer must assess what may fit your loan and situation. Compare the cash you need now, the future monthly payment, interest and fees, repayment timing, effect on the loan term or balance, required documents, and whether you can remain in the home.
| Option | What it may do | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Forbearance | Temporarily pauses or reduces payments. | How long relief lasts, whether interest or fees accrue, what you must pay during the plan, and how deferred amounts will be repaid. |
| Repayment plan | May spread overdue amounts across future payments by adding an amount to your regular payment. | How much the payment will increase, for how long, and what happens if that amount is unaffordable. |
| Loan modification | May change loan terms if you and the loan qualify. | Eligibility, the new payment, rate, and term, and how the change affects the balance. |
| Refinance | May replace the current mortgage with a new loan if you qualify. | Whether you can qualify given your income and circumstances, and the costs and terms of a new loan. |
| Short sale or deed-in-lieu | May be considered when keeping the home is not feasible. | Financial, tax, credit, and legal consequences; get advice specific to your circumstances. |
How forbearance works—and what it does not do
Forbearance is temporary payment relief, not forgiveness. The CFPB states that it “does not erase or decrease the amount you owe on your mortgage.” Missed or reduced payments remain owed, and interest may continue to accrue. The length of relief and repayment arrangement depend on the plan. Read the written terms and ask how repayment will work before agreeing. See the CFPB’s What is mortgage forbearance?
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A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you organize your finances and paperwork, understand possible programs, and work with your servicer. CFPB guidance describes this help as free or at little to no cost. Call the HOPE Hotline at (888) 995-HOPE (4673), or review the CFPB’s guidance on mortgage payment options.
If you receive court papers or a foreclosure sale is imminent, contact local legal aid or an attorney as well as your servicer and counselor. State procedures and deadlines differ, and a counselor is not a substitute for case-specific legal advice.
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What happens when temporary relief ends?
Contact the servicer before a forbearance or other temporary plan expires, rather than waiting for the final date. Ask what comes next and review the written terms. Depending on your eligibility, a repayment plan or modification may be considered; do not assume that a lump sum is due—or that it is not due—without checking the agreement for your loan. The CFPB explains steps to take in Exit your forbearance carefully.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How long before foreclosure can start?
CFPB guidance says the legal foreclosure process generally cannot begin until a mortgage is at least 120 days delinquent. That is not a guarantee of 120 days from the date you lose your job, and it does not tell you when a home would be sold: the timeline after the process starts varies by state. Do not wait for a notice before seeking help. For general information, see the CFPB’s foreclosure timeline guidance, last reviewed January 2, 2025. If legal papers arrive, seek local legal help promptly.
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Many servicers also have general contact and written-notice requirements after delinquency: CFPB guidance describes an initial live-contact attempt within 36 calendar days and written information about loss-mitigation options no later than 45 calendar days. These general servicing-rule descriptions do not require the servicer to grant a particular option, and exceptions may apply. See Does my mortgage servicer have to help me avoid foreclosure?, last reviewed April 3, 2024.
How to recognize foreclosure rescue scams
Legitimate help is available through your servicer and HUD-approved housing counselors; be cautious of anyone who says you must pay them first to save your home. The CFPB identifies these as warning signs:
- An upfront fee or a guarantee that someone can stop foreclosure or secure a loan modification.
- Instructions to stop paying your servicer or to send mortgage payments to someone else.
- A request to sign over the title to your home.
- A paid “forensic audit” or similar service presented as a way to force a modification.
For more warning signs, see the CFPB’s How to avoid foreclosure. Work directly with your servicer, a HUD-approved counselor, and local legal aid when needed.
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