Why we built this

Most mortgage tools online are built to capture leads. We built this one to give homeowners something more useful — an honest, private risk assessment with no phone number required.

The problem we saw

When a homeowner searches for help with a missed payment or asks whether they should refinance, most of the results they find are rate comparison sites dressed up as guidance. These sites often share contact details with lenders before the user has understood their situation. That's the wrong order.

A homeowner facing payment stress doesn't need a lender callback. They need to understand their risk level, see all their options honestly, and know which resources are free before anyone tries to sell them something.

What MortgageStressScore is

MortgageStressScore is a free educational tool. The calculator runs entirely in your browser — we never see your inputs. There is no account, no phone number field, and no lender marketplace behind it.

The score is an educational estimate based on six inputs: payment-to-income ratio, missed payments, home equity, loan type, and how worried you are right now. It is not a credit score and it is not a lending decision.

Our editorial approach

Every guide on this site is written to help, not to sell. We follow these standards:

• We cite primary sources — CFPB, HUD, MBA — not secondary aggregators.
• We show all seven options including the free ones (HUD counseling, forbearance, repayment plans) before any paid path.
• We do not rank or recommend specific lenders, servicers, or financial products.
• We do not write content for affiliate commissions.
• We update guides when regulations or programs change.

Sources we rely on

Our guides draw on official government and industry sources:

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — mortgage rights, forbearance guidance, servicer complaint process
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — foreclosure prevention, HUD-approved housing counselors
• Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) — delinquency and forbearance statistics
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — loan modification and hardship programs
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — mortgage scam warnings

What this site is not

MortgageStressScore is not a lender, mortgage broker, law firm, housing counselor, or foreclosure prevention service. The score and guides are educational information only. They are not legal, financial, tax, or lending advice. See our full disclaimer for details.

Contact

For questions, corrections, or feedback about the content on this site, you can reach us at hello@mortgagestressscore.com. We read every message and update content when corrections are needed.