Quick answer: If you are behind on mortgage payments, call your mortgage servicer before the next missed payment, ask for loss-mitigation options, document every call, gather income and hardship documents, and contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. If anyone promises guaranteed relief or asks for upfront fees, treat it as a red flag.
What to do today if you are behind on mortgage payments
Being behind on a mortgage payment does not mean you have failed and it does not mean foreclosure is unavoidable. It does mean the timeline has started. The earlier you contact your servicer, the more options are usually still available.
Your servicer is the company that collects your monthly payment. It may not be the original lender. You can find the servicer name on your mortgage statement, online mortgage portal, or bank payment records.
Ask for the loss mitigation department and request options for your loan type.
Record date, time, representative name, case number, documents requested, and deadlines.
A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you understand options and prepare documents.
How far behind are you? Use this timeline
Exact timelines vary by state, loan type and servicer, but this table gives a practical way to think about urgency.
| Your situation | What it often means | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Worried but not late | You may still have the most flexibility. Refinance may be possible if credit, equity and income fit. | Stress-test your budget, call before missing a payment, and ask what hardship options exist if income has changed. |
| 1 payment behind | Late fees and outreach may begin. This is often the best moment to stop the problem from becoming a crisis. | Ask about repayment plan, short-term forbearance, or deferral options. |
| 2–3 payments behind | Risk rises. The servicer may need a full loss-mitigation package before offering options. | Submit documents quickly and confirm receipt in writing. |
| 4+ payments behind | Foreclosure risk can become more urgent. Federal rules generally restrict the first foreclosure notice or filing until more than 120 days delinquent, but do not wait. | Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor and complete any loss-mitigation application as soon as possible. |
| Foreclosure notice received | Your options may still exist, but deadlines are now critical and state law matters. | Contact the servicer, a HUD-approved housing counselor, and local legal aid immediately. |
What to say to your mortgage servicer
The goal of the call is not to sound perfect. The goal is to get the right department, the right options, and the right document list.
“I am behind on my mortgage payments and I want to avoid falling further behind. Please transfer me to the loss mitigation department. What options are available for my loan type, what documents do you need, and what deadline applies to my account?”
Before you hang up, ask these five questions:
- What is my exact reinstatement amount today?
- What is my loan type: FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, ARM, or other?
- Am I eligible to apply for repayment, forbearance, deferral, partial claim, or loan modification?
- Where do I upload documents and how do I confirm they were received?
- What date is the next deadline on my account?
Options to ask about when you are behind
Not every option fits every homeowner. Your income, loan type, missed-payment count, equity, and investor rules all matter. But these are the main options to ask about.
Repayment plan
You pay the regular mortgage payment plus an extra amount over time to catch up.
Forbearance
Your servicer allows reduced or paused payments for a limited time. You still need a plan for the skipped amount.
Loan modification
The servicer changes loan terms to try to make the payment more workable.
Deferral or partial claim
Some programs move missed amounts to the end of the loan or a separate balance. Rules depend on loan type.
HUD-approved counselor
A counselor can explain options, help organize documents, and review communication from your servicer.
Refinance or sale
These may help some homeowners, but they become harder after missed payments or if equity is low.
Answer six questions and get a private mortgage stress score with next steps based on your risk level.
Check my free score →Documents to gather before you apply for help
A complete package can prevent delays. Start a folder today, even if you are only one payment behind.
- Latest mortgage statement
- Recent servicer letters and notices
- Two months of bank statements
- Recent pay stubs, benefit statements, unemployment documents, or proof of income
- Monthly household budget
- Short hardship explanation: job loss, medical issue, divorce, death in family, payment increase, disaster, or income reduction
- Tax, insurance, or escrow notices if your payment changed
- Call log with date, time, representative name, and what was promised
If you are missing a document, do not disappear. Tell the servicer what you have, what is missing, and when you expect to submit the rest.
What not to do when you are behind
Do not pay anyone upfront who promises mortgage relief. Be especially cautious if someone tells you to stop talking to your servicer, guarantees a loan modification, asks you to sign over your deed, or rushes you to sign documents you do not understand.
- Do not ignore letters. Notices may include deadlines and appeal rights.
- Do not rely only on verbal promises. Ask for written confirmation.
- Do not send random partial payments without understanding how they will be applied. Some servicers may hold insufficient payments rather than crediting them as a full periodic payment.
- Do not assume refinance is available after missed payments. Late payments can affect eligibility.
- Do not sign over your deed. That is a serious red flag in many “rescue” offers.
Why your loan type matters
Your options may be different depending on whether you have an FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, adjustable-rate, or portfolio loan. That is why one of your first questions should be: “What type of loan do I have?”
| Loan type | What to ask |
|---|---|
| FHA loan | Ask about FHA loss-mitigation options, partial claim, modification, and any current HUD program rules. |
| VA loan | Ask about VA-specific help and whether your servicer needs to review VA options. |
| USDA loan | Ask about USDA servicing options and repayment/modification review. |
| Conventional loan | Ask about investor rules, repayment plans, forbearance, deferral, and modification options. |
| ARM or interest-only | Ask whether a payment reset is part of the hardship and whether fixed-payment options exist. |
When to contact a HUD-approved housing counselor
Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor if you are already behind, received default or foreclosure notices, do not understand the servicer’s paperwork, or feel pressured by a company offering paid “mortgage rescue.” HUD-approved counseling agencies can help you understand options and prepare for conversations with your servicer.
Foreclosure prevention counseling is generally free through HUD-approved agencies. If someone is charging a large upfront fee to “guarantee” mortgage relief, compare that offer with free official counseling before signing anything.
Use your Mortgage Stress Score before the next call
The Mortgage Stress Score is not a credit score and not a lending decision. It is a private educational estimate based on payment burden, missed payments, equity, loan type, and urgency. Use it to organize your situation before calling your servicer or counselor.
Run the score, write down the risk level, gather the recommended documents, then call your servicer with your exact missed-payment count and hardship reason.
Get my free Mortgage Stress Score →FAQ: behind on mortgage payments
What should I do first if I am behind on mortgage payments?
Call your mortgage servicer and ask for the loss mitigation department. Ask what options are available for your loan type, what documents are required, and what deadline applies to your account. Also consider contacting a HUD-approved housing counselor.
How many mortgage payments can I miss before foreclosure starts?
In general, federal mortgage servicing rules do not allow the first foreclosure notice or filing until the borrower is more than 120 days delinquent. But you should not wait until that point, because documents, reviews and state-law deadlines can take time.
Can I get help if I am only one payment behind?
Yes. One missed payment is often the best time to ask about repayment plans, forbearance, deferral, or loan modification before the account becomes more difficult to resolve.
Will a loan modification hurt my credit?
It depends on your situation, servicer reporting, and whether payments are already late. Ask your servicer how the option may be reported and keep written records. If you believe there is an error, you can dispute it and consider submitting a complaint to the CFPB.
Should I pay a company that promises to stop foreclosure?
Be careful. Government consumer agencies warn against companies that charge upfront fees, guarantee results, tell you to stop talking to your servicer, or ask you to sign over your deed.
Worried about your credit score?
If you are behind because of one missed mortgage payment, credit reporting becomes more important as the account approaches 30 days past due and beyond. The goal is to stop the situation from becoming a 60-day or 90-day late if possible.
Use the credit score guide to understand 30/60/90-day late stages, what to ask your servicer, and how to dispute a late mortgage payment if it appears wrong.
Read credit score guide →