Need help with your mortgage payment?

If your mortgage payment is becoming hard to manage, the most important thing is to act early. Servicers have more options available to borrowers who contact them before missing payments than to those who wait until they are already behind.

Last reviewed: May 2026 · About this site

First steps to take this week

1. Check your full monthly housing cost. Include mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA fees, and utilities. Many homeowners underestimate total housing cost because taxes and insurance are bundled into the escrow payment.
2. Call your mortgage servicer early. Ask what hardship options may be available before you miss more payments. Use specific language: "I want to know what hardship assistance options are available for my loan type."
3. Write down the reason for hardship. Examples include job loss, medical bills, divorce, insurance increase, tax increase, or reduced income. Being specific helps servicers route you to the right program.
4. Do not ignore letters or calls from your servicer. Missing deadlines can permanently close off options that were otherwise available to you.
5. Avoid upfront-fee rescue offers. Any company that promises guaranteed mortgage relief in exchange for upfront fees is almost certainly a scam. HUD-approved counseling is free.

How to prepare before calling your servicer

The quality of your first conversation with your servicer often determines how quickly you get results. Before calling, have the following ready:

• Your loan account number (on your mortgage statement).
• Your most recent two months of pay stubs or proof of income reduction.
• Two months of bank statements.
• A one-sentence description of your hardship reason.
• A pen and paper to record the date, time, representative name, and what was agreed.

Ask specifically: "What programs are available for my loan type?" Different programs apply to FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and USDA loans. The servicer cannot offer you options they do not tell you about — asking directly by loan type ensures you hear the full range.

Options that may be available

What to expect when you call

Your servicer's general customer service line may not be the right first contact. Ask to be transferred to the loss-mitigation or hardship department. If you are already delinquent, a single point of contact may be assigned to your account — ask for that person's direct line and use it for all future calls.

Keep a written log of every call: date, time, name of the representative, what they told you, and what next steps were agreed. If the servicer makes a verbal commitment (such as a temporary payment reduction), ask them to confirm it in writing before agreeing.

Free resources to use alongside your servicer

A HUD-approved housing counselor can review your full financial picture, help you understand which options apply to your loan type, and in some cases communicate with the servicer on your behalf. This service costs nothing and is available in every state. Find a counselor at hud.gov/housingcounseling.

If you believe your servicer is not following required procedures — not reviewing your application, initiating foreclosure while an application is pending, or failing to send required notices — you can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. See our servicer complaint guide for details.

Questions to ask your servicer

• What hardship assistance options are available for my loan type?
• Will this option affect my credit report, and how?
• What happens after a forbearance ends?
• Are there fees, deadlines, or documents I need to provide?
• Can you send the options and requirements in writing before I agree?
• Is there a single point of contact I should work with going forward?