Forbearance is when your mortgage servicer (the company that manages your loan) allows you to pause or reduce mortgage payments for a limited period of time. Look for their contact info on your monthly mortgage statement.
- Forbearance does not erase what you owe.
- You’ll have to repay any missed or reduced payments in the future
- After telling your servicer that you have a pandemic-related financial hardship, you won’t need to submit additional documentation.
If your mortgage is backed by a government agency (including FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac loans) provisions of the CARES Act allow you to temporarily suspend payments, if you are experiencing financial difficulty due to the impact of the coronavirus on your finances.
Loan servicers for non-government backed loans, may also have forbearance or deferment options but the exact options available to you may differ.
- Ask your servicer how you will be required to pay back the amount owed after the forbearance period.
- Will you owe the entire unpaid amount in a lump sum; once the pause period has ended or at the end of the loan term?
- Can the loan term be extended so that missed payments are added to the end of your mortgage?
- Will your subsequent monthly payments be higher for a period of time to make up the deferred amount?
Be on the lookout for scams and scammers
- Make sure you are working directly with your mortgage servicer.
For more in-depth information, including how to find a HUD-approved housing counselor, go to http://consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus