Updated June 1, 2023

Your home is your most significant asset—and because we get that, we’re here working to help you look after it. There’s nothing more important to us than helping you protect your home. One of the ways we can do that is by getting you the information, resources, and options you need. If you need to secure a forbearance plan because you’re experiencing a financial hardship due to the coronavirus or because your financial hardship due to the coronavirus is coming to an end, we’ll guide you through every step of the process.

To make it as easy as we can, this website should address your questions and concerns about how mortgage assistance works from forbearance to repayment or modification options. And you can get started right here, right now, whether you are requesting help for the first time, need to extend your forbearance, or be evaluated for other mortgage assistance options. You can also visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) where you’ll find videos and other helpful information on topics about managing your finances during this challenging time.

Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF)

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) created the Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) to help homeowners facing a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing assistance with mortgage payments, property taxes and other housing costs. See more details about the HAF and other state mortgage assistance resources. Additionally, you can learn more about the HAF program at www.consumerfinance.gov/haf or by calling (800) 569-4287.

Who owns your loan and why it matters
To understand the options available for getting help with your mortgage, it’s important to know who owns your loan. That’s because homeowners with loans owned or backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Bank, VA, USDA, and HUD, which includes FHA loans, (“federally backed loans”) were eligible for specific assistance options under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, while homeowners with loans owned by other institutions are eligible for other assistance options.

Most homeowners have federally backed loans but either way, we can let you know what your options are once you complete the form for mortgage assistance below. If you’d like to check for yourself, there are some online tools you can use to look up who owns your mortgage. For example, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac both offer a mortgage lookup tool on their websites. If you are currently experiencing financial hardship, forbearance is the first step for most. Request Assistance

A forbearance is a temporary suspension of all or part of your monthly mortgage payment. It gives you the time and flexibility you need to manage your finances until you’re able to resume your monthly mortgage payments. Forbearance does not mean your payments are forgiven. You are still required to fully repay your suspended payments, but you won’t have to do so all at once.

Requests for an initial forbearance for FHA, USDA, and VA loans are not being accepted. (The deadline to make an initial request was May 31, 2023.) Mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not currently have a deadline for requesting an initial forbearance.

What is Forbearance under the CARES Act?
The CARES Act allowed you to request a forbearance on your federally backed loan regardless of your delinquency status. During forbearance, monthly payments (principal, interest, and escrow) are suspended for an initial period of up to 180 days or the equivalent of up to six months of monthly payments.

If you are still financially impacted by the coronavirus, your initial forbearance period may be extended for up to another 180 days for a total of 360 days or the equivalent of twelve monthly payments.

There will be no additional fees, penalties or interest (beyond scheduled amounts) added to your account if your hardship continues. You won’t need to provide any documentation to lengthen your forbearance period.

Note: If you pay your own property taxes, insurance, or HOA/condo fees separately from your mortgage, you may need to continue making these payments during forbearance.

In addition to the aforementioned assistance programs, some federally backed loans and some state laws have temporarily suspended foreclosure actions.

The maximum duration of forebearance for federally backed loans varies and is dependent upon agency/investor/insurer guidelines.

Whether you have an FHA, VA, USDA, FNMA or FHLMC backed mortgage, you
may shorten the forbearance period at any time should your situation change.

Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac (FNMA/FHLMC) backed mortgages

If you are still financially impacted by the coronavirus, your initial 180-day forbearance period may be extended for up to another 180 days for a total of 360 days or the equivalent of twelve monthly payments.

If you have a FNMA or FHLMC backed mortgage, you may be eligible for an additional 3-month extension as well as another extension of up to 3 months, as long as you do not exceed 18 months total delinquency or cumulative term.

You must have been in an active forbearance plan as of February 28, 2021 to qualify for an extension beyond the twelfth month of forbearance.

VA backed mortgages

For VA backed mortgages, if you have already filed for an initial forbearance and are still financially impacted by the coronavirus, your initial 180 day forbearance period may be extended for up to another 180 days for a total of 360 days or the equivalent of twelve monthly payments. All forbearances must end by December 31, 2023.

USDA backed mortgages

For USDA backed mortgages, the maximum duration of your forbearance period depends on the effective date of your initial forbearance period.

Effective Date of Initial Forbearance	Length of Initial Forbearance Period	Length of Additional Forbearance Periods	Length of Additional Forbearance Extensions	Maximum Forbearance Period
March 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days), in 3 month increments	Up to 18 months
July 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 3 months	Up to 15 months
October 1, 2020 – May 31, 2023	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	None	Up to 12 months

FHA backed mortgages

For FHA backed mortgages, the maximum duration of your forbearance period depends on the effective date of your initial forbearance period. If you have a FHA-backed mortgage and you have used all 6 months of your initial forbearance, which ends on or before May 31, 2023, you will be eligible to request additional forbearance. All forbearances must end by November 30, 2023.

Effective Date of Initial Forbearance	Length of Initial Forbearance Period	Length of Additional Forbearance Periods	Length of Additional Forbearance Extensions	Maximum Forbearance Period
March 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days), in 3 month increments	Up to 18 months
July 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 3 months	Up to 15 months
October 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	0	Up to 12 months
July 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021	Up to 6 months (180 days)	Up to 6 months (180 days)	0	Up to 12 months
October 1, 2021 – May 31, 2023	Up to 6 months	Up to 6 months (if the initial forebearance will be exhausted and expires on or before May 31, 2023)	0	Up to 12 months (if the borrower is eligible for the additional COVID-19 forebearance period)

Options for loans not backed by the federal government
For loans that are not federally backed, meaning they may be owned by another financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, there may be options available should you be experiencing a financial hardship due to the coronavirus. Those options may depend on your financial institution.

Whether you need to request an initial forbearance or extend your existing forbearance, complete the form on our website. It’s the fastest way to get started and stay on track.

What happens after I complete the form for an initial forbearance or an extension?

Within 7 to 10 business days of completing and submitting the form, you will receive a letter from us with all the details. We will also send you an email if we have your email address on file. We will then reach out during the final 30 days of the forbearance period to determine the next steps for your individual situation. If we are unable to reach you by phone and must leave a voicemail message, please call us back so that we may help you.

If your financial hardship has ended
Once your financial hardship has ended, we will work with you to determine the available options based on your financial situation, state of r esidence, and the type of loan you have. Your options may include*:

Loan Reinstatement: If you can afford it, you pay all delinquent amounts at once, including the payments that became due during the forbearance.
Repayment Plan: A repayment plan allows you to repay all delinquent amounts gradually over a period of time in addition to your regular monthly payments. Portions of your repayment amount are added on to your monthly mortgage payment amount.
Deferral: A deferral allows you to avoid having to pay your suspended mortgage payments all at once, typically by adding a non-interest-bearing balance at the end of your mortgage, repayable either at loan payoff (for example if you sell your home) or at maturity.
Loan Modification: Permanently change the terms of your mortgage to bring it current.
FHA Partial Claim or Loan Modification: If you occupy your property you may be eligible to defer suspended payments. The COVID-19 Recovery Standalone Partial Claim option says that you can defer suspended payments until your loan is paid off. The FHA has a number of options available to you, including:

COVID-19 Advance Loan Modification

COVID-19 Recovery Standalone Partial Claim

COVID-19 Recovery Modification

COVID-19 Pre-Foreclosure Sale (PFS)

COVID-19 Deed-in-Lieu (DIL) of Foreclosure

If you have a Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guaranteed loan or a Section 184A Native Hawaiian Home Loan Guaranteed loan, you may be eligible for the options below to assist you in resolving the suspended payments:

COVID-19 Native Advance Loan Modification

COVID-19 Recovery Loss Mitigation Advance

COVID-19 Recovery Native Loan Modification

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.

VA loans: You may be eligible for a VA Refund Modification to assist you in resolving the suspended payments.
USDA loans: You may be eligible for a loan modification plan that would allow you to modify the terms of your mortgage to account for the suspended payments.

*Available options may vary depending on the type of loan you have and/or guidelines of your financial institution. Additional eligibility requirements and documentation may be required. The CFPB website offers additional information.

If you are ready to cancel your forbearance because either your allowable forbearance periods have been exhausted or your financial hardship has been resolved, please complete the form on this website. This will ensure the most efficient and expedited processing.

What happens after I complete the form because my forbearance periods have been exhausted or my financial hardship is coming to an end?

If your forbearance periods have ended or your financial hardship has ended but you are unable to resume normal payments, we’ll be able to evaluate you for available mortgage assistance options after you’ve completed the form. As part of the evaluation, we may ask you to share documents needed to help us determine your eligibility for the options available to you. Your type of loan, the state in which you live and your financial situation will help determine available options.

Please Note: Please be aware of scammers who often try to take advantage of consumers when they are most vulnerable. To learn more about scammers and how to avoid being taken advantage of, please visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website