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Homeowners with financial hardships who have been impacted by COVID-19 might still be able to apply for assistance with mortgage payments, property taxes, and other housing costs.

Exit your forbearance carefully

It takes a plan to exit mortgage forbearance. Find out about your options, get expert help, and find the right path for your situation.

Before your mortgage forbearance ends, you should contact your servicer to plan what comes next. They will work with you on ways to repay your forbearance.

If you are still concerned about losing your home, contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. They can help you figure out your options and guide you through the paperwork and process of working with your servicer. Find a housing counselor near you.

When you talk to your mortgage servicer, or a housing counselor, they might bring up the options below. Take a look at the descriptions and short explanations and think about your situation, so you can feel prepared for those conversations.

Options for repaying your paused or reduced payments

Situation: You can afford to pay more than your regular mortgage payment for a few months.

How it works: With a repayment plan, a portion of the amount you owe is added to the amount you pay each month.

Watch a video explaining this option

Situation: You can resume your regular payments but can't afford to increase your payments

How it works: With a deferral or partial claim, your missed payments move to the end of your loan, or the amount is put into a subordinate lien that you pay back only when you refinance, sell, or terminate your mortgage.

Watch a video explaining this option

Situation: You can no longer afford to make your regular mortgage payment

How it works: With a loan modification, your payment can be reduced to an affordable amount and all or some of your missed payments are added to the amount you owe. Your monthly payments could also be lower, but it could take longer to pay off your loan.

Watch a video explaining this option

Situation: You are ready to pay back all your missed payments at once

How it works: With a reinstatement or lump-sum payment, you pay back all the payments you missed during forbearance at once. For most government-backed loans, servicers cannot require you to pay a lump sum. So, if you only hear about a lump-sum repayment, ask about other options.

Watch a video explaining this option

Repayment options vary by agency

Just as mortgage forbearance differs among the federal agencies, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, so does the repayment of the amounts that were suspended during the forbearance. The following information provides some of the specific repayment options offered by each agency.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not require a lump sum payment at the end of the forbearance.

  • If you can afford to pay a higher monthly mortgage payment for a period of time, you might be eligible for a repayment plan. This lets you repay past due amounts over time.
  • If you can afford to resume your regular monthly mortgage payment, you may be eligible for a payment deferral. This adds up your missed mortgage payments into a payment due at the sale or refinancing of your home, or at the end of the loan.
  • If you are unable to afford your regular monthly mortgage payment, you might be eligible for a loan modification. This changes the terms of your loan to make your payments more affordable.

Servicers reach out to you about 30 days before your forbearance plan is scheduled to end to determine which assistance program is best for you at that time. Work with your servicer to determine which option you are eligible for.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and does not require lump sum repayment at the end of forbearance. Homeowners on special COVID-19 forbearance will be assessed by their servicer first for eligibility for FHA’s COVID-19 Recovery Standalone Partial Claim home retention option no later than at the end of the forbearance period.

For more information on FHA mortgages: email answers@hud.gov, call 1-800-CALL-FHA (1-800-225-5342), or view FHA’s information for homeowners .

USDA Rural Housing Service does not require a lump sum payment at the end of the forbearance. At the end of the forbearance, the lender communicates with you to determine if you can go back to making regular mortgage payments.

  • If you can go back to making regular payments, your servicer or lender should offer you an affordable repayment plan, or else an extension that defers your paused payments to the end of the loan.
  • If you can’t afford to make your regular payments, your servicer or lender should evaluate you for all available loss mitigation options.

Visit USDA Rural Development’s coronavirus website for more information on forbearance for USDA guaranteed loans.

Servicers of VA loans cannot require borrowers to make a lump sum payment immediately after a borrower exits a CARES Act forbearance.

VA has a suite of loss mitigation options such as repayment plans and loan modification to assist borrowers in repaying payments missed under a CARES Act forbearance.

Native American Direct Loans (NADL) are managed by BSI Financial Services. NADL borrowers can request a forbearance plan by contacting the BSI default resolution team at 800-327-7861 or customercare@bsifinancial.com.

For additional information, please visit VA’s website . In addition, you may call (877) 827-3702 to contact a VA Regional Loan Center.

Check with your loan servicer for the forbearance repayment options they offer. You may be able to find information about forbearance programs by checking their websites. Then, follow up and ask about the limitations, options, and fees that could apply to repayment of your loan.

Get expert help

Talk to a housing counselor

For help talking to your mortgage servicer or understanding your options, contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency in your area. Housing counselors can develop a tailored plan of action and help you work with your mortgage company, at no cost to you.

Talk to a lawyer

If you need a lawyer, there may be resources to assist you, and you may qualify for free legal services through legal aid. If you’re a servicemember, you should consult with your local Legal Assistance Office.

Submit a complaint

If you have a problem with your mortgage, tell us about your issue—we'll forward it to the company and work to get you a response, generally within 15 days.