Find Help in Florida

There are 193 government-validated organizations serving Florida: 90 HUD-approved housing counselors, 46 DOJ-approved credit counselors, 50 debtor education providers, and 7 LSC-funded legal aid offices. Of the 90 counselors, 69 offer foreclosure prevention services and 52 serve in Spanish.

Yes. HUD-approved housing counselors provide free, confidential assistance. They can help you understand your options if you're behind on your mortgage, facing foreclosure, or dealing with a reverse mortgage. Florida uses judicial (court-supervised) foreclosure, with a typical timeline of 11 months. The earlier you contact a counselor, the more options you'll have. Call 1-800-569-4287 to reach one.

Credit counseling is required before filing for bankruptcy — a counselor reviews your finances and discusses alternatives. Debtor education is required after filing — a course that covers budgeting, money management, and using credit wisely. Both are provided by DOJ-approved agencies. Florida had 44,661 bankruptcy filings last year (#17 nationally per capita). 70% were Chapter 7 liquidations and 28% were Chapter 13 repayment plans.

LSC-funded legal aid is available to low-income individuals, typically those earning below 125% of the federal poverty level. Each organization has its own intake process — call and ask about eligibility. Many can help with foreclosure defense, debt collection harassment, and housing disputes. Florida has 7 LSC-funded legal aid offices — Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. is one of the primary providers.

Provider listings are pulled from federal government databases: HUD's Housing Counselor API, the DOJ US Trustee Program's approved agency feeds, and the Legal Services Corporation's grantee database. Data is refreshed periodically from these official sources.

Florida uses judicial (court-supervised) foreclosure. The typical timeline from first missed payment to sale is roughly 6–11 months. Court oversight means the process takes longer but provides more procedural protections. See our full Florida foreclosure law guide for details on protections, redemption rights, and homestead exemptions.

Florida has 41,951 CFPB mortgage complaints on record across the 30 largest servicers. The most-complained-about servicer is BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION with 5,540 complaints. If you're having issues with your servicer, a HUD-approved counselor can help you navigate the complaint process, or you can file a CFPB complaint directly. See BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION's full complaint profile.