What Your Loan Type's Rules Say About Getting Help

Who owns or backs your loan decides which help your mortgage company looks at first, which papers it asks for and how long you have to appeal a no. Pick your loan type below to see what that program's own guide says. If you don't know it, there's a way to find out.

What does your loan program say about help?

Your mortgage company follows the rules of whoever owns or backs your loan. Each program publishes a guide. Here's what each guide says, with the guide's own words a tap away.

Who owns or backs your loan?

Pick your loan type to see its rules.

Fannie Mae's rules

From Fannie Mae's Servicing Guide. Rules checked Oct 28, 2026.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    Fannie Mae's rules say your mortgage company first looks at whether you can catch up in one payment. After that it depends on your hardship. If it's short-term and still going on, the next step is a pause on payments (forbearance). If it's over, a repayment plan, then a payment deferral if a plan costs too much. If the hardship is permanent, a Flex Modification, Fannie Mae's loan modification, then a short sale or a Mortgage Release, which means giving the house back. If you ask to sell or leave, that's looked at first.

    Source F-2-10Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The servicer must consider a reinstatement when the mortgage loan is delinquent and the servicer has determined that the borrower has the ability to bring…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
  2. The papers it asks for

    Form 710, the Mortgage Assistance Application, isn't needed for every kind of help. A pause on payments or a payment deferral doesn't need a complete application. A repayment plan usually doesn't either, unless you're more than 90 days late or the plan runs longer than six months. A Flex Modification generally needs one if you're less than 90 days late. At 90 days or more, your company may offer it without one. Ask which help it's reviewing.

    Source D2-3.2-01Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The servicer is authorized to evaluate the borrower for a forbearance plan without receiving a complete BRP.…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
  3. Your income and hardship

    Income papers usually can't be more than 90 days old when your mortgage company first decides your application is complete. Some disaster cases get 180 days. Tax transcripts are asked for only in some cases.

    Source D2-2-05Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Income documentation must be no more than 90 days old as of the date the servicer first de…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
  4. If you are turned down

    A trial plan is the first stage of a loan modification. If you're turned down for one on the home you live in, you can appeal when your complete application arrived at least 90 days before the sale, or no sale date was set. Follow the 14-day appeal period in your letter. The company answers in writing within 30 days. There are limits if you've applied before.

    Source D2-2-07Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “the borrower must have submitted a complete BRP 90 days or more before a scheduled foreclo…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
More of Fannie Mae's rules (3)
  1. Questions for a payment deferral

    A payment deferral moves what you missed to the end of the loan. Ask: Is your loan at least 12 months old? Are you two to six months late? Is your hardship over, and can you make your full payment again? Can you neither catch up at once nor afford a repayment plan? Your company also checks earlier deferrals and other open plans.

    Source D2-3.2-04Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The mortgage loan must have been originated at least 12 months prior to the evaluation date…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
  2. Questions for a Flex Modification

    Ask: Is your loan at least 12 months old? Are you at least 60 days late, or has your company found you're about to fall behind? Has the loan been modified fewer than three times? Have you avoided a failed Flex trial in the past 12 months? Your company checks other limits and the new payment.

    Source D2-3.2-06Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The mortgage loan must have been originated at least 12 months prior to the evaluation date…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
  3. If a disaster caused it

    Tell your company when the disaster happened. After a disaster pause on payments, Fannie Mae reviews a disaster payment deferral first if you can make your full payment again, then a Flex Modification with easier disaster tests if you need one.

    Source D1-3-01Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Evaluate the borrower for a disaster payment deferral in accordance with Determining Eligi…” servicing-guide.fanniemae.com
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

Freddie Mac's rules

From Freddie Mac's Seller/Servicer Guide. Rules checked Oct 28, 2026.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    Freddie Mac's rules say your mortgage company first checks whether you can catch up in one payment. If your hardship is short-term and still going on, the next step is a pause on payments (forbearance). Once it's over, a repayment plan, then a payment deferral if the plan costs too much. A permanent hardship goes to a Flex Modification, Freddie Mac's loan modification, then a short sale, then a deed in lieu, which means giving the house back. Asking to sell, and disaster offers, follow separate rules.

    Source 9201.2Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “If a Borrower contacts the Servicer for loss mitigation assistance, the Servicer must first determine if the Borrower can bring the loan current through reinstatem…” guide.freddiemac.com
  2. The papers it asks for

    A pause on payments needs no written application: tell your company about the hardship. A payment deferral doesn't need a complete Form 710, the Mortgage Assistance Application. A repayment plan usually doesn't either if you're no more than 90 days late and the plan lasts six months or less. A Flex Modification usually needs one before you're 90 days late. At 90 days or more, a shorter Flex review doesn't. Ask which help and cutoff apply.

    Source Guide 9203.3(b)(i)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “No Borrower documentation or written application (e.g., Form 710 or a Servicer’s c…” guide.freddiemac.com
  3. Your income and hardship

    Income papers usually can't be more than 90 days old when your company first decides your application is complete. What you send depends on the kind of income; unemployment benefits need no papers. Child support and alimony count only if you choose to include them. Help from someone not on the loan is voluntary and has to be verified.

    Source 9202.1(c)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The Borrower’s income must be supported by documentation that is not more than 90…” guide.freddiemac.com
  4. If you are turned down

    If your first complete application arrived at least 90 days before a sale, or before a sale date was set, and you're turned down for a trial plan, you have 14 days to appeal. Different staff review it and decide within 30 days. Your letter says where to send it. Offers made without a complete application can't be appealed this way.

    Source 9101.2Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The option to either accept or reject an offer of an alternative to foreclosure and the…” guide.freddiemac.com
More of Freddie Mac's rules (3)
  1. Questions for a payment deferral

    A payment deferral moves what you missed to the end of the loan. Ask: Is your loan at least 12 months old? Are you 60 to 180 days late? Is your hardship over, and can you make your regular payment? Can you neither catch up at once nor afford a repayment plan? Your company checks other limits.

    Source Guide 9203.4(a),(c)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “A Payment Deferral is a relief option to assist a Borrower who is at least 60 days but less…” guide.freddiemac.com
  2. Questions for a Flex Modification

    Ask: Is your loan at least 12 months old? Are you at least 60 days late, or has your company found you're about to fall behind? Would the new principal and interest payment be no higher than the old one? At 90 days late, your company has to check the shorter Flex review without asking for a complete application.

    Source Guide 9206.1(c)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The Mortgage must have been originated at least 12 months prior to the evaluation date for the Freddie Mac Flex Mo…” guide.freddiemac.com
  3. If a disaster caused it

    Tell your company when the disaster happened. Freddie Mac has a separate disaster review. A pause on payments usually starts one to three months at a time, and more than 12 months of missed payments needs Freddie Mac's approval. A disaster payment deferral or Flex Modification may come after.

    Source Guide 9203.3(b)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “An initial forbearance term for a period of one to three months, and, if necessary ■…” guide.freddiemac.com
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

FHA's rules

From U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Handbook 4000.1, the FHA rulebook. Rules checked Oct 28, 2026.

HUD's updated FHA rulebook has to be in place at every mortgage company by November 10, 2026. Ask which version yours uses.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    Early on, FHA's rules point to a repayment plan or a pause on payments (forbearance). For a permanent fix, your mortgage company works through a set of calculations, not a fixed list. If you can go back to your normal payment, it compares a loan modification with a partial claim, a separate no-interest loan for what you're behind that you repay when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage. If you need a lower payment, it starts with a 30- or 40-year loan modification, then a mix of modification and partial claim, with a payment supplement. Selling or giving the house back is a separate path.

    Source III.A.2.i and Appendix 4.0Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Part C: Borrower Attests They Can Resume Mortgage Payments ...............................…” hud.gov
  2. The papers it asks for

    For a permanent fix, the company gets your Borrower Affordability Attestation, your statement that you can afford the new payment, plus the trial-plan and closing papers. You can say it out loud at first and sign later. FHA's rules don't make Form 710 a must, so ask your mortgage company for its own form and list.

    Source III.A.2.i.iii(B)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Borrower Affordability Attestation refers to the Borrowers’ affirmation that the…” hud.gov
  3. Your income and hardship

    You state that you're behind, or about to be, because of a financial hardship, and whether you can go back to your normal payment or need it lowered. Rules about past payments, how far behind you are, trial plans and help in the last 24 months apply, with disaster exceptions. This page can't tell you whether you qualify.

    Source III.A.2.i.iii(A)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “attests that the Default or Imminent Default is due to a Financial Hardship;…” hud.gov
  4. Recent changes

    HUD's Mortgagee Letter 2026-08 changed some rules, and mortgage companies had until September 21, 2026, to put them in place. Its changes for a failed trial plan and for asking again already apply.

    Source ML 2026-08Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “September 21, 2026. All updates will be incorporated into a forthcoming…” hud.gov
More of FHA's rules (3)
  1. Questions for a permanent fix

    Ask: Can you afford your normal payment again, or do you need it lower? If you can afford it, your company compares a partial claim on its own with a modification on its own. A partial claim on its own needs enough claim money to catch you up and a finished trial plan. If you need a lower payment, the calculations aim to cut principal and interest by 25%.

    Source HUD 4000.1Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “the Borrower attests they can resume Mortgage Payments; and • successfu…” hud.gov
  2. What a partial claim is

    An FHA partial claim moves what you missed into a separate loan with no interest, so your mortgage is caught up. You still owe that amount later. Before you choose one, your company has to tell you about any option that might lower your monthly payment.

    Source Handbook 4000.1 III.A.2.iChecked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “No interest will accrue on the Partial Claim. (G) Standalone Partial Claim…” hud.gov
  3. If a disaster caused it

    Ask your company about FHA's separate disaster path. It has options for homes in an area the President declared a major disaster. Ask which disaster and policy date apply to your loan.

    Source HUD 4000.1Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “PDMDA Home Retention Option if impacted by a disaster associ…” hud.gov
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

VA's rules

From VA's Servicer Handbook M26-4. Rules checked Oct 28, 2026.

Mortgage companies have until November 28, 2026, to add VA partial claims to their systems. Ask if yours offers it yet.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    If you can start paying again and want to keep the home, VA's rules set an order: a special forbearance (a pause on payments), a repayment plan, a Traditional VA Modification, then a 30-year modification. If you're at least three full monthly payments behind, a VA Partial Claim comes next, then a 40-year modification. Your company starts at the first step each time it reviews you.

    Source M26-4 5.01(a)-(b)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “If the loan is less than three (3) full months past due, the servicer will only follow Ste…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  2. The papers it asks for

    Usually very few. Your mortgage company isn't allowed to ask for extra financial papers unless VA requires them. After three failed trial plans in the same stretch of being behind, it has to collect your household expenses and verified income first.

    Source 5.01(a)(4)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Servicers must not collect financial or additional documents, unless required by VA. b. W…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  3. Your income and hardship

    When papers are required, the company checks your household income and expenses. Papers that change often have to arrive within 90 days of the date on them. Not every VA homeowner has to send bank statements or tax returns.

    Source 5.01(d)(1)(b)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Servicers must verify all household income by collecting document(s) from the borrower that clearly support the reported amount.…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  4. Recent changes

    VA's final rules began June 1, 2026. Mortgage companies have 180 days to put the new order and the partial claim in place together, so ask which one yours is using. An earlier draft isn't the final rule.

    Source VA M26-4Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “180 days to implement, from the date the final policy was published on June 1, 2026. This…” benefits.va.gov
More of VA's rules (5)
  1. Questions for a VA Partial Claim

    Ask: Are you at least three full monthly payments behind? Have you made at least 12 payments since the loan began? Is this your main home, and do you own it? Have you had no loan modification in the past 24 months, no active bankruptcy, and no earlier VA partial claim on this loan? The amount to catch up also has to fit VA's limit.

    Source M26-4 22.02(a)(1)-(10)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The PC qualifying criteria are-- 1. The amount necessary to bring the loan current (reins…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  2. What a VA Partial Claim is

    VA pays part of what you owe so your loan is caught up. You make no monthly payments on that separate amount, and VA says it doesn't earn interest while VA holds it. You still have to repay it later. You can use it once, and it may affect a later VA refinance or later help.

    Source M26-4 22.01, 22.04Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “the servicer advances the reinstatement amount on behalf of the borrower and creates a non-interest-bearing recoverable balance…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  3. If you work for yourself

    If VA asks you to prove income for a repayment plan, a profit-and-loss statement is one way to show self-employment income. Pay stubs, bank statements showing regular deposits or award letters can also work. The company also collects a list of your household expenses.

    Source M26-4 5.01(d)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Documents may include pay stubs, Profit and Loss Statements, bank statements showing reocc…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  4. If a disaster caused it

    Ask about the VA Disaster Modification and the Disaster Extend Modification. VA says your company may offer these without going through the usual order first. Your company doesn't have to offer them, and they have their own tests.

    Source M26-4 5.01(e), 5.06(e)-(f)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “While the VA Disaster Modification and Disaster Extend Modification options are never mandatory…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
  5. Bankruptcy and inherited homes

    An active bankruptcy rules out a VA Partial Claim. Someone who inherited or was given the home doesn't qualify just for that reason; VA requires taking over the loan first, with an exception for some spouses.

    Source M26-4 22.02(a)(4),(8)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The servicer has confirmed that the borrower is not in active bankruptcy. Although an acti…” knowva.ebenefits.va.gov
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

USDA's rules for guaranteed loans

From the federal rule 7 CFR 3555 and USDA Handbook HB-1-3555. For a loan a lender made and USDA backs. Rules checked Oct 9, 2026 to Oct 28, 2026.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    The federal rule sets an order: a repayment plan, a special forbearance (a pause on payments), a loan modification, then a mortgage recovery advance. These come before a simpler option with no financial review. Selling or losing the home comes only after the options to keep it don't work. Disaster options are separate.

    Source 7 CFR 3555.303Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Repayment agreement. A repayment agreement is an informal plan lasting 3 months or less to…” ecfr.gov
  2. The papers it asks for

    Your mortgage company can use its own form. USDA's handbook asks for detailed financial information and recent pay stubs, or a profit-and-loss statement if you're self-employed. Financial papers have to be dated within 90 days of when the company gets them. It tells you its decision within 30 days of getting a complete application.

    Source HB-1-3555 Attachment 18-A IChecked Oct 9, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The servicer may ask the borrower to give this information on a form of its choice…” usda.gov
  3. Your income and hardship

    You have to be behind for a reason outside your control, or about to be, and be able to repay. The modification path uses a 31% limit on housing costs compared with your income before taxes. That limit applies only here, not to other loans.

    Source 7 CFR 3555.303(a)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “for an involuntary reason. A borrower is “facing imminent default” if that borrower is cur…” ecfr.gov
  4. The simpler option

    If the usual options run out without a complete application, there's a modification with no financial review. You have to be at least 90 days behind, before the loan is called due or foreclosure starts. It has to cut principal and interest by at least 10%, and you have to finish a trial plan.

    Source 7 CFR 3555.304(a)-(c)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Lenders must exhaust traditional servicing options outlined in this part without received…” ecfr.gov
More of USDA guaranteed's rules (2)
  1. Limits on each option

    A repayment plan lasts three months or less. A special forbearance can cover up to 12 months of full payments. Mortgage recovery advances together can't be more than 30% of what you owed when you first fell behind.

    Source 7 CFR 3555.303(b)(1),(2),(4)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “A repayment agreement is an informal plan lasting 3 months or less to cure short-term deli…” ecfr.gov
  2. If a disaster caused it

    Tell your company what happened. USDA says it has to look at your case on its own and consider its disaster options.

    Source 7 CFR 3555.307(a),(c)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Servicers must utilize general procedures available under this subpart for servicing borro…” ecfr.gov
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

USDA's rules for direct loans

From U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook HB-2-3550. For a loan USDA made itself. Rules checked Oct 9, 2026.

  1. What USDA looks at first

    If USDA made your loan itself, its own handbook applies, not the guaranteed-loan order. The tools include a workout plan, payment help, a moratorium, which stops payments, and spreading the balance over the loan again. Before a moratorium, USDA looks at payment help first. A workout can last up to two years. A moratorium can stop payments for up to two years, and what builds up still has to be paid.

    Source HB-2-3550 Chapter 5Checked Oct 9, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Before considering a moratorium, a borrower must first be considered for payment subsidy…” usda.gov
  2. The papers it asks for

    You ask for the moratorium and give financial information so the servicing office can see what changed. Ask the USDA servicing office which forms and income papers it needs for the help you want. Form 710 doesn't replace what the agency asks for.

    Source 5.5(B)Checked Oct 9, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “the borrower must request the moratorium and provide financial information…” usda.gov
  3. Your income and hardship

    A moratorium is for money trouble outside your control, such as a drop in income or an illness, death or home cost you weren't paid back for. You also have to live in the home and meet other rules. A drop in income alone doesn't make you eligible.

    Source 5.5(A)Checked Oct 9, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “repayment income fell by at least 20 percent within the past 12 months…” usda.gov
  4. If you are turned down

    USDA's letter has to explain your rights to an informal review, mediation and an appeal to its National Appeals Division. You generally ask within 30 days of getting the letter. Some decisions can't be appealed, so follow the letter you get.

    Source 1.9 and 1.11Checked Oct 9, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “The program participant can request applicable appeal options below within 30 days of receipt of the adverse action.…” usda.gov
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

Rules for a loan another lender keeps

From Regulation X, the federal mortgage-servicing rule. No program guide applies. Rules checked Oct 28, 2026.

  1. What your mortgage company looks at first

    If a bank or investor keeps your loan itself, its own program and order apply. Ask your mortgage company what they are. Federal rules set steps the company has to follow, but they don't make it offer any particular kind of help.

    Source 12 CFR 1024.41(a)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “Nothing in § 1024.41 imposes a duty on a servicer to provide any borrower with any specific loss mitigation option.…” consumerfinance.gov
  2. The papers it asks for

    A complete application is everything your mortgage company asks for to look at its options. Ask for its form, its income and hardship rules, and a current list of what's missing. No single federal form or tax paper is required for every loan.

    Source 12 CFR 1024.41(b)(1)Checked Oct 28, 2026

    Read the guide's words
    “A complete loss mitigation application means an application in connection with which a servicer has received all the information that the servicer requires from a borrower…” consumerfinance.gov
↓ Download the rules Free PDF. All seven loan types, every rule with its source and the date we checked it.

Here's how to find out who backs your loan

The name on your monthly statement is the company you pay. It isn't always the one that owns or backs the loan.

  1. Check your papers. Look for FHA, VA or USDA on your closing documents and monthly statement. The company name alone doesn't tell you who owns the loan.

  2. Ask your mortgage company. Ask who owns or guarantees the loan, and which help program, form and list of papers apply.

  3. For a conventional loan, look it up. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each have an official lookup, or your mortgage company can confirm the owner.

  4. If it's USDA, ask which kind. Ask whether USDA made the loan itself (direct) or a mortgage company made it and USDA backs it (guaranteed).

What to ask your mortgage company

“Who owns or guarantees my loan, and which help program, application form and list of papers apply to it?”

↓ Download the rules Free PDF with all seven loan types, to read once you know yours.

What rules apply whatever your loan type?

A federal rule called Regulation X sets deadlines most mortgage companies have to meet, whoever backs the loan. It generally covers a loan on the home you live in. Small mortgage companies, reverse mortgages and some Farm Credit loans have exceptions, so your loan type alone doesn't settle it. Source 12 CFR 1024.30

Federal deadlines that apply whatever your loan type
WhenWhat the rule says
By day 36Your mortgage company generally has to try to talk with you by day 36 of being late, then send a letter about your help options by day 45. Bankruptcy and some other cases are exceptions. Source 12 CFR 1024.39(a) Source 12 CFR 1024.39(b)
By day 45It also has to give you people to contact about help and your application. Source 12 CFR 1024.40(a)
After day 120In most cases, the earliest a foreclosure can start. A complete application can limit when it starts or when a sale happens. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(f)–(g)
45 days or more before a saleIf your application arrives then, your mortgage company generally has to tell you in writing, within five days not counting weekends and holidays, that it got it and whether anything is missing. This applies too if no sale is set. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(b)(2)
More than 37 days before a saleA complete application generally has to be decided within 30 days, in writing. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(c)(1)
While you are being reviewedSay your complete application arrived after foreclosure was filed but more than 37 days before the sale. The company generally can't get a judgment or sale order, or hold the sale, until the review, your answer to any offer and any appeal are done. The rule has exceptions. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(g)
After an offerYou get at least 14 days to accept or turn down an offer if your complete application arrived 90 days or more before a sale, and at least 7 days if it arrived 38 to 89 days before. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(e)(1)
90 days or more before a saleIf you're turned down for a loan modification, you generally get at least 14 days to appeal. Different staff review it and decide within 30 days. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(h)(1)–(4) Source 12 CFR 1024.41(h)(3) Source 12 CFR 1024.41(h)(4)
If you are turned downThe written decision has to give the specific reason for each loan modification you were turned down for. Source 12 CFR 1024.41(d)

Sending an application doesn't stop a foreclosure by itself. What counts is when your mortgage company received it, whether it's complete, and whether the rule covers your loan. Checked Oct 28, 2026.

What couldn't we confirm in the rules?

Some answers aren't in any guide. They depend on your mortgage company's own policy or on a review of your case, so ask for them in writing.

Rules for a loan another lender keeps

Its options, its income and hardship standards, and any appeal rights beyond the federal rule come from that company's own policy.

Special cases

Disasters, bankruptcy, inheriting a home, applying again, and exceptions an investor or insurer makes need a review of your case. This page doesn't cover every rule about who qualifies.

Whether your application is complete

Only your mortgage company's notice says that, and its letter tells you how to appeal. Saving or checking papers yourself isn't the same as the company confirming they're complete.

How do you find out who backs your loan?

Start with your papers, then ask. The company you pay may not own the loan Source CFPB.

  1. Check your papers. Look for FHA, VA or USDA on your closing documents and monthly statement. The company name alone doesn't tell you who owns the loan.

  2. Ask your mortgage company. Ask who owns or guarantees the loan, and which help program, form and list of papers apply.

  3. For a conventional loan, look it up. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each have an official lookup, or your mortgage company can confirm the owner.

  4. If it's USDA, ask which kind. Ask whether USDA made the loan itself (direct) or a mortgage company made it and USDA backs it (guaranteed).

This page explains what each guide says. It can't tell you whether you qualify; your mortgage company decides that. Download the rules (PDF).

Questions about your loan program's rules

Does my loan type change what help I can get?

Yes. Who owns or backs your loan decides which help your mortgage company looks at first, which papers it asks for and how long you have to appeal a no. Pick your loan type to see what its guide says.

How do I find out who owns my mortgage?

Check your papers for FHA, VA or USDA, then ask your mortgage company. For a conventional loan, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each have a lookup. Here's how.

Does sending an application stop a foreclosure?

Not by itself. What counts is when your mortgage company got it, whether it's complete, and whether the federal rule covers your loan. See the federal deadlines.

Protect yourself from scams

The FTC and CFPB describe these warning signs and the rules behind them:

  1. Upfront fees for promised relief are a warning sign. Under FTC mortgage-assistance rules, most companies that sell mortgage help cannot charge until a homeowner accepts a written offer from the mortgage company or lender. A separate FTC rule covers debt-relief companies that sell by phone and ties fees to a completed debt arrangement. It bars a fee until at least one debt has been settled or changed, the customer agrees to the arrangement, and the customer has made a payment under it. The FTC describes a narrow exception for lawyers who give help as part of the practice of law and are licensed in the state where the client or dwelling is. The lawyer follows that state's rules for attorneys, and advance fees are placed in a client trust account before services begin under state trust-account rules.
  2. HUD-approved foreclosure-prevention counseling is free. HUD’s national counselor line is 800-569-4287. The CFPB counselor finder lists agencies and their services. If an organization charges for help described as free HUD counseling, the CFPB finder can verify the agency and its listed services before any payment.
  3. A request to sign over a deed is a warning sign. The CFPB identifies title-transfer schemes among foreclosure-relief scams. Signing over title can mean losing ownership of the home; a lawyer can explain what a proposed document would do.
  4. Foreclosure protections depend on timing and the loan. Regulation X generally bars the first foreclosure notice or filing on a principal-residence loan until the borrower is more than 120 days behind, subject to exceptions. A complete assistance application can delay some foreclosure steps, but that depends on when it arrives; it does not necessarily stop every step. The CFPB warns about promises to “save” a home.

Fraud reports: CFPB · FTC · state attorney general offices.

Free help

Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.

  • HUD-approved housing counselors

    Nationwide800-569-4287hud.gov

    Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.

  • Legal aid

    Every statelsc.gov

    Nonprofit law offices give free civil legal help to people with low incomes. Our help directory lists the 120 offices the Legal Services Corporation funds.

Sources

What this page relies on (24 sources)

We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.