My parents got a forbearance in 2019.
They were behind on their mortgage, the servicer offered it, and it felt like a lifeline. They did not have to make a payment for 12 months. For a family stretched thin, that breathing room felt like everything.
What they did not fully understand was what came next.
When the 12 months were up, the servicer called and asked for every missed payment. All at once. In a lump sum. My parents had not been setting that money aside. They thought they were buying time to get back on their feet. They were. But the clock ran out and the bill was due immediately.
That is how most forbearances work. And right now, getting one approved at all is a lot harder than it used to be.
What Is a Mortgage Forbearance?
A forbearance is an agreement between you and your mortgage servicer to temporarily pause or reduce your monthly payment. It is not forgiveness. The money you do not pay still has to be repaid. The servicer simply agrees to hold off on collecting it for a set period of time.
During COVID, forbearances were widespread and relatively easy to get. Federal programs required servicers to offer them to nearly anyone who asked. That changed when those programs ended. The landscape looks completely different now.
How Hard Is It to Get a Forbearance Right Now?
Honestly? Very hard in most cases.
Outside of a federally declared disaster area, forbearances are not automatic or guaranteed. Your servicer has to approve one. If your loan is backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the investor may also need to sign off. That adds time and documentation you may not have expected.
What servicers typically want to see:
- Proof of a specific hardship such as job loss, a medical emergency, or a significant income drop
- Bank statements, recent pay stubs, or a termination letter
- A written hardship letter explaining your situation clearly
- Evidence that the hardship is temporary, not permanent
And even after all of that, approval is not guaranteed.
I have not seen many families getting approved for forbearances lately outside of natural disaster situations. That lines up with what the data shows. Approval rates are down. Documentation requirements are up. Investors are stricter than they were even two years ago. If someone tells you a forbearance is easy to get right now, be skeptical.
If a Forbearance Is Approved, What Happens When It Ends?
This is the part that catches people off guard, and it is exactly what happened to my parents.
When the forbearance period ends, you typically have a few options for repaying what you missed:
- A lump sum payment (the full amount owed, all at once)
- A repayment plan (the missed amount spread over several months, added on top of your regular payment)
- A loan modification (restructure the loan so the missed payments are folded into the balance)
- A deferral (the missed amount is moved to the very end of the loan, due when you sell or pay it off)
Which option you get depends on your loan type, your servicer, and what they are willing to offer. Not all options are available to everyone.
My parents were offered only one option. A lump sum they could not pay. That is when things got much harder for them.
What Should You Do If You Are Falling Behind?
Call your servicer as early as possible. Not after you have missed three or four payments. Not after you have received a notice of default. The earlier you reach out, the more options you have. Once foreclosure proceedings begin, those options narrow fast.
If a forbearance is not available, there may still be other paths. Loan modifications, repayment plans, or in some cases a short sale or deed in lieu can all be explored depending on your situation.
The worst thing you can do is wait and hope it works itself out. It rarely does. The fees grow. The timeline tightens. The options shrink.
We Will Make That Call With You. For Free.
Calling your mortgage servicer is one of the most frustrating things a homeowner can be asked to do. You get an AI phone tree. You get transferred twice. You explain your entire situation and then get put on hold. You finally reach someone who tells you to call a different number.
We have made those calls hundreds of times. We know what questions to ask, what programs to request by name, and how to get to someone who can actually help.
If you are behind on your mortgage and wondering whether a forbearance or any other option is available to you, reach out before you decide anything. We do not charge for this. We just want to help you get to the other side of this with your home and your family intact.
You do not have to make that call alone.