Behind on your mortgage? What to do first

Call your servicer as early as you can

Your servicer is the company you send your payments to. Call them as soon as you know you'll have trouble paying, even before you miss a payment. Explain what happened, whether it's a job loss, illness or something else, and ask what help is available.

Many servicers have programs to help people avoid foreclosure, called loss mitigation. Ask how to apply, what documents they need, and the deadline. Send everything they ask for as soon as you can, and keep copies.

Options your servicer may offer

What's available depends on your loan and your servicer. Here are the most common options.

• Repayment plan: you catch up by paying a bit extra each month, on top of your regular payment, for a set time.
• Forbearance: your servicer lets you pause or lower your payments for a while. It doesn't erase what you owe. You'll have to repay the missed amounts later, and interest can keep adding up.
• Loan modification: a lasting change to your loan terms, such as a longer term or a lower rate, to bring your payment down to something you can afford.

Get free help from a HUD-approved housing counselor

A HUD-approved housing counselor can explain your options, help you fill out the paperwork and talk with your servicer. HUD says foreclosure counseling from these agencies is always free.

To find one, call HUD at 800-569-4287, use the CFPB's Find a Housing Counselor tool, or call the CFPB at 855-411-2372 to be connected.

How the foreclosure timeline works

Under federal rules, your servicer generally can't start the legal foreclosure process until you're at least 120 days behind. After that, how long it takes depends on your state.

Timing matters even after foreclosure starts. If your servicer gets your complete loss mitigation application more than 37 days before a scheduled foreclosure sale, it has to review it. If you've been served court papers or a sale is close, talk to a lawyer or legal aid office right away.

Avoid foreclosure rescue scams

People in this situation are often targeted by scammers. Help from your servicer and from HUD-approved counselors is free, so you don't need to pay anyone to talk to your servicer for you.

• Don't pay upfront fees. Legitimate mortgage relief companies can't charge until you've accepted a written offer from your servicer.
• Don't trust anyone who guarantees to stop foreclosure or get you a modification.
• Never sign over the title to your home, or sign papers you don't understand.
• Don't send your mortgage payment to anyone except your servicer.
• Be wary of anyone who tells you to stop paying your mortgage.