If you need help paying your mortgage, you may be eligible for assistance through a variety of programs.

Through the Making Home Affordable program, you can

• Refinance and take advantage of lower mortgage interest rates.
• Reduce your monthly mortgage payments.
• Get mortgage relief if you’re unemployed.
• Get help when you owe more than your home is worth.
• Avoid foreclosure when homeownership is no longer affordable or desirable.

You can also talk to a housing counselor to get advice on buying a home, avoiding foreclosure, or learning about reverse mortgages.

If you’re considering refinancing your mortgage, learn the costs and determine if the time is right for you.

Get help with your mortgage and foreclosure questions.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

If you need help paying your mortgage, there are government programs to help:

• Making Home Affordable — The Departments of Treasury and Housing and Urban Development can help home owners get mortgage help through a variety of programs.
• Housing Counseling Agencies — Find free or low-cost advice on home-related issues.
• Reverse Mortgages — Get answers to frequently asked questions about reverse mortgages.

Find more help to pay your mortgage.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

In recent years, many people have turned to individual agencies, housing counselors and various lenders to avoid foreclosing on their homes. Unfortunately, many families found themselves paying scammers who took their money and failed to protect them.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Any person at risk of losing his or her home due to foreclosure can receive free counseling from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) nationwide network of approved counseling agencies.

Available Services

HUD’s nationwide network of approved counseling agencies can help families who are trying to avoid foreclosure. Although each agency offers specific services, in general you can receive the following types of help:

• General counseling in matters related to housing
• An evaluation of your specific housing situation
• Counseling on ways to avoid foreclosing on your home
• Help with refinancing through HUD’s various programs or with lender negotiations

HUD-approved agencies cannot charge for their foreclosure counseling services. However, they can charge a reasonable fee for other services, such as general housing education, pre and post-sale counseling, and other services.

Preparing for Your First Meeting

You don’t need to wait to be in foreclosure to seek counseling. If you think you may run into problems paying your mortgage, it is better to seek foreclosure counseling sooner, rather than later. Having the following financial information ready will make your first meeting with a counseling agency more productive:

• Household monthly income and expenses
• Current monthly mortgage payment amount
• Latest mortgage account statement
• Any relevant communication with your lender regarding late mortgage payments

It is also a good idea to have a sense of what you want to accomplish with the help of the approved counseling agency – keeping your home, selling it, refinancing, etc.

Working with a Non-Approved Agency

If you choose to work with a non-approved agency, consider taking certain steps to avoid falling victim to scams:

• Avoid paying for foreclosure counseling services. HUD-approved agencies provide these services at no cost.
• Resist any tactics that pressure you into signing documents without enough time to go over them carefully.
• Do not sign over the deed of your house to any other person or organization.
• Make your mortgage payments only to your lender or an institution approved by your lender.

Through the Making Home Affordable program you might be able to get help if you’re facing foreclosure, struggling with your mortgage payment, or trying to avoid mortgage troubles.

With Making Home Affordable modifications, you might be able to lower your mortgage payment by more than $500 each month. You might also be able to refinance your mortgage to make it more affordable or get help if you owe more than your home is worth. There are also programs to assist unemployed homeowners and those with second mortgages.

Find out if you’re eligible for Making Home Affordable assistance.

You can also call 888-995-HOPE (TTY 877-304-9709) to speak with a HUD-approved housing counselor for free. A counselor can help you understand your options and design a plan to suit your individual situation.