1) Talk to a Counselor
Foreclosure Prevention Resources
Government Mortgage Modification Programs
zzMaking Home Affordable
 www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov
 www.FinancialStability.gov
If you are having trouble making your mortgage
payment, talk to a counselor who can help you assess
your financial situation and work with your lender or
servicer to see if you can avoid foreclosure.
Hope for Homeowners (H4H)
 http://portal.HUD.gov
 (800) CALL-FHA or (800) 225-5342
Foreclosure Mitigation Assistance/Counseling
zzU.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD)
 www.HUD.gov
 www.HUD.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/fc
 (800) 569-4287
Homeownership Preservation Foundation
 www.995hope.org
 (888) 995-HOPE or (888) 995-4673
zzNeighborWorks America
 www.FindaForeclosureCounselor.org
 www.NW.org/network/home.asp
FDIC Foreclosure Prevention Website
zzwww.FDIC.gov/foreclosureprevention
zz(877) ASK-FDIC or (877) 275-3342
Avoid Foreclosure Scams
Non-profit counseling agencies provide free or low
cost foreclosure prevention counseling services. There
is no need to pay a private company
for these services.
Call Homeowners HOPE Hotline at
(888) 995-4673
The Homeownership Preservation Foundation provides
non-profit HUD-approved counselors across the United
States that are dedicated to helping homeowners. These
counselors can work with you to avoid foreclosure.
Report Foreclosure Scams
zzFederal Trade Commission
 www.FTCComplaintAssistant.gov
 www.FTC.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/
credit/mortgage.shtm
 (877) FTC-HELP or (877) 382-4357
zzState Attorney General Contact List at
www.NAAG.org/attorneys_general.php
zzState, County, City Consumer Protection Offices
at www.ConsumerAction.gov/state.shtml
Make a Budget, Find a Solution
Professionally trained
and certified counselors can help you to
evaluate your current
financial situation.
Counselors also will
help you to figure out
what options are available and help you find a solution.
FDIC-033-2009
2) Apply for a Loan Modification
Stop living in fear of
losing your home
I
f you are having financial difficulties - due
to a job loss, a higher mortgage payment,
or any other reason - you are not alone.
The economic crisis has made it hard for many
responsible homeowners to make ends meet. The
good news is that many people who were finding
it difficult to make their mortgage payment have
been able to save their home, and you can too. You
could lose your home if you ignore the problem and
do nothing. Get in touch with a counselor and your
servicer (the company to whom you send your
monthly mortgage payment) today.
Your Servicer Wants to Help
Your servicer wants to help you keep your home.
Many servicers implemented new loan modification
programs in 2009 to assist homeowners experiencing
financial difficulties by lowering their monthly mortgage payments. Plus, many servicers are participating
in the government’s Making Home Affordable
Program and are working with non-profit counseling
agencies through HOPE NOW.
Contact Your Servicer Today
Many servicers have recently added new mortgage
modification programs for home loans. Call your
servicer even if your request has been turned down
before, as you might qualify under a new program. Be
patient and persistent if you don’t reach your servicer
on the first try, as other homeowners are seeking help
as well. If you don’t know who services your loan or
how to contact them, check your mortgage statement
or look on-line at http://HopeNOW.com/index.php.
In a mortgage loan modification, you and your
servicer agree to permanently change one or more
of the mortgage’s terms to make the payments more
manageable for you. The changes could include
reducing the interest rate, extending the term of the
loan, forbearing (interest free) or forgiving principal, or
a combination of these factors.
Save Money
A loan modification could lower your monthly
mortgage payment by hundreds of dollars and save
your home from foreclosure!
Check Out Making Home Affordable
The Making Home Affordable Program is part
of the U.S. government’s plan to help families set an
affordable mortgage payment. The program lowers borrowers’ housing-related expenses (principal,
interest, taxes, insurance, and assessments or PITIA*) to
31% of gross monthly income (before tax deductions).
The program also will pay you up to $1,000 per year on
your principal for 5 years if you make your payments
on time. To qualify, you must meet certain eligibility
criteria, including:
1. The home is your primary residence.
2. Amount owed on first mortgage for a single family
home is $729,750 or less.
3. Mortgage dated before January 1, 2009.
4. First mortgage payment* is over 31% of gross
monthly income.
5. You are having financial difficulty making your
current monthly payment.
Respond to Requests for Information
You will need to provide your servicer with key documents under the program before a modification can
be granted. Avoid missing a deadline by responding
to requests for information and providing documents
in a timely manner. Information you will or may need
readily available is listed in the following Borrower
Modification Document Checklist.
Borrower Modification
Document Checklist
†† Two most recent pay stubs
†† Most recent Federal income tax return
†† Form 4506-T - Request for Transcript of Tax Return
(servicer provides)
†† Most recent bank statement for 1 month (To verify
direct deposits, e.g. social security, rental income,
other income)
†† Profit and Loss Statement (for self-employed
borrowers)
†† Hardship Affidavit (available at:
http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/docs/
hamphardshipaffidavit.pdf
Non-escrowed loans, Proof of Payment of:
†† Most recent real estate taxes
†† Homeowner’s (hazard) insurance
Other Modification Documents
†† Financial statement
†† Utility bills
††
††
††