Credit & Qualifying
What is mortgage forbearance?
Updated Jul 1, 2026
The short answer
Forbearance is an agreement with your servicer to pause or reduce your mortgage payments temporarily during a hardship, such as job loss or illness. It is not forgiveness — the missed amounts must be repaid later through options like a repayment plan, deferral, or modification. If you are struggling, contacting your servicer early gives you the most options and helps protect your credit and home.
Key points
- A temporary pause or reduction of payments during hardship.
- Missed amounts must eventually be repaid, not forgiven.
- Repayment options include plans, deferral, or modification.
- Contact your servicer early for the most options.
Acting early matters
Reaching out before you miss a payment usually opens more relief options than waiting until you are far behind. Servicers are required to work with borrowers on available loss-mitigation options.
Sources
Every claim above traces to a public government source.