Jim Probasco has 30+ years of experience writing for online, print, radio, and television media, including PBS. His expertise includes government programs and policy, retirement planning, insurance, family finance, home ownership and loans. He has a bachelor's from Ohio University and Master's from Wright State University in music education.
Updated August 31, 2021 Reviewed by Reviewed by Brandon RenfroBrandon is a professor of finance and financial planning. CFP, RICP, and EA, and a doctorate in finance from Hampton University.
If your initial COVID-19 mortgage forbearance agreement is set to expire soon, you should know that—although you may qualify for an extension—getting one is not automatic. You must request an extension before your existing Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act forbearance agreement expires.
COVID-related mortgage forbearance began under the CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020. Successive legislation has changed some of the rules as well as the deadline to apply for initial COVID-related mortgage forbearance.
The deadline to apply for initial COVID-related mortgage forbearance for loans backed by HUD/FHA, USDA, or VA. There is currently no deadline to apply for initial forbearance for loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
As you approach the end of your original mortgage forbearance, take stock of your financial situation. If you can resume payments of any size, by all means, explore that option. Your likely options, which vary by loan type, may include any of the following:
Although a lump-sum payment of your deferred loan amount is allowed, it is not required. In fact, lenders cannot force you to repay your CARES Act forbearance all at once.
If none of the available options is feasible, that's where a mortgage forbearance extension comes in. A forbearance extension gives you additional months of deferred payments so you can catch up with other bills or just "tread water" until your financial condition improves.
The CARES Act grants homeowners with federally backed mortgages who are financially affected by the coronavirus pandemic an up-to-180-day temporary suspension (forbearance) of all or part of their mortgage payments. The CARES Act also provides for an up-to-180-day forbearance extension, provided the borrower requests it before the initial forbearance expires.
If your Fannie Mae- or Freddie Mac-backed mortgage was in COVID-19 forbearance on or before Feb. 28, 2021, you can also request up to an additional six months of forbearance for a total of 18 months. If your HUD-, FHA-, USDA-, or VA-backed loan was in COVID-19 forbearance on or before June 30, 2020, you also can request an additional six months of forbearance.
You must contact your loan servicer to request an extension before your current forbearance or extension expires. Not everyone will qualify for the maximum number of extensions. To avoid a panic situation, don't wait until the last minute to contact your loan servicer and explore your options.
CARES Act forbearance (and foreclosure avoidance) applies to mortgage loans backed by the federal government and sponsored enterprises, defined as loans:
If forbearance on your federally backed loan is about to expire and you are still not in a position to begin full (or any) payments, start by contacting your loan servicer. This is the company that sends you a monthly statement and collects your payments. The name and contact information for your servicer should appear on your monthly statement.
Your servicer should notify you about your options before the expiration of your current forbearance or extension. If not, make sure you contact your servicer to assert your need for an extension.
You can contact your servicer by phone, email, or the servicer’s website. Before you make contact, it is a good idea to visit the website for updates on all mortgage relief options. The simple process of obtaining a forbearance extension is spelled out in the CARES Act:
“Such forbearance shall be granted for up to 180 days, and shall be extended for an additional period of up to 180 days at the request of the borrower.”
The CARES Act requires only that you request an extension and mandates that you “shall” receive one.
Though the legislation does not require your request in writing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says that when you secure forbearance you should “ask your servicer to provide written documentation that confirms the details of your forbearance agreement and that you’re clear on what the terms are.”
Just as with your original forbearance request, keep in mind that:
If you don’t have a federally or GSE-backed mortgage, but you have a forbearance agreement with your private lender, the lender may or may not offer an extension or other mortgage relief. As is true with a government-backed loan, you need to contact your servicer before your current forbearance expires.
Because the rules that apply to government-backed loan forbearance will not apply in your case, you need to pay attention to the conditions that will be imposed when your current forbearance expires. Some private lenders, for example, require an immediate balloon payment of all past-due payments and interest. If that’s the case with your lender, and you simply cannot make such a payment, talk to your servicer right away to find out if an extension or other remedy is available. You may also want to check with your state government to explore relief options that may be available there.
Mortgage lending discrimination is illegal. If you think you've been discriminated against based on race, religion, sex, marital status, use of public assistance, national origin, disability, or age, there are steps you can take. One such step is to file a report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
While you’re in forbearance, your focus should be on protecting yourself and preparing for life after mortgage relief by doing the following:
The relationship between forbearance and foreclosure is complicated and often misunderstood. Forbearance is a way to temporarily deal with your inability to pay your mortgage and, in most cases, to avoid foreclosure while you are in the forbearance period.
Essentially, all government-backed mortgages are in a foreclosure moratorium until at least June 30, 2021, per President Biden's executive order signed Feb. 16, 2021. This applies whether you are in forbearance or not.
The rules to qualify for forbearance (and avoid foreclosure) when it comes to federally and GSE-backed mortgages are broad and permit you to enter forbearance if you are 30, 60, 90, or more days behind in payments—or even if your lender has started foreclosure proceedings against you.
During forbearance, your status is “frozen,” hence “no foreclosure.” This is only temporary, of course. When forbearance ends, you will be subject to foreclosure as the law allows.