COVID-19 Forbearance Instructions

A federally-backed mortgage is a loan owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or insured by the FHA or VA. Most reverse mortgages are FHA-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs). If you have a reverse mortgage, you can assume the loan is federally-backed and go to Step 2.

If you have a regular (not reverse) mortgage, look up your loan:

First, use Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s “loan look up” tools:

• Fannie Mae: Loan Lookup | Know Your Options
• Freddie Mac: Loan Look-Up (freddiemac.com)

You will need the property address and the last four digits of the borrower’s Social Security Number. If the borrower is deceased, you can find their Social Security Number on their death certificate. Look for the property on both sites. You may need to input the property address a few different ways if there is no match, to confirm.

If the loan is not owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, check if it is insured by the FHA or VA:

• Check your mortgage documents:
  • FHA loans have an “FHA case number” on the first page.
  • VA loans have an addendum saying the loan cannot be assumed without VA approval. There may be other indicators throughout the loan documents.
• If you do not have your loan documents handy, you can look them up on your county’s Recorder of Deeds’s website and look for that same notations. Residents of Cook County can look them up here: https://ccrecorder.org/.
• You can also contact the agencies and ask:
  • HUD (FHA) Servicing Center: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/nsc/
  • VA Servicing Center: Regional Loan Center Contact Information - VA Home Loans

You should also ask your lender directly if you have a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, or VA loan.

Even if you do not have a federally-backed mortgage, ask your lender for help. If your lender offers you relief, put it in writing. Do not accept any “deal” that is not in writing.

Find your bank’s fax number, email address, and/or a mailing address (preferably all three). This information is usually on your bank’s website or on statements they send you. If you’re in foreclosure, get the same information for your bank’s attorneys. This information should be on the firm’s website and on any court filings.

Download a form COVID-19 Forbearance Request Letter here.

Insert your bank’s contact information and explain how COVID-19 has affected you. You do not need to include any additional documents, such as bank statements or paystubs.

Send your bank the COVID-19 forbearance request by fax, email, and/or mail (preferably all three). If you are in foreclosure, send the same letter to your bank’s attorneys. Keep proof of sending your letter (sent email, fax confirmation, and/or a USPS receipt) in a safe place.

Call your bank a few days after sending your request and confirm they received it. If they have not received it, confirm their contact information and send it again. At the same time, request your forbearance over the phone. Keep a written record of that call. A written request is easier to prove than a telephone call, so still send your request even if you ask for a forbearance over the phone.

If your bank has received your request, confirm:

• Your loan has been placed in forbearance,
• No payment is currently due, and
• The length of the forbearance.

Ask your bank to confirm all this in writing. If you do not get written confirmation within a week, contact the bank again to confirm the forbearance and, again, ask for confirmation in writing.

One month before your forbearance ends, contact your bank again. You can extend the forbearance once, for an additional 180 days.

Whenever your forbearance ends (either the initial or second forbearance period), your bank must work with you to repay the suspended payments. For a list of possible repayment options, read this FAQ. You should also contact a HUD-certified housing counselor to understand your options.

If you are sure you have a federally-backed loan and the bank refuses your forbearance request or refuses to put it in writing, send your bank a Notice of Error. Download a form Notice of Error here.

You may need to send this notice to a different fax, email, and/or mailing address than your forbearance request, so check the bank’s website again. If your bank does not post its Notice of Error contact information on its website, call them and ask for it. If you are in foreclosure, send a copy of your Notice of Error to your bank’s attorneys.

You should send your Notice of Error via fax, email, and/or mail (preferably all three). Keep proof of sending your letter (sent email, fax confirmation, and/or a USPS receipt) in a safe place. Call the bank a week after you send the Notice of Error. If the bank has not agreed to a forbearance and you are a resident of Cook County, contact CVLS: 312-332-8785; cvls@cvls.org.