Yes, you can defer a mortgage payment, but your lender decides the terms
Most mortgage lenders will let you push a single month's payment to the end of your loan, but they do not have to, and the process varies by lender and loan type. Deferral is not the same as skipping—the money still gets paid, just later. Your lender may add the deferred amount to your final payment, spread it across remaining payments, or add it to the loan balance. You need to contact your servicer before the payment is due, not after, and you should get the deferral terms in writing before you rely on them.
The key difference between deferral and forbearance is that deferral moves one payment while forbearance pauses multiple payments for a set period. Both require you to repay the amount eventually, but deferral is faster to arrange if your servicer offers it. Not all servicers do—some skip single-month deferrals and only offer forbearance plans.
Key Takeaways
- Contact your mortgage servicer at least one week before the payment due date to ask about deferral options for a single month.
- Deferral does not erase the payment—it moves it, and your lender decides whether to add it to your final payment, spread it across remaining months, or capitalize it into your loan balance.
- Government-backed loans (FHA, VA, USDA) often have more flexible deferral rules than conventional mortgages, but you must ask your specific servicer.
- Get the deferral agreement in writing before you skip a payment, because verbal approval alone will not stop your lender from reporting a late payment to credit bureaus.
- A single deferred payment typically does not affect your credit score if your lender reports it as a deferral rather than a missed payment.
How to request a one-month deferral from your servicer
Call your mortgage servicer's customer service line and ask to speak with someone in loss mitigation or loan modification. Have your loan number and account details ready. Explain that you need to defer one month's payment and ask what options they offer. Do not assume they will say yes—some servicers deny single-month deferrals and only offer them as part of a larger forbearance plan.
Ask these specific questions: Will the deferred amount be added to my final payment, spread across my remaining payments, or added to my loan balance? Will this be reported to credit bureaus as a deferral or as a late payment? Do I need to sign anything, and can you email me a copy of the agreement? Write down the name of the person you spoke with and the date. If they say yes, ask them to send the agreement in writing before your payment due date.
If your servicer denies your request, ask whether you may have access to for forbearance instead. Forbearance pauses payments for a set period (usually one to six months) and is more commonly offered than single-month deferrals. The catch is that forbearance typically requires you to repay the paused amount later, either in a lump sum or added to your monthly payment.
What happens to the deferred payment
Your lender has three main options for handling the deferred amount. The most common is capitalization, which means the deferred payment gets added to your loan balance. This increases the total amount you owe and extends your payoff date slightly, but your monthly payment stays the same. The second option is adding it to your final payment, so you pay the full amount when you pay off the loan. The third is spreading it across your remaining payments, which raises your monthly payment by a small amount for the rest of the loan.
Ask your servicer which method they use before you agree to the deferral. Capitalization is the most common because it requires no change to your monthly payment schedule, but it does mean you pay interest on the deferred amount for the life of the loan. If you are near the end of your mortgage term, adding it to your final payment might cost you less in interest. Understanding which option your servicer chooses will help you decide whether deferral makes sense for your situation.
Government-backed loans versus conventional mortgages
FHA loans (insured by the Federal Housing Administration) often allow deferral more readily than conventional loans, but the rules depend on your specific servicer and whether you are current on payments. VA loans (for veterans) and USDA loans (for rural borrowers) have similar flexibility. If you have one of these loan types, mention it when you call—your servicer may have a dedicated team for government-backed loans with different policies.
Conventional mortgages (not backed by a government agency) are more restrictive. Many conventional servicers will not defer a single payment and instead require you to enter a formal forbearance agreement if you are having trouble. If your lender refuses deferral, ask specifically whether you can enter a one-month forbearance plan instead, which may be easier to get approved for. The loan type matters because government agencies set minimum standards that servicers must follow, while conventional loans give servicers more discretion.
How deferral affects your credit report
If your lender reports the deferral correctly, it should not damage your credit score. The key word is "correctly"—your servicer must report it as a deferral or deferred payment, not as a 30-day late payment. This is why getting the agreement in writing matters. If your servicer reports it as a missed payment by mistake, you can dispute it with the credit bureau once you have the written deferral agreement as proof.
A single deferred payment has much less impact on your score than a missed payment would. Missing a payment can drop your score by 100 points or more; a reported deferral typically has minimal impact or none at all. However, if you do not have the deferral in writing and your servicer reports it as late, you will see a score drop that can take months to recover from. The written agreement is your protection against this outcome.
What to do if your servicer denies deferral
If your lender says no to a one-month deferral, ask about forbearance, which is more widely offered. Forbearance pauses your payments for a set period—usually one to three months for a single hardship, up to six months in some cases. You will still owe the paused amount later, but you get breathing room now. Some servicers will let you add the paused amount to your loan balance; others require a lump-sum payment or a repayment plan after forbearance ends.
If forbearance is also denied and you are facing a genuine hardship, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or NeighborWorks. These counselors work with servicers on your behalf and sometimes can negotiate options that customer service representatives cannot. The service is free and confidential. They can also help you understand whether deferral or forbearance is the right choice for your specific situation.
Timing and what to do if you miss the deadline
Contact your servicer at least one week before your payment is due. If you call the day before or the day of, you may not get an answer in time. If you miss the deadline and your payment is now late, call immediately and explain the situation. Some servicers will still grant a retroactive deferral if you can show you were in contact with them before the due date, but this is not may provide.
If your payment is reported as late and you later get a deferral agreement, keep that agreement and dispute the late payment with the credit bureau. Send the bureau a copy of the written deferral agreement along with a letter explaining that the payment was deferred, not missed. The bureau must investigate and correct the report if the deferral agreement proves your case. This process takes 30 to 45 days, but it removes the late mark from your credit history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deferring one payment delay my payoff date?
Only if your lender capitalizes the deferred amount into your loan balance. If they add it to your final payment or spread it across remaining payments, your payoff date stays the same. Ask your servicer which method they use before you agree to the deferral.
Can I defer a payment if I am already behind?
Most servicers will not defer a payment if you are already late on a previous one. They will ask you to catch up first. If you are behind and struggling, ask about a loan modification or forbearance plan instead, which can address multiple missed payments at once.
What if I defer a payment and then lose my job?
Contact your servicer immediately and explain the new hardship. You may be able to enter forbearance or a formal repayment plan. Do not wait—the sooner you contact them, the more options you have. Servicers are more willing to work with borrowers who reach out early than with those who go silent.
Does deferral work the same way for refinanced mortgages?
Yes, the deferral process is the same whether your mortgage is original or refinanced. Your current servicer handles the request, not the lender you originally borrowed from. The terms may vary slightly by servicer, so ask about their specific policy.
Can I defer more than one payment at a time?
Most servicers will not defer multiple payments as a one-time request. If you need to pause more than one payment, you will need to enter a forbearance agreement, which typically covers one to six months depending on your hardship and your servicer's policy.