Most mortgage companies will not let you skip a payment outright, but they may offer a forbearance agreement that temporarily pauses or reduces your monthly payment

Skipping a mortgage payment without permission will damage your credit and trigger late fees within 15 to 30 days. However, if you contact your lender before the payment is due, you can request forbearance—a formal arrangement where the lender agrees to let you pay less or nothing for a set period, usually one to six months. The missed payments do not disappear; they are added to the end of your loan or rolled into a modified payment plan after the forbearance period ends.

The key difference is timing and communication. A payment you miss by accident is a default. A payment you arrange with your lender in advance is a temporary relief option. Mortgage companies have no obligation to offer forbearance, but most will negotiate if you reach out early and can show a temporary hardship—job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster—rather than a permanent inability to pay.

Key Takeaways

  • Forbearance lets you pause or reduce payments for one to six months, but the missed amount is added back to your loan later, not forgiven.
  • You must contact your lender before a payment is due; calling after you miss it limits your options and harms your credit score.
  • Forbearance agreements are temporary fixes for temporary hardships, not solutions for ongoing inability to pay your mortgage.
  • After forbearance ends, you will owe a lump sum, a higher monthly payment, or an extended loan term—your lender chooses the structure.
  • If you do not may have access to for forbearance, other options include loan modification, refinancing, or a short sale, depending on your equity and circumstances.

How forbearance works and what happens after

When you enter forbearance, your lender agrees in writing to accept reduced or zero payments for a specific number of months. During this time, you are not in default, and the lender typically does not report the arrangement to credit bureaus as a delinquency—though some lenders do mark it as "forbearance" on your credit report, which is less damaging than a late payment but still visible.

At the end of forbearance, the missed payments must be repaid. Your lender will offer one of three structures: a lump-sum payment (you pay all missed amounts at once), a repayment plan (the missed amount is divided into your regular payments for several months), or a loan modification (the missed payments are added to your principal balance and your loan term is extended). Which option you get depends on your lender's policy and your ability to pay. Most borrowers cannot afford a lump sum, so repayment plans and modifications are more common.

Forbearance does not reduce what you owe overall. If you miss three months of $1,500 payments, you still owe that $4,500—it simply moves to a different part of your loan timeline. Interest continues to accrue during forbearance on most loans, meaning the total cost of your mortgage increases.

Who qualifies and what lenders require

Mortgage companies evaluate forbearance requests based on the reason for hardship and your payment history. A temporary job loss, medical emergency, or natural disaster is more likely to be approved than a permanent income reduction or a history of missed payments. If you have been current on your mortgage for years and suddenly face a one-time crisis, your lender is more likely to work with you.

To request forbearance, contact your lender's loss mitigation or customer service department. Have ready: your loan number, the reason for the hardship, how long you expect the hardship to last, and proof if possible (a layoff letter, medical bills, insurance claim). Some lenders require a formal application; others handle it by phone. The process typically takes one to two weeks, though approval is not may provide.

If your lender denies forbearance, ask why. Common reasons include insufficient hardship documentation, a pattern of late payments, or being too far behind already (some lenders will not offer forbearance if you are more than 30 days late). If denial seems unfair, you can request reconsideration or contact your state's attorney general's office or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to file a complaint.

Forbearance versus loan modification and refinancing

Forbearance is temporary; a loan modification is permanent. In a modification, your lender changes the terms of your loan—lowering the interest rate, extending the term, or adding missed payments to the principal—to reduce your monthly payment long-term. Modifications are harder to obtain than forbearance and usually require proof that you cannot afford your current payment even after hardship ends.

Refinancing means taking out a new loan to pay off the old one, ideally at a lower interest rate or with a longer term. Refinancing requires a credit check and appraisal, and you must may have access to based on income and credit score. If your credit has been damaged by late payments or if your home's value has dropped, refinancing may not be possible. Refinancing also resets your loan clock—a 30-year mortgage refinanced after five years becomes a new 30-year loan, extending your payoff date.

If forbearance is not available and you cannot afford your mortgage even after modification, a short sale (selling the home for less than you owe) or deed in lieu of foreclosure (transferring the home to the lender to avoid foreclosure) are last resorts. Both damage your credit but may be preferable to foreclosure.

What happens to your credit during forbearance

A forbearance agreement itself does not automatically lower your credit score the way a missed payment does. However, most lenders report forbearance to credit bureaus as a special notation—often as "forbearance" or "deferred payment arrangement"—which signals to other lenders that you had difficulty paying. This notation can make it harder to obtain new credit, refinance, or get favorable rates.

The impact varies by lender and bureau. Some treat forbearance as neutral; others treat it as a minor negative. A missed payment, by contrast, causes an immediate 100+ point drop and stays on your report for seven years. So forbearance is the better option for your credit, but it is not invisible.

After forbearance ends and you resume regular payments, the notation typically remains on your report for the duration of the forbearance period plus a few months. Once you have made on-time payments for six to twelve months after forbearance, the impact on your credit score diminishes significantly.

Federal forbearance programs and pandemic-related relief

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government required lenders to offer forbearance to borrowers with federally backed mortgages (those insured by FHA, VA, USDA, or owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac). This forbearance could last up to 18 months and did not require proof of hardship—only a statement that the pandemic affected you. Most of these programs have ended, though some borrowers are still in active forbearance periods.

If you are still in pandemic-related forbearance, contact your lender to understand your repayment plan. If forbearance has ended and you still cannot pay, your lender may offer a new forbearance agreement under standard rules (requiring hardship documentation) or a loan modification.

Check whether your mortgage is federally backed by contacting your lender or visiting the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac website. If your loan is conventional (not federally backed), forbearance is at the lender's discretion and terms vary widely.

Steps to request forbearance before you miss a payment

Contact your lender as soon as you know you will struggle to make a payment. Do not wait until the payment is due or past due. Call the number on your mortgage statement and ask for the loss mitigation or hardship department. Have your loan number ready.

Explain your situation clearly: what happened, when it happened, and when you expect to recover. If you lost your job, mention your severance or unemployment benefits. If you had a medical emergency, mention insurance or savings that will help you catch up. The goal is to show that this is temporary and that you have a path forward.

Ask specifically for forbearance and how long it can last. Request a written agreement before you stop paying. Do not rely on a verbal promise. The agreement should state the forbearance period, the amount you will pay (if any) during that time, and what happens when it ends.

If the lender denies forbearance, ask for alternatives: a one-time late fee waiver, a payment extension (moving your due date back), or a loan modification. Some lenders will offer one of these even if forbearance is not available.

What to do if forbearance ends and you still cannot pay

If your hardship is not temporary—if you lost a job and have not found a new one, or if your income has permanently decreased—forbearance will not solve the problem. When forbearance ends, you will owe either a lump sum or higher monthly payments, neither of which you can afford.

Before forbearance ends, contact your lender again and request a loan modification. Explain that the hardship is ongoing and that you need a permanent reduction in your monthly payment. Modifications are more difficult to obtain than forbearance, but they are possible if you can document the hardship and show that you cannot afford your current payment.

If modification is denied or you still cannot pay after modification, speak with a HUD-approved housing counselor. These counselors are free and can help you understand your options, negotiate with your lender, or explore alternatives like a short sale. Find a counselor through HUD's website or by calling 1-800-569-4287.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will skipping a mortgage payment without permission hurt my credit?

Yes. A missed payment is reported to credit bureaus after 30 days and causes a significant drop in your credit score—typically 100+ points. It remains on your report for seven years. Forbearance, by contrast, is less damaging because it is an agreement with your lender, not a default.

Can my lender foreclose on me while I am in forbearance?

No. Forbearance is a legal agreement that pauses collection and foreclosure actions. However, if you violate the agreement—for example, by not making the reduced payments you agreed to—the lender can end forbearance and resume foreclosure proceedings.

Do I have to pay interest on the missed payments during forbearance?

Usually yes. Interest continues to accrue on most mortgages during forbearance, so the total amount you owe increases. Some lenders may waive interest as part of a modification, but this is rare and must be negotiated.

What if my lender will not offer forbearance?

Ask about alternatives: a payment extension, a one-time fee waiver, or a loan modification. If the lender refuses all options, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor or your state's attorney general's office. You can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

How long does forbearance last?

Forbearance typically lasts one to six months, depending on your lender and the severity of your hardship. Some lenders allow extensions if the hardship continues. Ask your lender what the maximum forbearance period is before you agree to the arrangement.