You can request to skip a mortgage payment, but the lender decides whether to allow it

Skipping a mortgage payment is not automatic. Your lender is not required to let you do it, and most will not unless you meet specific conditions. The most common path is a mortgage forbearance, which temporarily reduces or pauses your monthly payment. Some lenders also offer loan modification, which changes the terms of your loan itself—usually by extending the loan period to lower the monthly amount. A few lenders will let you defer a payment, meaning you push it to the end of the loan without skipping it entirely.

The difference matters: forbearance is temporary relief (usually 3 to 12 months), while modification is permanent. Deferral means you still owe the payment, just later. You have to contact your lender directly to request any of these—there is no form you file with a government agency, and no automatic process. Start by calling the number on your mortgage statement and asking to speak with a loss mitigation specialist or loan servicer representative.

Key Takeaways

  • Forbearance pauses or reduces your payment temporarily, usually for 3 to 12 months, but you must repay the skipped amount eventually.
  • You must contact your lender directly by phone or in writing; there is no government form or online portal that forces them to grant relief.
  • Lenders typically require proof of hardship—job loss, medical emergency, reduced income—and will ask for recent pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements.
  • Skipped payments do not disappear; they are either added to the end of your loan, rolled into a new payment plan, or due in a lump sum when forbearance ends.
  • If your lender denies your request, you can ask for a written explanation and contact your state's attorney general or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to file a complaint.

When lenders will consider letting you skip a payment

Lenders are most likely to grant forbearance or deferral if you can show a temporary hardship—something that has reduced your income or increased your expenses in the short term. The most common reasons are job loss, medical emergency, divorce, death in the family, or a significant reduction in hours or income. Lenders want to see that you were paying on time before the hardship and that you expect to recover within a few months.

If you have been missing payments for months already, your lender is less likely to work with you. They may instead push you toward a loan modification or, if you are far enough behind, foreclosure. The best time to request relief is as soon as you know you will have trouble making the next payment—not after you have already missed one.

Some lenders have standing programs for specific situations. For example, if you are a military member on active duty, you may have access to relief under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. If you are a federal employee, your agency may have a hardship loan program. Ask your lender whether they have any programs tied to your situation.

What information and documents you need to provide

When you call your lender, be ready to provide your loan number and basic account information. The lender will then ask you to explain the hardship in writing—usually through a form called a Hardship Affidavit or Request for Mortgage Assistance. You will need to describe what happened, when it happened, and how long you expect the hardship to last.

The lender will also ask for financial documents to verify your claim. These typically include recent pay stubs (usually the last two months), recent tax returns (usually the last two years), a bank statement showing your current balance, and sometimes proof of the hardship itself—a termination letter from your employer, a medical bill, a divorce decree. Some lenders ask for a budget showing your monthly income and expenses.

If you are self-employed or your income varies, bring more documentation: profit-and-loss statements, 1099 forms, or bank deposits showing your typical monthly income. The lender wants to see that you have a realistic plan to resume payments after the hardship ends.

How the request process works and how long it takes

Call your lender's customer service line and ask to speak with loss mitigation or a loan servicer. Tell them you are experiencing hardship and want to discuss your options. They will either handle your request on the phone or send you forms to complete and return. If they send forms, you usually have 15 to 30 days to return them.

Once the lender receives your completed request, they have up to 30 days to review it and make a decision. In practice, this often takes 30 to 60 days, especially if the lender asks for additional documents. During this time, continue making your regular payment if you can. If you cannot, tell the lender in writing that you are awaiting a decision on forbearance—this creates a record that you are working with them, which can protect you from late fees or foreclosure proceedings.

The lender will send you a written decision. If they approve forbearance, the letter will state the start date, the end date, the new payment amount (if any), and what happens to the skipped payments. If they deny your request, the letter must explain why. Read it carefully and keep it for your records.

What happens to the skipped payments

Skipped payments do not vanish. Your lender will handle them in one of three ways, depending on what you agree to:

  • Lump-sum repayment: You pay all skipped payments in one amount when forbearance ends. This is rare because most people in hardship cannot suddenly pay a large sum.
  • Extended loan term: The skipped payments are added to the end of your loan, extending your payoff date by a few months. Your regular monthly payment stays the same, but you pay for longer.
  • Modified payment plan: Your monthly payment increases slightly for a set period to catch up the skipped amount. For example, if you skipped three $1,500 payments, your lender might add $500 to your payment for nine months.

Your lender will propose one of these options in the forbearance agreement. You can negotiate—for example, you might ask for the payments to be spread over 12 months instead of 9. Get the final agreement in writing before the forbearance period begins.

What to do if your lender denies your request

If your lender says no, ask for a written explanation. Federal law requires them to tell you why they denied the request. Common reasons include insufficient income to support a modified payment, too much time already passed since the hardship, or the lender's information that you do not meet their hardship criteria.

You have options even after a denial. You can ask your lender to reconsider if your situation has changed or if you have new documents to submit. You can also contact your state's attorney general's office or file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov. The CFPB does not overturn lender decisions, but complaints create a record and can trigger an investigation if the lender is breaking rules.

If you are behind on payments and facing foreclosure, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or by calling 1-800-388-2227. Counselors offer free or low-cost advice and can sometimes negotiate with your lender on your behalf.

How skipping a payment affects your credit and loan terms

Forbearance itself does not damage your credit score if you follow the agreement. Your lender reports the account as "current" or "in forbearance" rather than "late," which is better than missing a payment on your own. However, once forbearance ends and you resume regular payments, your credit report will show the period of reduced or zero payments, which some lenders view as a sign of past hardship.

Loan modification has a larger credit impact. When you modify a mortgage, the lender may report it as a "workout arrangement," which signals to other creditors that you negotiated relief. This can affect your ability to borrow for a car, credit card, or other loan in the near term. However, it is better than a foreclosure or a string of late payments.

Ask your lender how they will report the forbearance or modification to the credit bureaus. Some lenders report it neutrally; others mark it as a negative event. Get this in writing so you know what to expect on your credit report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I skip a payment without asking my lender first?

Your lender will report it as a late payment after 30 days, which damages your credit score immediately. Late fees will accrue, and your interest rate may increase. After 90 days, the loan may be reported to credit bureaus as seriously delinquent. You cannot undo this by paying later. Always ask first.

Can I skip multiple payments in a row?

Forbearance typically covers 3 to 12 months of reduced or paused payments, so yes, you can skip multiple months if approved. However, the longer the forbearance period, the larger the amount you will owe at the end. Most lenders cap forbearance at 12 months and require you to resume full payments after that.

Do I have to pay interest on skipped payments?

Yes. Interest continues to accrue on your loan balance during forbearance. When you resume payments, you are paying interest on the full amount owed, including the skipped principal and the interest that built up during the pause. This is why forbearance is temporary relief, not debt forgiveness.

What if my lender sold my loan to another company?

Contact the new servicer (the company now collecting your payments) with your request. They are legally required to honor forbearance agreements made by the previous servicer, but you may need to provide a copy of the original agreement. If the new servicer denies relief, file a complaint with the CFPB.

Can I skip a payment if I am current on my mortgage?

Lenders rarely grant forbearance to borrowers with no payment history of hardship. They want to see that you have experienced a recent, documented hardship. If you are current and worried about future payments, contact your lender to discuss a loan modification before you fall behind.