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 triggers a late fee within 15 days and reports to credit bureaus within 30 days. A missed payment stays on your credit report for seven years. However, if you contact your lender before the payment is due and explain a temporary hardship—job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster—many servicers will work with you on a formal arrangement rather than let you fall behind.

The most common option is forbearance, where your lender agrees in writing to reduce or pause payments for a set period, usually 3 to 12 months. You do not lose the skipped amount; instead, it gets added to the end of your loan or rolled into a modified payment plan. This is different from forgiveness—the money is deferred, not erased.

Whether your lender offers forbearance depends on the type of loan you have, the reason for your hardship, and whether you are current on payments when you ask. Federal loans (those backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the FHA) have more standardized forbearance rules than portfolio loans held by individual banks.

Key Takeaways

  • Forbearance pauses or reduces your payment for 3 to 12 months, but you owe the deferred amount later—it is not forgiven.
  • You must contact your lender before you miss a payment; calling after you are late makes approval much harder.
  • Federal loan servicers must offer forbearance if you have a documented hardship; private lenders have more discretion.
  • Forbearance does not appear on your credit report as a missed payment, but it may show as a deferred arrangement and can affect your ability to borrow elsewhere during the forbearance period.
  • If forbearance is not available or does not solve your problem, loan modification or refinancing may be your next option.

How forbearance works and what it costs you

When you enter forbearance, your lender suspends or reduces your payment obligation for an agreed period. During this time, you pay nothing, a reduced amount, or interest only—depending on what you negotiate. The principal and interest you skip do not disappear; they are added to your loan balance at the end of the forbearance period.

For example, if you skip three $1,500 payments during a three-month forbearance, you owe an extra $4,500 (plus any accrued interest) when forbearance ends. Your lender may roll this into a new payment schedule that extends your loan by a few months, or they may require a lump-sum payment. Some lenders offer a loan modification instead, which permanently changes your interest rate or term to make the new payment affordable.

Forbearance does not appear as a missed payment on your credit report, which protects your score from the seven-year damage of a default. However, it may show as a deferred arrangement, and lenders reviewing your credit during forbearance may see that you are not currently obligated to pay and may deny new credit applications.

Who qualifies and how to request forbearance

Federal loan servicers—those handling loans backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA, the VA, or the USDA—must offer forbearance if you have a documented hardship. Hardship includes job loss, reduced income, medical emergency, death in the family, natural disaster, or other circumstances beyond your control. You do not have to be in default yet; in fact, requesting forbearance before you miss a payment strengthens your case.

Private lenders and portfolio loans have no legal requirement to offer forbearance, though many do as a business practice. They have more discretion to deny your request or to impose stricter conditions. If your loan is held by a small bank or credit union rather than a major servicer, call and ask directly what options exist for borrowers in hardship.

To request forbearance, contact your loan servicer (the company that collects your payment, not necessarily the lender that originated the loan). You can find the servicer's name on your monthly statement. Have ready: proof of hardship (a termination letter, medical bill, or bank statement showing reduced income), your loan number, and a clear explanation of how long you expect the hardship to last. Many servicers have a dedicated loss mitigation or hardship department; ask to be transferred there rather than speaking with a collections representative.

Timeline and what happens when forbearance ends

Once you request forbearance, the servicer typically responds within 15 to 30 days with a written forbearance agreement. This agreement specifies the forbearance period, how much you owe during that time (if anything), and what happens when it ends. Do not rely on a verbal approval; wait for the written agreement before you stop paying.

Forbearance periods usually last 3 to 12 months. When it ends, you have several options: resume regular payments with the deferred amount added to your balance, enter a loan modification that spreads the deferred amount over the remaining life of the loan, or request a second forbearance period if your hardship continues (though servicers are less likely to grant a second one).

If you do not make a plan before forbearance ends and you cannot afford the new payment, you risk falling into default. Some borrowers use the forbearance period to refinance into a new loan with better terms, which pays off the old loan and resets the clock. Others use it to sell the home or catch up on other debts. Plan ahead so you are not surprised when the forbearance period closes.

Forbearance versus loan modification and refinancing

Forbearance is temporary relief; it does not change the terms of your loan. A loan modification is permanent and changes the interest rate, term, or principal balance. If your hardship is long-term or your current payment is simply unaffordable, modification may be a better fit than forbearance. However, modification requires the lender to agree that your situation warrants a change, and it may take longer to process.

Refinancing means taking out a new loan to pay off the old one. If interest rates have dropped or your credit has improved, refinancing can lower your payment without requiring forbearance. However, refinancing requires a new application, appraisal, and closing costs, and you must be current on your mortgage to may have access to. If you are already behind, refinancing is not an option until you catch up.

If forbearance does not work for you—either because your lender denies it or because the deferred payment is too large when forbearance ends—ask your servicer about modification or speak with a HUD-approved housing counselor, who can review all your options for free. You can find a counselor through the HUD website or by calling 1-800-569-4287.

What happens if you miss a payment without forbearance

A missed mortgage payment triggers a cascade of consequences. Your lender can charge a late fee (usually 4 to 6 percent of your monthly payment) after 15 days. After 30 days, the servicer reports the late payment to the three credit bureaus, and your credit score drops. After 90 days, you are considered in default, and the lender may begin foreclosure proceedings.

Foreclosure timelines vary by state and loan type. Some states require 120 days of missed payments before foreclosure can begin; others allow it sooner. Once foreclosure starts, you have limited time to catch up or negotiate. Forbearance is much easier to obtain before you are in default than after.

If you are already behind and forbearance is no longer available, ask about a loan reinstatement, where you pay all back payments plus fees in a lump sum to bring the loan current. If you cannot afford that, a short sale (selling the home for less than you owe) or deed in lieu of foreclosure (transferring the home to the lender) may be your only options to avoid foreclosure on your record.

Federal versus private loan servicers: what the difference means

Federal loans—those backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA, VA, or USDA—have standardized forbearance rules set by the government. These servicers must offer forbearance to borrowers with documented hardship and must follow specific timelines and procedures. If a federal servicer denies your request or violates the forbearance agreement, you have a complaint path through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Private loans held by individual banks, credit unions, or portfolio lenders have no federal mandate to offer forbearance. They may offer it as a courtesy or business practice, but they can also deny your request. If you have a private loan, your negotiating power is lower, and your best move is to ask early and in writing, with clear documentation of hardship.

To find out what type of loan you have, check your loan documents or call your servicer and ask whether the loan is backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA, VA, or USDA. If the answer is no, you have a private loan and should ask specifically what forbearance or hardship options the servicer offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip one payment and make it up later without forbearance?

No. If you skip a payment without a written forbearance agreement, your lender will charge a late fee and report it to credit bureaus after 30 days. The only way to skip a payment without damage is to have a forbearance agreement in place before the payment is due.

Does forbearance hurt my credit score?

Forbearance itself does not appear as a missed payment, so it does not cause the seven-year damage that a default does. However, it may show as a deferred arrangement on your credit report, and lenders may view it as a sign of financial stress when you apply for new credit during the forbearance period.

What if my lender denies forbearance?

If you have a federal loan and a documented hardship, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If you have a private loan, ask your servicer to explain the denial in writing and ask whether loan modification, refinancing, or a payment plan is available instead. A HUD-approved housing counselor can also review your options.

Can I get forbearance twice?

Some servicers allow a second forbearance period if your hardship continues, but it is not may provide. Approval for a second period is harder than the first. If you need long-term relief, ask about a loan modification instead, which permanently changes your payment rather than temporarily pausing it.

What happens to my property taxes and insurance during forbearance?

Forbearance pauses your mortgage payment, but if your servicer collects property taxes and homeowners insurance through an escrow account, those payments may continue. Ask your servicer whether taxes and insurance are included in your forbearance agreement or whether you still owe them separately.