Most mortgage companies will not let you skip a payment outright, but they may offer a forbearance agreement that temporarily pauses or reduces what you owe each month.

Skipping a payment without permission is a missed payment—it damages your credit score and can start the path toward foreclosure. But if you contact your lender before the payment is due and explain your situation, they have programs designed to help you avoid that damage. The key difference is that you are not erasing the payment; you are rescheduling it or spreading it across future months.

The most common option is forbearance, where your lender agrees in writing to let you pay less (or nothing) for a set period—usually three to six months, though it can extend longer. At the end of forbearance, you resume normal payments, and the skipped amount gets added back into your loan. Some lenders offer a loan modification instead, which permanently changes your loan terms and may lower your monthly payment going forward.

Key Takeaways

  • Forbearance is a written agreement that lets you pause or reduce payments for three to six months without triggering a missed-payment report to credit bureaus.
  • You must contact your lender before your payment is due—calling after you miss a payment makes the conversation much harder and limits your options.
  • At the end of forbearance, the skipped payments are added back into your loan, either as a lump sum at the end or spread across future monthly payments.
  • Loan modifications permanently change your loan terms and may lower your monthly payment, but they take longer to process and require more documentation than forbearance.
  • Your lender is required by federal law to offer forbearance if you are experiencing a financial hardship, though the terms and length vary by lender and loan type.

How forbearance works and what happens when it ends

When you enter forbearance, your lender stops reporting missed payments to the credit bureaus. That is the main protection—your credit score does not take the hit it would if you straightforward stopped paying. The agreement is temporary and in writing, which means both you and your lender have clear terms about how long it lasts and what happens next.

The skipped or reduced payments do not disappear. They get added back into your loan in one of three ways: as a lump sum due at the end of forbearance, spread across your remaining loan payments, or rolled into a modified payment plan. Your lender will tell you which method applies before you sign the forbearance agreement. Some lenders offer a choice.

Forbearance typically lasts three to six months, but you can request an extension if your hardship continues. Federal law requires servicers to offer at least one extension if you ask before the first forbearance period ends. After forbearance ends, you go back to your regular payment schedule plus whatever arrangement was made for the skipped amounts.

When to contact your lender and what to have ready

Call your lender as soon as you know you cannot make a payment—do not wait until the payment is due. Lenders have loss mitigation departments or customer service lines specifically for this conversation. You can find the number on your mortgage statement or the lender's website. The earlier you call, the more options you have.

Have these documents ready before you call: your loan number, recent pay stubs or proof of income, a list of your monthly expenses, and a brief explanation of what caused the hardship (job loss, medical emergency, reduced hours, divorce). If your hardship is recent—within the last 120 days—you are more likely to get forbearance approved quickly. Lenders are required to make a decision within 30 days of receiving your complete request.

Be honest about your situation. Lenders have heard every story, and they are trained to spot inconsistencies. If you say you lost your job but your pay stub shows you are still working, the conversation becomes adversarial. If you explain that you had an unexpected medical bill and your income is otherwise stable, the lender can work with that.

Loan modification as an alternative to forbearance

A loan modification is different from forbearance because it permanently changes the terms of your loan rather than temporarily pausing it. Your lender might extend the loan term (spreading payments over more years), lower your interest rate, or reduce the principal balance. The result is usually a lower monthly payment going forward.

Loan modifications take longer to process—typically 30 to 60 days or more—because your lender has to re-underwrite your loan and verify your income and assets. You will need to submit a formal process, tax returns, bank statements, and a detailed financial worksheet. The process is more involved than forbearance, but the benefit is permanent relief rather than a temporary pause.

Not all borrowers may have access to for a modification. Your lender will look at your debt-to-income ratio, your credit history, and whether you have enough equity in the home. If you are underwater on your mortgage (owe more than the home is worth), modification becomes harder but is still possible under some programs.

What happens to your credit during forbearance

During forbearance, your lender does not report the skipped payments as missed payments to the credit bureaus. Your credit score may still dip slightly because your account shows a $0 payment for that month, but it is far less damage than a 30-day late payment would cause. The account stays in good standing as long as you are following the forbearance agreement.

After forbearance ends, your credit recovery depends on how you handle the resumed payments. If you make all payments on time going forward, your credit score will gradually recover. The forbearance itself stays on your credit report for seven years, but its impact weakens over time as you build a record of on-time payments.

If you miss a payment after forbearance ends, that is reported as a late payment and damages your credit more severely. This is why it is important to understand how the skipped amounts will be added back before you agree to forbearance—you need to know whether you can afford the resumed payment.

Federal requirements and your rights as a borrower

Under the CARES Act and ongoing federal regulations, mortgage servicers are required to offer forbearance to borrowers experiencing a financial hardship. The hardship does not have to be related to a pandemic or national emergency—job loss, medical bills, divorce, or reduced income all may have access to. Your lender must make a decision on your request within 30 days.

You have the right to request forbearance in writing, and your lender must respond in writing with the terms. You also have the right to request an extension if your hardship continues. If your lender denies forbearance, they must explain why in writing and tell you what other options may be available.

If your lender is not cooperating or you believe they are violating your rights, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or your state's attorney general. The CFPB has a complaint portal on its website, and complaints are forwarded to the lender for investigation.

Alternatives if forbearance is not available or not enough

If forbearance does not solve your problem—either because your lender denies it or because you cannot afford the resumed payments—other options exist. A loan modification may lower your payment enough to make it sustainable. A short sale lets you sell the home for less than you owe, with the lender's permission. A deed in lieu of foreclosure lets you hand the home back to the lender without going through foreclosure court.

If you are facing foreclosure, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. They are free and can review your specific situation, explain all your options, and sometimes negotiate with your lender on your behalf. You can find a counselor through the HUD website or by calling 1-800-569-4287.

Bankruptcy is a last resort, but it is an option if you are deeply underwater and have other debts. Chapter 13 bankruptcy can restructure your mortgage payments and give you time to catch up on arrears. Speak with a bankruptcy attorney before pursuing this—the long-term credit impact is severe, but it can stop a foreclosure in progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip a payment and just pay it back later without asking my lender?

No. If you miss a payment without an agreement in place, your lender reports it to the credit bureaus as a missed payment after 30 days. That damages your credit score and can trigger foreclosure proceedings. Always contact your lender before the payment is due.

What if my lender denies forbearance?

Your lender must provide a written reason for the denial. If you believe the denial is unfair, you can request a review, file a complaint with the CFPB, or contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. Some lenders are more flexible than others, and a counselor can sometimes negotiate on your behalf.

Does forbearance hurt my credit score?

Forbearance causes minimal credit damage compared to a missed payment. Your score may dip slightly, but it recovers quickly once you resume on-time payments. A missed payment, by contrast, can lower your score by 100 points or more and stays on your report for seven years.

What if I cannot afford the payment after forbearance ends?

Tell your lender before forbearance ends that you are still struggling. You can request an extension, explore for a loan modification, or explore other options like a short sale. Do not wait until forbearance expires and you miss a payment again.

How long does forbearance last?

Forbearance typically lasts three to six months. You can request an extension before the first period ends. The total length depends on your lender's policies and your specific hardship, but federal law requires servicers to offer at least one extension if you ask.