Single-family homeowners facing financial hardships with a federally backed or FHA-insured mortgage may be eligible for mortgage forebearance. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac enhanced payment deferral policies allow borrowers facing financial hardship to defer up to six months of mortgage payments. A deferral means: - You won't incur late fees. - You won't have delinquencies reported to the credit bureaus. - Foreclosure and other legal proceedings will be suspended Contact your mortgage servicer (the company where you send your monthly payments) as soon as possible to let them know about your current circumstances. The telephone number and mailing address of your mortgage servicer should be listed on your monthly mortgage statement. For Consumers who are not familiar with a forbearance, here are the recommended steps: - Contact your lender to disclose your hardship as soon as possible. - Ask your lender about the assistance options they have for customers impacted by financial hardships.