Getting help

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If you do experience unexpected financial difficulty, don’t be afraid to ask for help. The worst thing you can do is wait until you are so far behind on all your payments that your creditors resort to collection agencies.

By contacting your creditors right away, you may be able to make lower payments temporarily, until you get back on your feet. You can also contact a professional financial counselor or a credit- and budget-counseling agency if you need help developing a budget/debt reduction plan.

If you are unable to make your monthly mortgage payment, the best thing you can do is to contact your lender. Many lenders will work with borrowers who have a good payment history to arrange a temporarily reduced payment plan until they get back on their feet.