Updated October 25, 2026
How to choose mortgage hardship help
When you fall behind, three kinds of help can step in. They do different jobs, and the best plan often uses more than one. Here's an honest look at each, including us.
Your options side by side
| Option | Cost | Legal advice or court help | Can approve a modification | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your mortgage servicer | Free | No | Yes. Only your servicer (and the loan's investor) decides. | Always. Keep talking to them in writing and keep copies of everything. |
| HUD-approved housing counselor | Foreclosure-prevention counseling is free | No | No | You want free, independent guidance. Find one at hud.gov/counseling or 1-800-569-4287. |
| Home Rescue NPO | First consultation free; membership and any costs explained before you commit | No. Education, not legal advice. | No | You want plain answers and hands-on help organizing your paperwork, any hour, alongside the options above. |
Availability, eligibility and service areas vary by organization and state. A listing here is not an endorsement by, or affiliation with, any of these organizations.
Warning signs of a rescue scam
- A guarantee to stop your foreclosure or get a modification
- A request to sign over the deed to your home
- Being told to stop paying your mortgage or stop talking to your servicer
- Being told to send your mortgage payment to them instead of your servicer
- Pressure to sign today, or papers you don't understand
Report scams to the CFPB or your state attorney general.
Questions to ask anyone who offers help
- What exactly will you do, and what won't you do?
- What will I pay, and when? Can I have that in writing before I sign?
- Are you a lawyer, a HUD-approved counselor, or neither?
- Will you contact my servicer, or do I stay in charge of that?
- What happens if my situation becomes urgent, like a sale date?
Not sure which fits? Ask us, any hour.
A free, confidential conversation. If an attorney or HUD counselor is the better fit, we'll tell you.