# How to choose mortgage hardship help

_Home Rescue NPO guide · Updated October 25, 2026_

When you fall behind, three kinds of help can step in. They do different jobs, and the best plan often uses more than one.

| 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. |
| HUD-approved housing counselor | Foreclosure-prevention counseling is free | No | No | You want free, independent guidance: [hud.gov/counseling](https://www.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 paperwork help, any hour, alongside the options above. |

Availability, eligibility and service areas vary. 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](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/) 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? Talk to Clara, the Home Rescue NPO [AI assistant](https://homerescue.help/?talk), 24/7. If an attorney or HUD counselor is the better fit, we'll tell you.

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Home Rescue NPO is a private membership organization, not a government agency, lender or law firm. General education, not legal advice.