Yes. If you’ve missed mortgage payments, there may be several ways to catch up without immediately paying the entire past-due balance at once.
Depending on your loan, mortgage servicer, financial situation, and how far behind you are, possible options may include:
- Paying the past-due balance in full
- Setting up a repayment plan
- Moving some missed payments to the end of the loan or another deferred balance
- Modifying the mortgage
- Using forbearance if you’re still experiencing a temporary hardship
- Other assistance available for your particular loan
The important thing is not to assume you know what your mortgage company will require.
Call your mortgage servicer and ask what options you’re actually eligible for.
I’ve worked with Minnesota homeowners in difficult financial situations for many years, and one of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting because someone thinks, “I don’t have enough money to catch everything up, so there’s no point in calling.”
There may still be a point in calling.
What Does It Mean to “Catch Up” on a Mortgage?
When you miss a mortgage payment, your loan becomes delinquent.
If you continue missing payments, the amount you’re behind grows.
For example, imagine your mortgage payment is $2,000 per month and you’ve missed three payments.
At the simplest level, you’re now $6,000 behind.
But the actual amount required to bring the loan current may be different because of late charges, fees, escrow changes, advances, or other amounts associated with your loan.
“Catching up” basically means resolving that delinquency so the mortgage becomes current again.
The important part is this:
You may not necessarily have to write one check for the entire past-due amount.
Your servicer may have other ways to resolve it.
Your Options Depend on Why You Fell Behind
Before calling your mortgage company, figure out whether your financial problem is temporary or ongoing.
That distinction matters.
Temporary hardship
Maybe you:
- Lost your job but recently started working again
- Had an unexpected expense
- Lost income temporarily
- Had to take unpaid time away from work
- Experienced another short-term financial setback
You may now be able to afford your normal mortgage payment again.
Your problem isn’t necessarily the monthly payment.
Your problem is the amount you missed while things were difficult.
Ongoing hardship
This is different.
Maybe your household income permanently decreased, your expenses increased significantly, or the regular mortgage payment simply isn’t affordable anymore.
In that situation, catching up on the old payments doesn’t necessarily solve the real problem.
Even if you somehow became current today, you might fall behind again next month.
That’s why the first question isn’t:
“How do I come up with all the money I owe?”
It’s:
“Can I afford my regular mortgage payment going forward?”
The answer helps determine which options are worth pursuing.
Option 1: Pay the Past-Due Amount in Full
The simplest option is sometimes called reinstatement.
You pay the amount necessary to bring the mortgage current.
Suppose you’re $8,000 behind and you have enough money available to pay the required reinstatement amount.
Once the servicer receives and properly applies the required payment, the delinquency can be resolved.
But don’t guess at the amount.
If you’re considering reinstatement, ask your servicer for the exact amount required and the deadline for paying it.
Where could the money come from?
Some homeowners use:
- Savings
- A work bonus
- Tax refund
- Sale of another asset
- Help from family
Be careful about creating a second financial problem to solve the first one.
Draining every dollar of your emergency savings or taking on expensive debt just to become current can leave you unable to make next month’s payment.
Look beyond the immediate deadline.
Option 2: Ask About a Repayment Plan
A repayment plan is one of the most straightforward ways to catch up when you can afford your normal mortgage payment plus some extra each month.
The past-due amount is spread over a period of time and added to your regular mortgage payment.
Here’s a simplified example.
Suppose:
- Normal mortgage payment: $2,000
- Past-due amount: $6,000
- Repayment period: 6 months
A simplified repayment plan might look something like this:
| Payment | Amount |
| Normal monthly payment | $2,000 |
| Additional catch-up amount | $1,000 |
| Temporary monthly payment | $3,000 |
| Length of example plan | 6 months |
This is only an illustration. Your actual servicer determines whether a repayment plan is available and what the terms would be.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes a repayment plan as an agreement where part of the past-due amount is added to your regular payments over time.
When does a repayment plan make sense?
Usually when:
- Your financial hardship has ended
- Your income has recovered
- You can afford your normal payment again
- You have enough additional income to make the catch-up payment
The biggest question is whether the increased payment is realistic.
Don’t agree to a $3,000 payment just because you’re desperate to save the house if your household budget shows you can only afford $2,300.
A repayment plan only helps if you can actually complete it.
Option 3: Ask Whether the Missed Payments Can Be Deferred
Some loan programs may allow missed payments to be moved rather than repaid immediately.
Depending on the loan, this might be called a:
- Payment deferral
- Partial claim
- Deferred balance
- Similar loan-specific term
The details matter, but the general idea is that some or all of the past-due amount may become payable later rather than being added to your next few monthly payments.
For example, the amount might become due when you:
- Sell the property
- Refinance the mortgage
- Pay off the mortgage
- Reach the end of the loan
This can be particularly useful when you can afford your normal payment again but can’t afford a large catch-up payment.
Not every loan offers the same options.
Ask your servicer specifically:
“I can afford my regular mortgage payment again, but I can’t afford to repay the entire past-due amount right now. Do I qualify for any deferral or partial-claim options?”
That’s a much better question than simply asking, “Can you help me?”
Option 4: Apply for a Loan Modification
A loan modification changes the terms of your existing mortgage.
Depending on the program and your loan, a modification may involve changes such as:
- Extending the repayment term
- Changing the interest rate
- Adding past-due amounts to the loan balance
- Making other changes designed to produce a more manageable payment
A modification can make sense when your financial situation has changed and the original mortgage payment is no longer realistic.
Repayment plan vs. loan modification
Here’s a simple way to think about the difference:
| Repayment Plan | Loan Modification |
| Regular payment is affordable | Regular payment may no longer be affordable |
| Problem is mainly catching up | Problem may be long-term affordability |
| Temporary payment usually increases | Loan terms may change |
| Past-due amount repaid over time | Past-due amount may be incorporated into modified terms |
| Existing loan terms generally remain | Existing loan terms are modified |
This isn’t a guarantee that you’ll qualify for either option.
It’s a way to understand why one might fit your situation better than another.
Option 5: Forbearance
Forbearance is different from forgiveness.
That’s important.
A mortgage forbearance temporarily allows you to pause your payments or make reduced payments under an agreement with your servicer.
The missed amounts don’t simply disappear.
You still owe them.
Forbearance can make sense if you’re experiencing a temporary financial hardship and need time to recover.
For example, if you’re temporarily out of work but reasonably expect to return to work, forbearance may give you breathing room.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises homeowners to understand exactly how payments will be handled after forbearance, because repayment options vary by loan and servicer.
Don’t assume you’ll automatically owe everything in one giant payment the day forbearance ends.
Ask what repayment options apply to your loan.
What If I’m Two or Three Payments Behind?
Call your mortgage servicer now.
Don’t wait until you have enough money to pay everything.
Tell the servicer:
- Why you fell behind.
- Whether the hardship has ended.
- What your current household income is.
- Whether you can afford the regular payment now.
- Whether you have any money available toward the past-due balance.
Then ask:
“What loss-mitigation options are available for my loan?”
“Loss mitigation” is simply the mortgage industry’s term for options designed to resolve a delinquent mortgage and potentially avoid foreclosure.
You don’t need to be an expert in the terminology.
You just need to ask the right questions.
What If My Mortgage Company Won’t Accept One Payment?
This surprises homeowners.
If you’re multiple payments behind, sending one month’s payment doesn’t necessarily mean the servicer has to apply it as though your mortgage were current.
The CFPB explains that a servicer may, depending on the circumstances, apply a partial payment, return it, or hold it in a “suspense account” until enough money has accumulated for a full periodic payment.
And if your loan is in default and has been accelerated, the lender may generally require the full amount necessary to bring the loan current.
That’s why I wouldn’t simply start sending random partial payments without knowing how the servicer will handle them.
Ask:
“If I make this payment, exactly how will it be applied to my account?”
Get the answer before assuming the payment solves anything.
What If I’m Already Four Months or More Behind?
The situation becomes more urgent.
For many residential mortgages covered by federal servicing rules, the servicer generally can’t make the first notice or filing required to begin foreclosure until you’re more than 120 days delinquent.
That doesn’t mean foreclosure automatically starts on day 121.
It also doesn’t mean you should wait until day 119 to ask for help.
If you’re several months behind, find out immediately:
- Your exact past-due balance
- Whether foreclosure has been referred or started
- Whether a sheriff’s sale has been scheduled
- What loss-mitigation options are available
- What documents the servicer needs from you
- The deadlines for submitting those documents
At this stage, time matters.
What If Foreclosure Has Already Started?
Don’t assume you’ve lost the opportunity to work something out.
Depending on where you are in the process and the specifics of your loan, loss-mitigation options may still be available.
But deadlines become increasingly important.
If you’ve received Minnesota foreclosure documents, find the scheduled sheriff’s sale date.
Don’t put those papers aside.
And don’t rely on someone else’s foreclosure timeline.
Use the dates from your documents.
If a sheriff’s sale is approaching, consider speaking with a HUD-approved housing counselor or a qualified Minnesota attorney in addition to communicating with your servicer.
How Much Would I Need to Pay Each Month to Catch Up?
You can do a rough calculation yourself.
Take the amount you’re behind and divide it by the number of months you think you could reasonably use to catch up.
Then add that amount to your normal mortgage payment.
Example: $6,000 behind
| Catch-Up Period | Extra Per Month | If Normal Payment Is $2,000 |
| 3 months | $2,000 | $4,000/month |
| 6 months | $1,000 | $3,000/month |
| 12 months | $500 | $2,500/month |
Again, this doesn’t mean your servicer will offer these exact repayment periods.
It’s simply a useful reality check.
If you look at the table and realize even $2,500 per month isn’t remotely affordable, a repayment plan may not be your best option.
Ask about alternatives.
A Question I Think Every Homeowner Should Ask
After more than 20 years in Minnesota real estate and more than 2,000 residential transactions, I’ve learned that homeowners facing financial trouble can become extremely focused on one goal:
Getting current.
That’s understandable.
But there’s another question that’s just as important:
What happens after I get current?
Imagine you borrow $10,000 from family to catch up your mortgage.
You’re current again.
But your normal mortgage payment is $2,800 and your household can realistically afford $2,200.
You haven’t solved the problem.
You’ve reset the clock.
Before using savings, borrowing money, or agreeing to a repayment plan, make sure the regular mortgage payment is sustainable.
What If I Have Enough Equity to Sell?
Having equity gives you another option, but it doesn’t automatically mean you should sell.
Suppose your house is realistically worth $400,000 and you owe $260,000.
Being three months behind doesn’t erase the difference between those numbers.
You may still have substantial equity.
If you want to keep the house and can afford it going forward, I’d first explore reasonable ways to resolve the delinquency.
If the house is no longer affordable or you already planned to move, selling may deserve serious consideration.
The important thing is understanding your equity before the foreclosure process gets too far along.
Should I Borrow Money to Catch Up?
Sometimes that makes sense.
Sometimes it makes the situation worse.
Before borrowing, look at:
- The interest rate
- Monthly payment
- Repayment term
- Fees
- Whether the debt is secured by another asset
- Whether you can afford both payments
Be particularly careful with high-interest debt.
Turning a mortgage problem into a mortgage problem plus an expensive personal loan or credit-card problem isn’t progress.
Run the numbers first.
Common Mistakes When Trying to Catch Up
Waiting until you have all the money
You don’t necessarily need the entire past-due amount before contacting your servicer.
Call now.
Promising a payment you can’t afford
Don’t agree to an unrealistic repayment plan simply because you’re afraid of foreclosure.
Assuming forbearance means the payments are forgiven
They aren’t.
Forbearance generally postpones or reduces payments temporarily. It doesn’t erase what you owe.
Sending partial payments without asking how they’ll be handled
Know how your servicer will apply the money.
Ignoring requests for documents
If you’re applying for mortgage assistance, your servicer may request income documents, bank statements, hardship information, or other paperwork.
Deadlines matter.
Paying a company that guarantees it can save your home
Be careful.
Legitimate help is available directly through your mortgage servicer and through HUD-approved housing counselors.
The CFPB warns homeowners about companies charging upfront fees or guaranteeing mortgage modifications or foreclosure prevention.
What Should I Say When I Call My Mortgage Company?
You don’t need a complicated script.
Tell them:
“I’m behind on my mortgage because of a financial hardship. I want to understand all of the options available to bring my loan current and avoid foreclosure. Can you tell me what loss-mitigation programs are available for my loan and what I need to submit to be reviewed?”
Then take notes.
Write down:
- Date and time of the call
- Representative’s name or ID
- Options discussed
- Documents requested
- Submission deadlines
- Confirmation numbers
- Next steps
Keep everything together.
You may have several conversations before the situation is resolved.
A Simple Decision Tree
Can you afford your normal mortgage payment now?
Yes.
→ Can you afford the normal payment plus extra?
→ Yes: Ask about a repayment plan.
→ No: Ask whether your loan offers a deferral, partial claim, or another way to address the missed payments.
No.
→ Ask about loan-modification options that may address longer-term affordability.
Are you still experiencing a temporary hardship?
→ Ask whether forbearance or another temporary hardship option is available.
Do you no longer want or cannot realistically afford the home?
→ Determine your home’s value, mortgage balance, and equity before deciding whether selling or another exit option makes sense.
What I’d Do First
If I were several payments behind on my Minnesota mortgage, I’d gather five things:
- My most recent mortgage statement
- The total amount I’m behind
- My current monthly household income
- My actual monthly expenses
- Any letters or foreclosure notices from the servicer
Then I’d call the servicer.
I’d want to know every available option before deciding where the money should come from.
If the answer I received didn’t make sense, I’d ask questions until it did.
And if I needed another set of eyes, I’d contact a HUD-approved housing counselor.
HUD-approved foreclosure-prevention counseling is available without paying a foreclosure-rescue company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I catch up after missing mortgage payments?
Possibly. Options can include reinstatement, a repayment plan, payment deferral, partial claim, loan modification, or other assistance depending on your mortgage and financial circumstances.
Do I have to pay all my missed mortgage payments at once?
Not necessarily. Some homeowners may qualify for options that spread out or defer the missed amount. The available options depend on the loan and servicer.
What is a mortgage repayment plan?
It’s an agreement where you generally pay your regular mortgage payment plus an additional amount for a period of time to repay the delinquency.
What happens if I can’t afford a repayment plan?
Tell your servicer. Ask whether other loss-mitigation options are available rather than agreeing to a payment you know you can’t make.
Can missed mortgage payments be added to the end of my loan?
Some loans offer payment deferrals, partial claims, modifications, or similar options that can postpone repayment of missed amounts. Eligibility varies.
Does forbearance erase missed payments?
No. Forbearance generally pauses or reduces payments temporarily. The missed amount still has to be resolved afterward.
Can my mortgage company refuse a partial payment?
Depending on the circumstances, a servicer may return a partial payment, apply it, or hold it in a suspense account. Ask your servicer exactly how a partial payment will be handled.
Can I catch up after foreclosure starts?
Possibly, depending on your loan, financial situation, available loss-mitigation programs, and how far the foreclosure has progressed. If a sheriff’s sale has been scheduled, timing becomes especially important.
Should I use my retirement account to catch up my mortgage?
Don’t make that decision based solely on the fear of foreclosure. Withdrawing retirement funds can have significant financial and tax consequences. Consider the long-term impact and speak with an appropriate financial or tax professional before making that decision.
Who can help me understand my mortgage options?
Your mortgage servicer should be the first call. HUD-approved housing counselors can also help homeowners understand their options, often at no cost.
The Bottom Line
Missing mortgage payments doesn’t automatically mean you have to come up with the entire past-due amount tomorrow.
You may have options.
The right one depends largely on whether your hardship is temporary, whether you can afford the normal payment going forward, how far behind you are, what type of mortgage you have, and where you are in the foreclosure process.
Don’t guess.
Don’t ignore the mortgage company.
And don’t agree to a solution you can’t afford just because it makes today’s problem go away.
Find out what’s actually available and choose the option that solves the problem for the long term.
Need Help Understanding Your Options?
Every homeowner’s situation is different.
The amount you owe, the type of loan, your equity, and where you are in the foreclosure process all affect your options.
If you’d like to talk through your situation, Kyle White is happy to spend 20-30 minutes helping you understand the pros and cons of every option available.
Sometimes selling is the best decision.
Sometimes it isn’t.
The goal is simply to help you make the best decision for your family.
There is no pressure and no obligation.
