Understanding The Cares Act
The stimulus checks issued by the U.S. Treasury Department were meant to provide monies to Americans who earn less than $75,000, who have filed 2019 income tax returns and have a Social Security number, according to Equifax. Understanding that the stimulus checks were barely enough to cover mortgage payments, Congress also approved a federal stimulus for homeowners consisting of two protections for those who faced foreclosure due to missed payments. The CARES Act allowed forbearance, a pause in the mortgage payment schedule for a limited amount of time until payments can be resumed, without penalty, as outlined by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Forbearance doesnt exclude homeowners from forever making mortgage payments. It simply pauses your obligation until you gain your financial footing or for up to 180 days. The missed payments are to be repaid over time, and the company servicing your loan will work with you to determine that payment schedule when it resumes.
Mortgage Aid: How It Works
- The Homeowners Assistance Fund can help you pay not only your mortgage, but also your taxes, insurance, utilities and common charges like monthly homeowners association dues.
- The U.S. Treasury Department is sending money to states to distribute direct financial assistance through state housing agencies.
- The amount of mortgage aid depends on each states number of late mortgage payments, foreclosures and unemployment statistics, for example.
- States must spend this Covid-19 mortgage relief by September 30, 2025.
- Contact your state housing agency to learn more about Covid-19 mortgage relief in your state.
Supporting Canadian Business Through The Canada Account
The government is changing the Canada Account so that the Minister of Finance would now be able to determine the limit of the Canada Account in order to deal with exceptional circumstances. The Canada Account is administered by Export Development Canada and is used by the government to support exporters when deemed to be in the national interest. This will allow the government to provide additional support to Canadian companies through loans, guarantees or insurance policies during these challenging times.
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The Homeowner Assistance Fund
The Homeowner Assistance Fund was established under President Bidens American Rescue Plan to assist homeowners struggling with their housing payments due to Covid.
HAF was funded with close to $10 billion in financial support to help families weather these challenges and remain in their homes. According to the Treasury press release, aid money will be prioritized for homeowners with pending foreclosures and those with immediate threats to housing stability.
Those who receive assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Fund can use the money for mortgage payments as well as other housing-related bills like homeowners insurance and utilities.
HAF funds are allocated state by state, and its up to state administrators to distribute the funds to individual homeowners who qualify for aid. If you think you might benefit from the Homeowner Assistance Fund, reach out to your loan servicer to talk about whether youre eligible.
You can also use this lookup tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to find active mortgage relief programs in your area.
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Nearly 2 Million Americans Still Arent Paying Their Mortgages
As of July 20, 1.86 million borrowers remained in COVID-19 forbearance plans, according to mortgage data firm Black Knight. That number totals 3.5 percent of all active mortgages and fully 6.2 percent of FHA and VA loans. Meanwhile, the official unemployment rate stood at 5.9 percent in June.
Many homeowners will need deeper assistance due to pandemic-related income loss, Biden said in a statement. For example, due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, some homeowners are earning less than they were before the pandemic.
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Victorians Receive Additional $1500 Support
A $1,500 pandemic leave payment is being made available to workers in Victoria who need to self-isolate because of COVID-19.
The fortnights payment will be available to workers who do not have sick leave and have been directed to stay at home by a public health official.
Claims are being administered by Services Australia.
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How To Refinance Second Mortgages
Refinancing a second mortgage requires almost the same steps as refinancing the first mortgage. In most cases, youll have to wait at least 12 months from when you were approved for the second mortgage before refinancing it. Most lenders also require you to have at least 20% equity in your home. If you plan to refinance with a different lender, you may want to check with the lender who holds your second mortgage before pursuing refinancing.
It may be slightly more difficult to find a lender, as refinancing second mortgages carries more risk for the lender. If for any reason your house is foreclosed, the second lender only gets whats leftover after the first lender is paid off. Nonetheless, if you have good credit, a stable income, and youve made your mortgage payments on time, you should be able to find a lender willing to help you refinance your second mortgage.
Before considering refinancing any mortgage, you should do your research, speak with your financial advisor, and calculate whether youll benefit financially by refinancing. Depending on the fees, the cost of refinancing a second mortgage may outweigh the benefits.
Once youve decided that refinancing your second mortgage is the right choice, figure out if you would qualify for favorable interest rates by checking your credit score and assessing your financial situation. Your lender may look at your other debts, so determine your debt-to-income ratio.
Congress Mortgage Relief Programs
Homeowners who have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic have a few options for mortgage relief.
To help borrowers struggling with mortgage payments due to unemployment or illness, Congress enacted mortgage stimulus programs under the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan.
Many of these mortgage relief programs have been extended into 2022 to help those who are still struggling financially.
If you find yourself in need of financial assistance, current options include:
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What Is The Rent And Mortgage Cancellation Act
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have instituted their own rent and mortgage relief programs. The Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act is a federal approach to the issue. However, the act never made it past the House of Representatives.
The bill would eliminate the use of eviction, fines, and negatively impacted upon failure to pay rent or mortgages.
Important Things To Know First
If you can pay your mortgage, pay your mortgage.
If you cant pay mortgage, or can only pay a portion, contact your mortgage servicer immediately.You may need to stay on the phone for a while before the servicer is able to take your call. Loan servicers are also impacted by the pandemic, so may be working with staffing and technology limitations.
Homeownership counseling and assistance is available to Washington residents.Homeowners in distress may call DFIs toll-free number 1-877-RING-DFI to talk to a member of our team and to get assistance in how best to contact their mortgage servicer, and to learn more about their options.
If you would like to talk to a housing counselor, call the Washington Homeownership Hotline at 1.877.894.HOME.
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During The Wait Forbearance Will Be Key
Graves recommends that homeowners in need call their lenders or servicers the companies that manage loans and send out statements to discuss options, including beginning or extending forbearance.
Forbearance allows you to postpone your mortgage payments without getting slammed with late fees or taking a hit to your credit score.
Those with federally backed loans some 70% of the U.S. mortgage population have been able to apply for forbearance in the pandemic. The deferred payments are typically tacked onto the end of the mortgage term. The enrollment window for forbearance was recently extended and now ends June 30.
If youre in the remaining 30%, you dont have the same flexibility, Graves says. He suggests calling a housing counseling agency approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development . Congress has provided $100 million so those agencies can assist homeowners.
How To Get An Fha Cash
Do your research before you begin to consider an FHA cash-out refinance to make sure that you qualify and have everything required to apply.
Applying for an FHA cash-out refinance is similar to buying a home. There are similar considerations when it comes to credit, debt, and income, as well as an importance in budgeting and saving for the appraisal and closing costs in advance. This should be your first step in considering how much time you will need to prepare for an FHA cash-out refinance.
Take the time to bring up your credit score and save money for closing costs, if necessary. If you have a missed or late mortgage payment in the previous 12 months, you must wait until you have made 12 consecutive months of on-time payments to apply. Although FHA cash-out refinance loans are ideal for those with low credit, it is still a good idea to have a credit score of at least 600 before applying. Request copies of your credit reports if you suspect that your credit is not high enough.
Once youve decided that you would qualify for an FHA cash-out refinance, contact an expert before approaching your lender. Be sure to have your paperwork ready, including your current mortgage, documents outlining your other loans, as well as your income statements. Check with your lender to determine if you would require any additional documentation.
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Is There Congress Mortgage Stimulus Or Covid
Although theres no current mortgage stimulus from Congress, there is federal help available for homeowners.
When President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law in March 2021, it famously included stimulus checks to nearly all households. It also provided special financial assistance for homeowners who were or are struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Homeowner Assistance Fund is intended to help with your monthly mortgage payments and with property taxes, homeowners insurance, homeowners association fees and utility bills.
Although these are federal funds, theyve been sent out to states to administer. For help, you apply to your states housing finance agency. Locate your states agency and contact information with this lookup tool.
There are some eligibility requirements for these funds. To qualify, your mortgage balance must be $548,250 or less, and most of the funds are designated for borrowers with average or below-average incomes.
Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Programs
The type of mortgage relief you may be eligible for depends on your loan type and which bank or agency owns your mortgage.
Here are the relief programs currently available for the four major loan programs: conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA.
Mortgage relief for conventional loans
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were the first to unveil relief programs for those affected by the coronavirus.
Many homeowners dont realize their mortgages are owned by Fannie or Freddie. You may not have noticed that one of them bought your loan after you closed. But you can easily find out using the lookup tool that each of them provides:
Be sure to use both tools. Either agency could own your mortgage as they own the majority of U.S. home loans.
Providing you agree with your lender on an assistance package, you could be in line for:
- Mortgage forbearance for up to 15 months
- Penalties and late fees waived on issues covered by your forbearance agreement
- No reporting to credit bureaus about late or missing loan payments
- Loan modifications that could allow you the same or lower monthly payments when things return to normal
Under the CARES Act, homeowners do not have to prove theyre in financial distress in order to get mortgage relief. That means no extensive documentation.
Homeowners simply have to claim theyre going through financial hardship by sending in a hardship letter saying theyve been affected by COVID-19.
Mortgage relief for government-backed loans
- FHA loans
- VA loans
- USDA loans
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How Do I Request The Forbearance
Again, if youre unclear about who your mortgage provider is, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a guide to figuring that out.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also has a database of housing counsellors who can help you understand your options.
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What Has President Biden Been Doing To Offer Mortgage Relief
According to a White House press release: “Shortly after taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration extended the foreclosure moratorium and mortgage forbearance enrollment period for homeowners with government-backed mortgages to provide relief to struggling homeowners.” Additionally, as part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan $9.961 has been provided for the Homeowner Assistance Fund, encouraging loan modifications and payment reduction options on all federally backed mortgages.
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Didnt Get The First And Second Payments
If you didnt get a first and second Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return. Alternatively, eligible people who dont normally have to file a tax return and who didnt file a 2019 or 2020 tax return or use the Non-Filers tool for stimulus payments last year can use the Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool. You can still file after the tax deadline.
The Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign Up tool allows you to provide the required information needed to deposit monthly payments of the advance Child Tax Credit directly into your bank account. The IRS will also use this information to calculate and send any resulting 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and the third stimulus payment. Eligible people can expect separate payments for the Recovery Rebate Credit, the third Economic Impact Payment and the advance Child Tax Credit.
Get all the benefits youre entitled to under the law, including tax credits such as the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is eligible for advance payments of the 2021 Child Tax Credit.
If you dont normally have to file a tax return, the online Non-filer Sign-up tool can help eligible families register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments.
What Is The Government Mortgage Payment Act Of 2020
I am approaching this question with the assumption that you are referring to the Section 101 Exclusion from Gross Income of Discharge of Qualified Principal Residence Indebtedness that was in Congress recently signed spending bill. The amendments in this section of the bill apply to discharges of principal residence indebtedness after 12/31/2017 and before 01/01/2021.
You can read the bill here .
If this is not the provision to which you were referring, please provide further information .
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Helping Businesses Keep Their Workers
To support businesses that are facing revenue losses and to help prevent lay-offs, the government is proposing to provide eligible small employers a temporary wage subsidy for a period of three months. The subsidy will be equal to 10% of remuneration paid during that period, up to a maximum subsidy of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees remuneration. Employers benefiting from this measure will include corporations eligible for the small business deduction, as well as non-profit organizations and charities.
How Does Congress Mortgage Relief Program Work
Congress Mortgage Relief Program is a free program but you need to check whether you qualify for it or not.
You can check your eligibility online for free.
To start with, you need to verify your age. After that, you will be asked to enter your personal details in various fields.
For example, you will be asked whether you are a homeowner and what type of home you own .
Then you will be asked about your credit score whether its poor, fair, good, or excellent.
Plus, you will be asked whether you live in a military/veteran household or not .
Also, you will need to provide some information about your home if you own it. You need to reveal how much your house is worth, how much you owe on your mortgage, and what interest rate you are paying.
You will be asked to provide your current address and zip code and your employment status.
Lastly, you will be asked to enter your personal details .
You will require a few minutes to fill up the entire questionnaire. Once you have filled it, you will learn whether you are eligible for the Congress Mortgage Relief Program or not.
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