Is a Forbearance Agreement Right for My Situation?

Forbearance pauses or reduces your payments temporarily, usually for 3–6 months — it's the right tool when your hardship is genuinely short-term: a few months of job loss, a medical recovery, a temporary income disruption you can see the end of.

The Part People Miss

It's the wrong tool if your income has permanently changed, because the missed payments don't disappear — they come due at the end of the forbearance period, usually via a repayment plan, modification, or lump sum.

Before agreeing to forbearance, ask exactly how the missed amount will be repaid afterward. A forbearance without an exit plan just delays the same conversation a few months.