Mortgage Forbearance Safety Net Misses One Million Borrowers
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Here's your Money Briefing for Thursday, September 17th. I'm Charlie Turner for The Wall Street Journal. An alarming number of Americans are in danger of losing their homes, despite a program that lets them delay their mortgage payments.
There are a million people who have, for whatever reason, stopped paying their mortgage. They're at least 30 days behind or delinquent. and they are not in a forbearance plan.
Our reporter Andrew Ackerman will explain forbearance, what it is, how it works, and why so many homeowners in need aren't taking advantage of it. That's after the break.
What is mortgage forbearance and why was it created during the pandemic?
Early on in the pandemic, Congress set up a program to protect homeowners with mortgages from losing their homes. But about a million borrowers have fallen through this safety net. Missed payments and late fees are putting them at greater risk, and that's further heightening fears of an eviction and foreclosure crisis. With more on why so many borrowers have fallen behind on their mortgages despite this relief program, we're joined by our reporter, Andrew Ackerman. Andrew, thanks for joining us. Hi, Charlie. Thanks for having me. Andrew, first, tell us how this program known as Forbearance works.
It's unique to this crisis. Forbearance in the past has been used very narrowly for hurricanes or very regional disasters. This time, it's being used to keep as many people nationally in their homes as possible who are harmed by the virus.
Which loans qualify for federal forbearance protections and which do not?
And it just means you can skip a up to a year of payments on your mortgage, and then make them up later somehow. There's a little bit of a complication because it applies to all federally guaranteed loans, which are most of the market, Fannie, Freddie, or FHA-backed loans. There is a market for private loans or loans that aren't backed by the federal government. And some of those lenders are offering these forbearances and others aren't. But for most of the market, people can get this.
Okay, so when we talk about one million homeowners falling through the cracks, what exactly does that mean?
What that means is that there are a million people who have, for whatever reason, stopped paying their mortgage. They're at least 30 days behind or delinquent. And they are not in a forbearance plan. This includes both borrowers with a Fannie and Freddie loan, as well as people who have a private loan, a loan from a portfolio loan with a bank or something securitized in the private markets.
Well, don't they know about the forbearance program?
What does it mean that one million borrowers have fallen through the forbearance safety net?
Are they scared to participate? What exactly is going on here?
That's a good question. And I think the data is kind of murky, but from talking to lenders, some consumers, some counselors, the picture that we have is that a lot of people don't understand what forbearance means. So they don't really know what their options are. The other thing is that early on, especially early on and still somewhat today, the messaging from the lenders was like, You can take a forbearance, but you're going to have to pay all of your missed payments in one lump sum at the end of the forbearance.
Why are eligible homeowners not enrolling in forbearance — confusion or fear of repayment?
And that's really scared people that the scripts that the mortgage companies go through with people on the phone have changed significantly. And there's a lot more outreach and there's education efforts that some of the lenders are trying that consumer groups and some lenders kind of. say it doesn't go far enough. They'd like better marketing. But those are the two factors. There's just uncertainty or it's an unknown thing. And there's just fear that people have to pay everything back at once. And that's just not feasible for most people.
Why don't you describe for us the process of trying to obtain forbearance? How hard is it?
it shouldn't be that hard there's no documentation requirements you literally call your servicer and you say you can't pay and you want a forbearance and they're supposed to the the law the the there's a rescue bill from march it's called the cares act it says that people are entitled to up to a year it's it says six months that can be renewed for another six months um you have to ask for it
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:05–0:48
2
What is mortgage forbearance and why was it created during the pandemic?
0:48–1:36
3
Which loans qualify for federal forbearance protections and which do not?
1:36–2:40
4
What does it mean that one million borrowers have fallen through the forbearance safety net?
2:40–3:13
5
Why are eligible homeowners not enrolling in forbearance — confusion or fear of repayment?
3:13–4:40
6
How easy is the process to request forbearance and what hurdles do borrowers face?
4:40–6:48
7
Are people coming out of forbearance still defaulting and what does the data show?
6:48–7:55
8
What should listeners watch next for trends in forbearance and foreclosure risk?
7:55–8:25
Speakers
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