Guide
What Mortgage Relief Programs Are Available in 2026?
Mortgage relief programs available in 2026 come mostly from your servicer, under rules set by whoever owns or insures your loan. FHA, VA and USDA offer partial claims and modifications, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer the Flex Modification, and some states fund their own help. The Homeowner Assistance Fund has ended.
Many people search for a single government program that will pay their mortgage. In 2026, that program does not exist. Instead, relief comes through a set of options built into your loan, and the right one depends on your loan type and whether your hardship is short-term or permanent. The CFPB’s mortgage help page and the main page about how to stop foreclosure both start in the same place, which is calling your servicer.
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Mortgage Relief Programs by Loan Type
Mortgage relief programs are set by the agency or company that backs your loan, so the first step is finding out which one that is.
| Loan type | Main relief options | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| FHA | Repayment plan, forbearance, partial claim, 30 or 40-year modification, Payment Supplement | FHA loss mitigation |
| VA | Repayment plan, special forbearance, VA partial claim, 30 or 40-year modification | VA mortgage help |
| USDA | Payment moratorium, workout agreement, Mortgage Recovery Advance, 40-year modification | USDA mortgage help |
| Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac | Forbearance, repayment plan, payment deferral, Flex Modification | Flex Modification |
| Bank or private loan | Set by the lender, often similar options | Ask for the written program terms |
You can find your loan type on your closing papers or by asking your servicer who owns or insures the loan.
Which Programs Have Ended?
The programs that have ended include the Homeowner Assistance Fund, HAMP, HARP and the Hardest Hit Fund. Many websites still describe them as if they were open, which causes confusion.
- Homeowner Assistance Fund: a $9.961 billion pandemic program. Treasury’s HAF page says its period ended on September 30, 2026, and states can no longer pay new help from it. More is in Homeowner Assistance Fund.
- HAMP: the Home Affordable Modification Program, part of Making Home Affordable, stopped taking applications at the end of 2016.
- HARP: the Home Affordable Refinance Program, for owners who owed more than their home was worth, ended at the end of 2018.
- Hardest Hit Fund: a Treasury program run by 18 states and Washington, D.C., which ended in 2021.
Their successors are the options in the table above, which servicers must still review you for.
What Help Do States Offer?
States offer help through their housing finance agencies, mediation programs and, in some cases, state-funded assistance. Housing finance agencies are state-chartered organizations that run homebuyer and homeowner programs.
Some states require a lender to take part in mediation before or during a foreclosure, which can lead to a modification. Others fund small grants or loans to cover missed payments, property taxes or repairs. Because these change often, ask your state housing finance agency or a counselor what is open now. Each state’s foreclosure rules are in the foreclosure law guide.
Where Can You Get Free Help Applying?
You can get free help applying from a HUD-approved housing counselor. You can find one through HUD’s housing counselor search, and counselors review your budget, explain which programs fit and help you send a complete application.
HOPE NOW, an alliance of servicers and counselors, also runs a free hotline that connects homeowners with HUD-approved counselors. Never pay anyone upfront to get you relief, because federal rules ban most companies from charging before you have an offer from your lender. Warning signs are listed in foreclosure scams.
Which Program Fits Your Situation?
The program that fits your situation depends on whether your income will recover and how far behind you are.
- Short-term job loss or illness: forbearance now, then a deferral or partial claim. See mortgage help after a job loss.
- Back on your feet but behind: a repayment plan, payment deferral or partial claim.
- Income lower for good: a loan modification under your loan type’s program.
- Cannot afford any version of the payment: a short sale or deed in lieu.
- Active-duty military: extra legal protections plus your loan type’s options.
Example
The following is a fictional example. Elena reads online about a “government mortgage relief grant” and spends weeks looking for it. Her loan is owned by Freddie Mac, and she is 2 payments behind after a medical leave.
A housing counselor explains that the grant she read about was the Homeowner Assistance Fund, which has ended. Instead, the counselor helps her apply to her servicer, which offers a payment deferral that moves the 2 missed payments to the end of the loan.
FAQ
Is There a Government Program to Pay Your Mortgage?
Not as a general grant in 2026. The Homeowner Assistance Fund ended in September 2026. Government help now comes mainly through FHA, VA and USDA rules that require servicers to offer partial claims and modifications, plus some state programs.
Is HAMP Still Available?
No. The Home Affordable Modification Program stopped taking applications at the end of 2016. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac replaced it with the Flex Modification, and FHA, VA and USDA have their own modifications.
What Is HOPE NOW?
HOPE NOW is an alliance of mortgage servicers, investors and counselors that runs a free hotline connecting homeowners with HUD-approved counselors. It does not lend money or make decisions on loans.
How Do You Apply for Mortgage Relief?
Call your servicer, ask for a loss mitigation application, and send it back complete with your income documents and a hardship letter. A free HUD-approved housing counselor can help you do it.
Sources
- Mortgage Help. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/mortgagehelp/
- Homeowner Assistance Fund. U.S. Department of the Treasury. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/homeowner-assistance-fund
- Find a Housing Counselor. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. https://apps.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm
This page explains the general process and is not legal advice. Rules change and courts interpret them, so confirm with a real-estate attorney in your state before acting.