Frequently Asked Questions

• No. There should never be a fee to obtain assistance or information about foreclosure prevention options from your mortgage servicer or a qualified housing finance agency.
• Never send a mortgage payment to a company other than the one listed on your monthly mortgage statement.
• Beware of scams and anyone offering to help you for a fee (see the FAQ, below, Beware of Foreclosure Rescue Scams! for additional information).

Home preservation specialists generally are available Monday - Friday, 7 am - 10 pm, and Saturday, 8 am - 5 pm Central Time. However, hours may differ for some locations.

Your Wells Fargo home preservation specialist will send you copies of the specific forms that you need to complete. Here's a checklist of the types of documents that may be requested.

No, samples aren't available, but your home preservation specialist will provide you with links to the exact documents you need.

If you're self-employed, you'll need to provide financial statements that verify your income. You may need to provide current financial statements for your businesses, including:

• Tax returns
• Evidence of existence of the business, such as a copy of a recent business license
• Year-to-date profit and loss (P&L) statement
• Balance sheet

All forms and requested documents should be returned as soon as possible, paying close attention to the time frames indicated by your Wells Fargo home preservation specialist. If they're late, you may not qualify for the program you're applying to, you may need to resubmit paperwork, or foreclosure proceedings may result.

If you qualify for a loan modification, you may be offered a trial payment plan. If you're able to successfully complete the trial plan, we'll permanently modify your mortgage and let you know what the new monthly payment will be.

Foreclosure is the loss of your home through a legal process where your mortgage servicer or a third party acquires the property.

Please understand that foreclosure follows its own path and timeline, distinct from the mortgage assistance process. The foreclosure process can begin and continue even while you’re actively working with us to find options that may help you avoid a foreclosure sale. Until another option is accepted by you and us and is in place, the foreclosure process will continue.

Here is additional information about foreclosure.

You must move or you will be evicted from the property.

It may be as long as 7 years before you are eligible for another Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac mortgage.

You and any additional borrower listed on the mortgage may experience negative credit implications.

If you disregard your mortgage servicer’s notices, your mortgage servicer may refer your mortgage to foreclosure as authorized by your mortgage documents and applicable law.

Although we want to help you prevent foreclosure, it's important to understand that foreclosure follows its own path and timeline, distinct from the mortgage assistance process. This means the foreclosure process can begin and continue even while you're actively working with us to find options.

Yes, the sooner the better! If you wish to keep your home, contact your mortgage servicer immediately.

You may also contact a HUD-approved housing counselor (see the Additional Resources FAQ, below) and request a 3-way call that would include you, the HUD-approved housing counselor, and your mortgage servicer to discuss your hardship.

Additional Resources:

For a list of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that can provide free foreclosure prevention and debt management information, as well as translation or other language assistance, contact one of the following federal government agencies.

• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at (800) 569-4287 or
  www.hud.gov/counseling
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at (855) 411-2372 or
  www.consumerfinance.gov/mortgagehelp

For additional information on how to avoid foreclosure, including help for military service members, you may also visit Fannie Mae’s www.KnowYourOptions.com.

A HUD-approved housing counselor can also provide free advice on debt management.

Yes, but it is important that you reach out to your servicer as soon as possible to discuss potential options. If your mortgage servicer receives your complete Mortgage Assistance Application with only 37 or fewer calendar days before the scheduled foreclosure sale, there is no guarantee that your servicer will be able to evaluate you for mortgage assistance in time to stop the foreclosure sale.

Even if your mortgage servicer approves you for a foreclosure alternative prior to a sale, a court with jurisdiction over the foreclosure proceeding (if any) or public official charged with carrying out the sale may not be able to halt the scheduled sale.

Your credit rating may be affected by missing a mortgage payment. Missing 2 or more payments will seriously affect your credit and may limit your options for future credit.

• Active-duty service members and their families who are facing payment challenges may qualify for special military benefits. To learn more about these programs, check your eligibility, or request mortgage assistance as an active duty service member, contact us right away at: 1-866-936-7272, Monday - Friday: 6 am - 8 pm, Saturday: 8 am - 2 pm Central Time.
• If you haven't missed any payments and think you'd be better off with a new loan, consider a refinance.

You can provide written authorization that an outside counselor can work with you and submit documents to us on your behalf. The counselor cannot sign documents for you or make payments — those remain your responsibility.

To find a counselor, visit the U.S. Housing and Urban Development website. All counselors provide their services at no charge.

Unfortunately, scam artists have stolen millions of dollars from distressed homeowners by promising immediate relief from foreclosure, or demanding cash for counseling services. HUD‐approved counseling agencies provide the same services for FREE. If you receive an offer, information, or advice that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you have any doubts, contact your mortgage servicer. Don't let scammers take advantage of you, your situation, your house, or your money. Keep in mind, your mortgage servicer is not responsible for paying damages resulting from a scam.  Remember, help is FREE.

How to Spot a Scam

• Asks for a fee in advance to work with your mortgage servicer to modify, refinance, or reinstate your mortgage.
• Guarantees they can stop a foreclosure or get your mortgage modified.
• Advises you to stop paying your mortgage servicer and pay them instead.
• Pressures you to sign over the deed to your home or sign any paperwork that you haven't had a chance to read, and you don't fully understand.
• Claims to offer "government‐approved" or "official government" mortgage modifications.
• Asks you to release personal financial information online or over the phone and you have not been working with this person and/or do not know them.

How to Report a Scam

Do one of the following:

• Go to https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ to submit a complaint and get information on how to fight back.
• Call (888) 995‐HOPE (4673) and tell the counselor about your situation and that you believe you were scammed or know of a scam.

• Fannie Mae has created KnowYourOptions.com to help homeowners stay informed and take action to avoid foreclosure.
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has many resources for homeowners who need help avoiding foreclosure.

If you need help in determining if government options or other programs might be right for you, call us at 1-877-628-9584 for more information.