04/08/2020
How to Maintain your credit during Covid-19. Credit is hard to establish and easy to harm. Follow these steps to protect your credit during these trying times:
1) Contact your creditors that you may need help with payments and request payment arrangements and/ or request an Extension, Forbearance, or any assistance they may offer. ( It is crucial you reach out to your creditors to qualify, don't wait until your payment is due or is going to become late.)
2) Auto loans, Personal Loans, Student Loans, and Credit Cards are more likely to offer a deferred payment.
3) Mortgage Loans that are Federally backed may offer a forbearance plan, BUT- you will have to catch up any skipped payments within 12 months most likely- so this is delaying payments that you will have to catch up at some point, expect offers as follows: “Sir/Ma’am, you will need to pay us a one and a quarter payment for the next 4 months to catch up the payment we extended on your mortgage” so on a $1000 mortgage payment you may be asked to pay $1250 for four consecutive months to catch up one missed payment.
My thoughts are look to contact creditors if and only if you feel you will need relief. ask the creditor to Extend, Defer, or Pay interest due (Often much less than a full payment), on any non mortgage payment first, and only request help on your mortgage if you absolutely have no other choice, as you likely will have to catch up those mortgage payments within a specified time frame. Also consider contacting your utility companies for possible relief.
This information is very fluid now, so your results may vary. We are here to provide the most accurate and up to date information as best we can.
We will look to provide updates on all things mortgage related over the coming weeks. And remember Keep your head high.
“You can never stop the sunset. Yet you and I can stop the coronovirus, through our separation. With our patience, alertness, courage, kindness and Love, we will prevail.”
For further information look to the CFPB at:
If you can’t make your mortgage payments because of the coronavirus, start by understanding your options and reaching out for help.