What it costs
Agencies in HUD's program may not charge for counseling about being behind on a mortgage, a default or a foreclosure. If someone calling themselves a counselor asks you for money to help with a foreclosure, they are not following HUD's rules. See how to spot a rescue scam.
What a counselor does
- Reviews your income, bills and the letters you have received.
- Explains which options fit your loan and how far behind you are.
- Helps you fill out and send the servicer's application for help.
- Calls the servicer with you, or for you with your permission.
A counselor is not a lawyer and cannot represent you in court. If you were served with a lawsuit or a sale date is set, call legal aid too. See a sale date is set.
How to find one
- Call HUD's counselor line: (800) 569-4287 (TTY (800) 877-8339).
- Search HUD's list at hud.gov/findacounselor.
- Search the same list on the CFPB's site.
- HUD also lists the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline, 888-995-HOPE (4673), which offers free foreclosure prevention counseling.
Each state page on this site also lists that state's own housing agency and hotline.
What to have ready
- Your most recent mortgage statement and any letters from the servicer, a court or a trustee.
- Proof of income for everyone who pays toward the home.
- A list of your monthly bills.
- A short explanation of what changed. The hardship letter template can help.
Your servicer has to tell you about counseling
The letter your servicer must send by the 45th day you are behind has to list a website for finding a housing counselor and HUD's toll-free number. If your letter did not, the number is the one above.
How much time do you have? It depends on your state.
See the foreclosure timeline, deadlines and free local help for the state where the home is.
Common questions
How do I know an agency is really HUD-approved?
Find it through HUD's phone line or the HUD or CFPB search pages above instead of through an ad, a mailer or a phone call you did not ask for. If the name is not on the list, it is not approved.
Can a counselor stop a foreclosure sale?
Not on their own. A counselor can get a complete application in front of your servicer fast, which can trigger federal protections if it arrives more than 37 days before the sale. Closer to the sale than that, call legal aid or a lawyer the same day.
Keep reading
- What to do firstThe earlier you act, the more options you have. These are the first six things to do, in order, whether you are about to miss a payment or are already a few months behind.
- A sale date is setA sale date means time is short, not that it has run out. Each option below has its own cutoff, so the order you act in matters. Start today.
- Avoid foreclosure rescue scamsPeople facing foreclosure are a target. Federal law bans most upfront fees for mortgage relief, so any company that asks to be paid before you have an offer from your servicer is breaking the rules.
- Your federal rightsFederal rules (Regulation X) set the floor in every state. They do not force your servicer to approve any option, but they control when it can start a foreclosure and how it must handle your application.
- Help by loan typeYour servicer collects the payments, but the rules for what it can offer you come from whoever owns or insures the loan. Find that out first.
- Taxes after foreclosureThe IRS treats a foreclosure as a sale, and forgiven debt is usually income. The main home exclusion many people relied on has expired for most 2026 cases, but insolvency and bankruptcy exclusions still apply.