Having trouble making your mortgage payment? Financial hardships happen to the best of us — job loss, medical emergencies, or unexpected expenses can make it difficult to keep up with your monthly payment. The good news is that mortgage deferment and mortgage forbearance options exist to provide temporary pause or reduction in your payments while you get back on your feet.
But how many times can you defer a mortgage payment? How long can you defer mortgage payments before you need to resume? And what’s the difference between deferment and forbearance? In this guide, Champions Mortgage explains everything you need to know about mortgage relief options, including how to defer a mortgage payment, qualification requirements, and what happens when the deferral period ends. Champions Mortgage’s mortgage broker in Houston, TX, explains how mortgage deferments work below.
What Is Mortgage Deferment? How Deferring Your Mortgage Payment Works
When you take out a mortgage, you agree to pay the loan in installments. Your lender typically determines the payment amount and frequency. Mortgage payments may include mandatory homeowner’s insurance and private mortgage insurance, depending on the lender’s terms.
Mortgage deferment Program is a form of mortgage relief that allows you to temporarily pause or reduce your mortgage payments during financial hardship. Unlike forbearance (which we’ll explain below), deferment typically moves your missed payments to the end of your loan term. You don’t have to pay back the deferred amount immediately — instead, it’s added to the end of your existing mortgage.
Think of deferment as pressing “pause” on your mortgage payments. The payment amount you defer doesn’t disappear — it gets moved to a later date. This differs from forbearance, where you may need to repay the skipped payments in a lump sum or through a repayment plan after the forbearance period ends.
Mortgage Deferment vs. Mortgage Forbearance: What’s the Difference?
Many homeowners confuse mortgage deferment and mortgage forbearance — and mortgage servicers sometimes use the terms interchangeably. However, there are important differences in how you repay the missed payments:
Mortgage Forbearance
Forbearance allows you to temporarily pause or reduce your mortgage payments for a set period — typically 3 to 12 months. During forbearance, you’re not required to make your full monthly payment. However, when the forbearance period ends, you’ll need to repay the missed amount. Options usually include a lump-sum balloon payment, a repayment plan added to your regular payments, or loan modification. Forbearance is often the first step before qualifying for deferment.
Mortgage Deferment
Deferment moves your missed payments to the end of your mortgage term. Instead of paying back the deferred amount immediately or through higher monthly payments, the balance is due when you sell your home, refinance, or reach the end of your loan. This makes deferment more manageable for many borrowers because it doesn’t increase your monthly payment after the relief period. Deferment is typically offered after a forbearance period.
Key difference: Forbearance requires you to catch up on payments relatively quickly. Deferment pushes the payments until the end of the loan — providing more breathing room. Many homeowners start with forbearance and then qualify for mortgage deferment to avoid the lump-sum repayment.
When Should You Defer Your Mortgage Payment? Signs It’s Time to Ask for Help
The best time to request mortgage forbearance or deferment is BEFORE you miss a payment. Contact your mortgage servicer as soon as you know you’ll have trouble making your monthly payment. Being proactive shows good faith and gives you more options.
Consider deferring your mortgage payment if you’re experiencing:
- Job loss or reduced income
- Medical emergency or unexpected medical bills
- Natural disaster affecting your home or income
- Divorce or death of a spouse
- Temporary financial hardship that you expect to recover from
Important: Is it bad to defer a mortgage payment? Deferment itself doesn’t directly hurt your credit score (unlike missed payments). However, your servicer may report the account as in forbearance, which some future lenders might view cautiously. The key is that deferment is FAR better than missing payments and risking foreclosure.
How Many Times Can You Defer a Mortgage Payment? Deferment Limits Explained
If you qualify for deferment, you can request one for up to 12 payment periods under most circumstances. However, you cannot ask for these deferments consecutively. Once you apply for one, you should wait at least a year before you request another one. So, how many times can you defer a mortgage payment? The answer depends on your loan type, your mortgage servicer’s policies, and your specific financial situation.
General Deferment Limits
Most mortgage servicers allow deferment of up to 12 monthly payments at a time. However, you typically cannot request deferments back-to-back. After completing one deferment period, you’ll usually need to wait at least 12 months and make on-time payments before requesting another deferral. This means you can potentially defer mortgage payments multiple times over the life of your loan — but not consecutively.
Conventional Loans (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac)
For conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, payment deferral is available for up to 12 months of missed payments. The deferred amount becomes a non-interest-bearing balance due at the end of the loan, when you sell your home, or when you refinance. You can get a deferment more than once, but not within 12 months of a previous deferment.
FHA Loans
FHA loans offer similar forbearance and deferment options. After forbearance, FHA borrowers may qualify for a partial claim that moves the missed payments to a separate, interest-free loan due when you sell or refinance. How many loan extensions can you get with FHA? Multiple, as long as you meet eligibility requirements each time.
VA Loans
VA loans provide several options for struggling borrowers, including forbearance, repayment plans, and loan modifications. VA mortgage servicers work with borrowers to find solutions, and deferment-style relief may be available depending on your situation.
How Long Can You Defer Mortgage Payments? Timeline & Duration
How long can you defer mortgage payments depends on your loan type and mortgage servicer. Here’s what to expect:
Forbearance Period: 3-12 Months
Before deferment, you’ll typically go through forbearance first. Initial forbearance periods are usually 3-6 months, with extensions available up to 12 months total (sometimes 18 months for COVID-related hardships). During this time, your mortgage payment is paused or reduced.
Deferment: Up to 12 Months of Payments
After forbearance ends, qualifying borrowers can defer up to 12 months of missed payments to the end of their loan. The deferred payments don’t accrue additional interest (for most programs) and simply extend your mortgage payoff date or become due when you sell/refinance.
Total Relief Period: Up to 18-24 Months
Combining forbearance and deferment, you could potentially receive 18-24 months of mortgage relief in a single hardship event. However, this varies by servicer and loan type. Some borrowers may qualify for additional help through loan modification if they still can’t afford their monthly payment after deferment.
Other Mortgage Relief Options: Forbearance, Loan Modification & More
Forbearance and deferment aren’t the sole sources of relief for which you can apply. You can also explore other outlets, such as:
- Loan modifications: A loan modification permanently changes the terms of your mortgage to make it more affordable. Your servicer might extend your loan term, reduce your interest rate, or even reduce your principal balance. Unlike deferment (which is temporary), loan modification creates a new, permanent monthly payment amount you can afford long-term.
- Home equity investments: If you’ve fallen behind but can now afford more than your regular payment, a repayment plan spreads your missed payments across several months. For example, if you missed 3 payments, your servicer might add a portion to your monthly payment for the next 6-12 months until you’re caught up.
- Refinancing: RRefinancing replaces your existing mortgage with a new loan — potentially at a lower interest rate or with a longer term that reduces your monthly payment. If you have home equity, you could do a cash-out refinance to access funds. Note: Refinancing typically requires you to be current on payments, so it’s not always an option if you’re already behind.
How to Qualify for Mortgage Deferment: Requirements & Eligibility
If you’re asking, “How many times can you defer a mortgage payment?” you’re likely trying to figure out how to qualify for mortgage relief. What eligibility requirements apply to deferments, forbearances, and other forms of mortgage relief? Like countless other processes, you must document your situation and present the evidence to your lender. Collecting the following elements might prove helpful.
Provide Proof of Financial Struggles
You’ll need to demonstrate a legitimate financial hardship — job loss, medical emergency, divorce, or other circumstances affecting your ability to pay. Provide documentation such as termination letters, medical bills, divorce decrees, or income statements showing reduced earnings. The more documentation you have, the smoother the process.
Loan Requirements
To qualify for mortgage deferment, your loan typically must be at least 12 months old and have at least 36 months remaining. For Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loans, the property must be your primary residence, second home, or investment property. Your mortgage servicer will verify these requirements when you apply.
Consider Your Mortgage Timeline and Stipulations
Your mortgage must:
- Be a conventional, first-lien loan
- Have 36 months of payments left or more
- Exist for a year or more
You should also have at least two months of delinquency but fewer than six months.
Budget to Pay the Lump Sum
Most deferments don’t follow a typical repayment plan. Your lender might require that you pay back the deferred amount in a single sum. Create a financial plan that allows you to set aside additional money to cover the sum by the end of the deferment period.
Champions Mortgage Offers Flexible Mortgage Loans in Texas
How many times can you defer a mortgage payment? Let’s discuss it together!
Champions Mortgage covers other basics of mortgage loans. As a Best Texas mortgage lender, we cover the entire state with low mortgage rates and quick responses. Call 281-727-2500 to explore homeownership options with us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mortgage Deferment & Forbearance
Is deferring mortgage payments a good idea?
Deferring mortgage payments can be a good idea if you’re facing temporary financial hardship and need breathing room. Unlike missing payments (which damages credit and leads to foreclosure), deferment provides legitimate relief while protecting your credit score and home. The key question is whether your hardship is temporary — if so, deferment makes sense.
How often can you do a payment deferral?
You can request mortgage deferment multiple times over the life of your loan, but not consecutively. After one deferral period ends, you’ll typically need to wait 12 months and make on-time payments before qualifying for another deferral. This prevents back-to-back deferments while allowing relief for multiple hardship events.
Can you skip a mortgage payment and add it to the end?
Yes — that’s essentially what mortgage deferment does. Your skipped payments are added to the end of your loan term rather than requiring immediate repayment. The deferred amount becomes due when you sell your home, refinance, or reach the end of your mortgage. You cannot simply skip payments on your own — you must request and receive approval for deferment from your mortgage servicer.
How many times can you skip a mortgage payment?
With approved agreement of forbearance and deferment, you can skip up to 12-18 months of mortgage payments in a single hardship event. However, “skipping” without approval leads to delinquency and potential foreclosure. Always contact your servicer before missing any payment — unauthorized skipped payments have serious consequences.
How long can you delay a mortgage payment?
Through forbearance and deferment combined, you can delay mortgage payments for up to 18-24 months depending on your loan type and servicer. Forbearance typically provides 3-12 months of initial relief, followed by deferment that moves up to 12 months of payments to the end of your loan.
Can forbearances or deferments hurt your credit?
Deferment itself typically doesn’t hurt your credit score because you’re not reported as delinquent. Forbearance is reported to credit bureaus, but recent changes have made this less damaging — especially for COVID-related forbearance. Both are FAR less damaging than missed payments, late payments, or foreclosure. The best approach is always to communicate with your servicer before missing any payment.
Can you get a deferment more than once?
Yes, you can get mortgage deferment more than once over the life of your loan — just not consecutively. After completing a deferment, you’ll need to resume regular payments for at least 12 months before qualifying for another. Each deferment requires a new hardship and new approval from your mortgage servicer.
How can I defer a mortgage payment?
To defer a mortgage payment:
1) Contact your mortgage servicer immediately — before missing any payment,
2) Explain your financial hardship and request forbearance or deferment options,
3) Provide documentation of your hardship,
4) Complete any required applications,
5) Get approval in writing before stopping payments. Your servicer’s loss mitigation department handles these requests.
