HAF – Homeowner Assistance Fund Information
The federal government authorized a Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. Funds from the HAF may be used for assistance with mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, utility payments, and other specified purposes. The law prioritizes funds for homeowners who have experienced the greatest hardships, leveraging local and national income indicators to maximize the impact.
The Homeowner Assistance Fund provides:
- A minimum of $50 million for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
- $498 million for Tribes or Tribally designated housing entities and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
- $30 million for the territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Learn More about your state’s program and whether you might be eligible for assistance.
COVID 19 Assistance Information
Our thoughts and best wishes are with anyone affected by the COVID-19 National Emergency. We are attempting to respond to your inquiries as quickly as possible. Our call centers remain open during normal business hours, however, we are experiencing higher than normal call volume and longer wait times. If you are requesting COVID-19 assistance and would like to speak to a representative, please call 866-882-8187 and choose Option #1.
To make a payment or inquire about your loan, please use our automated telephone system by calling 866-882-8187, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
For other self-service options, please log on here.
To view the latest information and message from the Consumers Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), please click here.
To be redirected to the CFPB's blog page for information and guides about mortgage protections such as forbearance, and how to take action to protect their homes and avoid foreclosure, click here.
To request a Forbearance Plan or a Forbearance Plan Extension please click here.
Please contact your state and local county to inquire about any additional financial assistance available to you.
How do I cancel my monthly automatic payments?
Planet will automatically cancel your ACH payment during the forbearance setup process. Depending on your draft date, you may need to contact your financial institution to issue a stop payment, as it may be too late for us to cancel.
Once your account is current and you no longer need a suspension for your monthly mortgage payment, you will need to reestablish your ACH setup by following the below steps.
- Send an email to CS@myloansupport.com. In the subject line just notate: Reestablish ACH; or
- Call 866-882-8187 to speak with Customer Service to reestablish your automatic payments.
What assistance is available to me?
If you have a FHA, VA or USDA loan Currently in Forbearance:
- If you were on a COVID-19 forbearance on or before June 30, 2020, you may be eligible for up to an additional 180 days of forbearance, after completing the initial 12-month forbearance period.
- Pursuant to Agency guidelines, these forbearances may be provided in two additional 90-day extension periods. (Each request must be submitted separately)
- For these customers, the end of your forbearance period may not extend past December 31, 2021.
Requesting a new Forbearance:
- If you are requesting a new COVID-19 forbearance because you have not had one before, you are eligible for 12 months of forbearance.
- The initial forbearance may be granted for 6 months. If needed, an additional 6-month period may be granted.
- All requests must be made before June 30, 2021. These forbearance periods may not extend beyond June 30, 2022.
If you have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (GSE) loan:
- All GSE Customers: Currently there is no deadline to enroll in a new forbearance plan for customers who have not had one previously.
- If you had a prior forbearance as of February 28, 2021, you are eligible for an additional three-month extension of your COVID-19 forbearance.
- This additional three-month extension allows you to be in forbearance for up to 18 months if you had previously extended your forbearance from 12 to 15 months. If you had not extended your forbearance, then you are only entitled to the 3-month extension, bringing your forbearance to 15 months.
* All forbearance periods may be shortened or canceled at any time.
What is a forbearance plan?
A forbearance plan is a temporary suspension of your mortgage payments to allow time to resolve your ability to pay your mortgage. Forbearance does not mean your payments are forgiven. You are still required to eventually fully repay your forbearance, but you won’t have to repay it all at once — unless you are able to do so.
At the end of the forbearance period, a review of your hardship will be completed to determine if you are able to pay the payments that were suspended or if a long-term loss mitigation option is needed.
Do I qualify for a Forbearance Plan?
As a loan servicer, many of our loans are backed by the federal government, including FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac loans (“federally backed loans”), and in accordance with provisions of the recently passed CARES Act, if customers with federally backed loans are experiencing a financial hardship related to the corona virus pandemic, we are permitted to allow these borrowers to enter into a Forbearance Plan.
How will a forbearance plan affect my credit?
During the COVID-19 forbearance period, payments are not required. We will not report your payments to the credit bureaus as late during the forbearance period if you were current at the time of the forbearance request. If you were already delinquent at the time, your account will continue to be reported as delinquent as required by the CARES Act. There will be no late charges assessed to your account if you are under a COVID-19 forbearance.
What happens at the end of my forbearance period?
As we work with you on the next steps after the forbearance, the best solution will depend on your financial situation when your Forbearance Plan has concluded. Prior to the expiration of the forbearance period, Planet will contact you to determine if your financial status has changed. At that time, Planet will also ask if you are able to make the payments that were suspended through the forbearance, or make any payments, if applicable, that were due prior to the forbearance. Planet will also inquire if you are able to continue with your monthly payment. If it is determined that you are still financially impacted by COVID-19, we can extend your forbearance period.
How will I be reviewed for a loss mitigation option?
If it is determined that you do not have the ability to pay the suspended payments or any payments due prior to the forbearance, Planet will contact you to discuss your financial situation, your ability to pay your existing mortgage payment going forward and then complete a review for either extending your forbearance or entering into a payment plan, a modification, Partial Claim, Deferment or other loss mitigation options that may be available under investor guidelines at that time for the outstanding suspended payments.
* FHA introduced enhanced Loss Mitigation tools and simplified a COVID-19 Recovery Modifications to help homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Available options will offer borrowers appropriate relief while preserving flexibility for future crises.*
Can I still make payments if I am granted a forbearance?
Yes. If you have the ability to make a payment, it may benefit you to do so, even though you were granted a forbearance.
Why am I receiving a monthly billing statement during my forbearance period?
In order to meet compliance requirements, Planet will continue to send you a monthly billing statement. You are not required to make any payments during the forbearance period. Delinquent credit reporting will not occur during the forbearance period as long as your account was current at the time of your request for a forbearance.
How does the forbearance Plan affect my escrow account?
Planet will continue to make your tax and insurance payments during the Forbearance Period if you have an escrow account. However, the suspension of payments may result in a shortage in your escrow account. If you normally pay property taxes and insurance on your own, keep making those payments when they are due.
How do I submit my request for a Forbearance Plan?
It is easy! To request a Forbearance Plan or a Forbearance Plan Extension, please click here. The link will bring you to Planet’s website where you can make your request. Once your request is processed, Planet will send a letter notifying you that you have been setup on a Forbearance Plan and when the plan is due to expire.
What if I am a homeowner requiring translation assistance?
This is a very important notice. If you need translation assistance with the contents of this Covid-19 assistance web page, please call 866-882-8187, Option 2, then Option 3, and follow the additional instructions.
Are you a New York customer who does not have a federally backed loan and who is in need of COVID-19 loss mitigation assistance?
- New York regulated residential mortgage lenders/servicers must (i) make applications for forbearance widely available; and (ii) grant payment forbearance for a period of 180 days, which may be extended for an additional 180 days.
- Forbearance is available to individual borrowers residing in New York who are not in foreclosure and can demonstrate a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The law in New York allows a NY borrower to select one of three repayment options for a COVID-19 related forbearance. The three options are as follows: (1) the mortgagor shall have the option to extend the term of the loan for the length of the period of forbearance. The regulated institution shall not charge additional interest or any late fees or penalties on the forborne payment; or (2) the NY borrower shall have the option to have the arrears accumulated during the forbearance period payable on a monthly basis for the remaining term of the loan without being subject to penalties or late fees incurred as a result of the forbearance; or (3) the NY borrower shall have the option to negotiate a loan modification or any other option that meets the changed circumstances of the qualified mortgagor; or (4) if the NY borrower and mortgage loan servicer cannot reasonably agree on a mutually acceptable loan modification, the lender/servicer shall offer to defer arrears accumulated during the forbearance period as a non-interest bearing balloon loan payable at the maturity of the loan, or at the time the loan is satisfied through a refinance or sale of the property. Any late fees accumulated because of the forbearance will be waived.
- Call 1- 866-882-8187 to obtain assistance.
How can I help to protect myself against mortgage fraud?
As a valued Planet Home Lending customer, we want to make sure you have as much information as possible regarding mortgage fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Planet will continue to devote all of our necessary resources to assist you during this very difficult time and maintain all the services you have come to count on from Planet. In addition, as new developments emerge, we will share information with you regarding how we continue to operate safely and effectively.
Please beware of scams offering payment assistance options. There are no fees charged to you to complete a Forbearance Plan. If you suspect fraud, please contact us immediately to confirm you are speaking with a representative of Planet.