Homeowners with Payment Challenges

COVID-19 Pandemic Loan Notice

On an active payment relief plan, you will not be able to refinance your loan. If you’re still current on payments and want to see if you qualify for a refinance, please contact one of our mortgage loan officers.

There are a number of options available to help homeowners who are struggling with mortgage payments. Don’t wait; call today. A conversation with your Trustmark loss mitigation preservation specialist - your dedicated point of contact through the process - will help you understand if you qualify for one of the loss approaches.

Contact us at 866.229.1656 or 888.309.9887

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., CST

You can also send a secure email message to us at mortinfo@trustmark.com, and a loan counselor will contact you. Please include your loan number in the message.

Understand the Process

Call us at 866.229.1656 for a confidential review of your options. We’ll talk with you about your situation, review your income, and discuss possible options, so you can either stay in your home or leave your home and avoid foreclosure. Loss mitigation services are free. Be wary of any party that charges a fee for this service.

Step 1: Get started with your specialist

When you call us, we’ll:

• discuss in detail the reasons for your hardship or default.
• ask you the amount of your annual gross income.
• ask you whether the property is occupied or vacant.
• discuss your options.

Step 2: Gather and review your documents

You will receive a documentation package from your Trustmark loss mitigation preservation specialist. Provide all of the requested information in your package. We cannot begin processing your request until we have all the required documentation signed by you and your co-signer. And, keep an eye on deadlines - missing them can result in delays, resubmitting documents, or even foreclosure.

Step 3: Submit your information

Before sending in your documents, remember to:

• Complete all spaces. Write “n/a” if something does not apply to you.
• Write your loan number on every page. If pages separate, this helps organize them.
• Return every page we send to you. Don’t leave anything out, even blank forms.
• Check signatures. Make sure each borrower has signed and dated all forms where indicated.
• Keep your original documents. We only need copies.
• Submit everything at once. Sending documents individually can slow down the process.

Mail your completed package to:

Trustmark National Bank
Attn: Mortgage Loan Servicing
P.O. Box 522
Jackson, MS 39205-0522

Step 4: Discuss next steps with your Trustmark loss mitigation specialist

We’ll review your request as quickly as possible; it may take up to 30 days to process your application. If you have questions or want updates during the review period, call your Trustmark loss mitigation preservation specialist. As soon as the review is completed, your Trustmark loss mitigation preservation specialist will let you know your options.

You can call us at 866.229.1656 or download our Mortgage Assistance Package by clicking one of the appropriate “Download” buttons below. Be sure to review the cover page that includes instructions on how to complete the borrower assistance package, the documents you will need to provide, and the mailing address or fax number to which you will send your completed package.

• Mortgage Assistance Package for FHA/VA/USDA Loans
• Mortgage Assistance Package for Fannie Mae(FNMA)/Freddie Mac Loans
• Solicitud de Asistencia Hipotecaria FHA/VA/USDA Loans
• Solicitud de Asistencia Hipotecaria for Fannie Mae(FNMA)/Freddie Mac Loans

If preserving your home is your goal or perhaps your circumstance is temporary, your mortgage payment assistance options may include:

Repayment Plan

If you have experienced a short-term financial difficulty and are now in an improved financial situation, a repayment plan may be a good option for you. A repayment plan spreads the total amount of past due payments over a specific time period (usually 3-6 months) and allows you to make your regularly scheduled payments plus an additional portion of the past due payments to bring your loan current. This option works well for homeowners who can afford to pay more than their scheduled monthly payment until the past due amount is paid in full. Note that a repayment plan may affect your credit. If you are experiencing a temporary hardship, notify us as soon as possible. The sooner we know of your situation, the more likely a repayment plan can be developed to get your payments back on track.

Forbearance

This option temporarily suspends or reduces your regular mortgage payment allowing you time to recover from a short-term financial problem. Once your financial condition improves, we can discuss options to bring your loan current. Most often, this option is used during temporary hardship, such as unemployment. This option may affect your credit; however, the impact may be less than a series of late payments.

Mortgage Loan Modification

If you can’t afford your current mortgage due to a financial hardship, and you want to stay in your home, we may be able to change certain terms of your loan to make your payments more affordable. Any change to the original terms, such as the interest rate, term or the time allowed for repayment, is called a loan modification. A loan modification allows you to keep your existing loan while changing its terms. (A loan modification is not a refinance – a refinance replaces your current loan with a new one.) Examples of modifications that could make your payments more manageable include lowering your interest rate or extending the term of your loan.

There are multiple loan modification programs available that offer different options for borrowers in different situations and are meant to help people keep their homes when facing a significant hardship. There are eligibility requirements for loan modifications based on the loan’s investor or other factors, and you have to meet certain requirements to qualify for a modification. We’ll work with you to determine whether a loan modification or another option may work for you.

Trial Period Plan

If you're approved for a loan modification, in some cases, you will be required to first complete a Trial Period Plan. This is a temporary payment relief period that allows you to demonstrate that you can consistently manage the estimated modified mortgage payment.

You will have a new monthly payment amount during this Trial Period Plan. If you make timely payments and meet all requirements stated in the Trial Period Plan terms, the permanent loan modification documentation will be prepared and sent to you for execution.

You can learn more about the application process by either applying online or calling us at 866.229.1656 or 888.309.9887.

Reinstatement

This option allows you to pay all past due amounts in a single lump-sum payment and bring your mortgage current immediately. The reinstatement amount is the total amount of past due payments that may include late fees and attorney costs.

Deferral

Some loans and circumstances provide an option for a deferral of the payments due until the loan pays off or matures. This option allows you to resume making monthly payments while deferring the payments accrued during the forbearance period to a later date.

If you aren’t interested in maintaining ownership of the property and need debt relief, your options may include:

Temporary Forbearance While Selling Your Home with Listing Agreement

This option allows you to make reduced payments or no payments for a specific period of time. During this time, your mortgage will become increasingly delinquent.

Pre-Foreclosure Sale (Short Sale)

If you can no longer afford to keep your home, a short sale may be an option to avoid foreclosure and get a fresh start. A short sale allows you to sell your home for less than what you owe (pending investor approval) and may (not always) satisfy your debt.

To pursue a short sale, call us at 866.229.1656 or 888.309.9887. We may request certain documentation to complete the short sale review. The short sale process could be delayed if the requested documentation is not received in a timely manner.

Note: Some investors will not permit a short sale if you have not been evaluated for all home retention solutions. A short sale may have tax consequences and/or impact your credit. Contact your tax advisor to discuss these potential impacts.

Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure

With a deed-in-lieu (DIL) of foreclosure, you voluntarily transfer ownership of your home to Trustmark or your lender, instead of through foreclosure. The lender then terminates the loan, and the remaining balance due is forgiven.

With a DIL arrangement, you’ll have plenty of time to plan your move and transition out of your home. You may also be eligible for relocation assistance or assistance with paying other liens and judgments against your property.

You will need to submit a completed Statement of Information form to start the review process.

Note: DIL arrangements are subject to investor approval and certain other eligibility factors. Some investors will not permit a DIL if you have not been evaluated for all home retention solutions. A DIL may have tax consequences and/or impact your credit. Contact your tax advisor to discuss these potential impacts.

To Request Payment Assistance

If you would like to request payment assistance, please complete the Mortgage Payment Assistance Form for your type of loan (see links above), which will help us determine the best option available for your situation. Once you have completed the form, submit it to us in one of the following ways, and a Trustmark representative will contact you within approximately three to five days:

by mail at
Trustmark National Bank
Attn: Mortgage Loan Servicing
P.O. Box 522
Jackson, MS 39205-0522

by Fax at 601.208.2633 or 601.949.4411

If you have concerns about the evaluation of your foreclosure alternative options, contact our Escalation Case Unit at 601.208.8533. Any concerns will be reviewed by our Specialist who will acknowledge your inquiry in writing via email, fax or mail within 72 hours. We will make every attempt to address your questions and/or concerns within 15 days from the date of receipt.

Additional Resources

For help exploring options, The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides contact information for housing counselors at portal.hud.gov (https://apps.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm) or by calling 800.569.4287.

In addition, this information can be found by accessing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/).

NeighborWorks^® provides foreclosure solutions. Visit (https://www.neighborworks.org/Home) or call 888.995.4673 for more information.

Additionally, Know Your Options (https://www.knowyouroptions.com/find-resources/information-and-tools/beware-of-scams) is another source of information.

Homeowner Assistance Fund: There may be mortgage assistance programs available in certain states/jurisdictions for homeowners impacted by COVID-19. For more information, visit the National Council of State Housing Agencies and search for your state.

The NAIHC Tribal Housing Assistance Resource Hub provided by the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) is a resource for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian homeowners, individuals, and families looking for mortgage, utilities, and rental assistance offered by state and tribal programs.

Help for Homeowners

If your ability to pay your mortgage is impacted, and your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to delay making your monthly mortgage payments for a temporary period, or you may be eligible for other mortgage workout options. To determine if your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, use the following "loan lookup" tools:

Fannie Mae |  https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup

Freddie Mac | https://loanlookup.freddiemac.com/

Here to Help. Fannie Mae is here to help with reliable information and resources to provide financial relief. Explore your options: https://www.fanniemae.com/here-help-homeowners

Understanding the difference between servicers and investors

What is the difference between a mortgage servicer and an investor?

As you may know, the company to whom you send your home loan payments is called your mortgage servicer. Trustmark is the servicer on your loan. As the servicer, Trustmark is responsible for collecting and applying payments to your loan, handling escrow accounts (if applicable), communicating loan information to borrowers, and assisting borrowers with applying for programs when they are facing financial difficulty.

It’s important to also know who the investor or insurer is on your loan. A lender or loan originator is the entity that gives you the loan. Typically, loans are backed by investors (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) or insurers (such as FHA, VA, and USDA). Servicers are required to apply the investor or insurer rules when servicing your home loan.

This is important because the number of months of forbearance you can have and the options available to resolve missed payments at the end of payment suspension vary by investor/insurer.

HUD Counseling

Get free counseling from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at https://apps.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.

Note: We may report information about your account to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account may be reflected in your credit report. Debt relief options may negatively affect your credit.