Do I have to stop paying my mortgage to qualify for a loan modification?
Short answer
No. The CFPB says skipping payments can damage a credit score and narrow later options. Advice to stop paying so a becomes available may be a scam. A HUD-approved housing counselor is an official place to get help.
Full explanation
You do not have to stop paying in order to seek a loan modification. The CFPB says missed mortgage payments can hurt a credit score and limit options. If someone hired to help with the mortgage says to stop paying so a modification can be approved, the CFPB says that person may be trying to run a scam.
Official help is available through a HUD-approved housing counselor. The CFPB can connect a caller to a counselor at (855) 411-CFPB (2372). The same number, or a complaint filed online, can be used to report someone who gave that stop-paying advice.
The brief does not describe when a particular servicer will approve a modification, and it does not say that remaining current guarantees one. This is a warning about payment-stop advice, not a prediction of any loss-mitigation result.
Sources reviewed
A person I hired to help with my mortgage advised me to stop making payments on my mortgage loan so I could qualify for a loan modification. Do I have to do this?
Related mortgage terms
Last reviewed
September 10, 2026