U.S. Mortgage Index

Delinquency

Definition

Delinquency means a required mortgage payment has not been made when it was due. It describes the missed-payment status, not a specific legal proceeding.

In plain English

If a payment does not arrive as the note requires, the loan is delinquent. How a servicer reports that status, and what happens next, depends on the account and the rules that apply. Delinquency is not automatically foreclosure. It is also not deferment or a repayment plan, which are possible later arrangements.

Technical definition

Consumer and GSE glossaries treat delinquency as failure to make a payment when due. State foreclosure procedure is outside this definition.

Why it matters

Servicing, credit reporting, and loss-mitigation language all start from whether the loan is current or delinquent.

Sources reviewed

Important note

This page does not describe foreclosure timelines or give legal advice.