If you are searching for a VA hardship loan, you may be a veteran or military homeowner struggling with mortgage payments and looking for a way to protect your home. The first thing to understand is important: there is not one official Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage product called a “VA hardship loan.” Instead, VA-backed borrowers may have several mortgage-relief and foreclosure-avoidance options depending on their circumstances.
Those options can include repayment plans, forbearance, loan modifications and, for eligible borrowers, the newer VA Partial Claim Program. Your mortgage servicer is generally the first place to contact if you are having trouble making your payment.
If you are already behind or expect to miss a payment, contact your mortgage servicer as soon as possible. You can also review official VA help for borrowers having trouble making mortgage payments.
For general questions about VA mortgage financing in Florida, you can also contact Greg Hayden and Mortgages Done Right or call 561-777-7622.
What Is a VA Hardship Loan?
The phrase “VA hardship loan” is commonly used by homeowners searching online for financial help, but it is not the formal name of a single VA mortgage program.
Instead, the Department of Veterans Affairs works with mortgage servicers and eligible VA borrowers through several loss-mitigation and home-retention options. The appropriate solution depends on factors such as:
- Whether the mortgage is VA-backed
- How far behind the borrower is
- Whether the financial hardship is temporary or long term
- Whether the borrower can resume the regular monthly payment
- The mortgage servicer’s available options
- Current VA servicing requirements
This distinction matters because borrowers should not respond to advertisements promising a special “government hardship loan” without first verifying what program is actually being offered.
What Should You Do If You Cannot Make Your VA Mortgage Payment?
The most important first step is to contact your mortgage servicer promptly. Your servicer is the company that receives your monthly mortgage payment and manages the loan after closing.
Do not wait until several payments have been missed. Reaching out early may provide more time to discuss available options and submit any financial documentation the servicer requires.
The Department of Veterans Affairs also provides assistance for borrowers with VA-backed mortgages who are having difficulty making payments. Veterans with questions about an existing VA loan can also contact the appropriate VA Regional Loan Center.
Official information is available through the VA foreclosure-avoidance and mortgage assistance page.
VA Mortgage Relief Options for Financial Hardship
The relief option that fits one veteran may not be appropriate for another. Some solutions are designed for temporary hardships, while others address longer-term affordability problems.
Repayment Plan
A repayment plan may be considered when a borrower has missed payments but can now resume the regular mortgage payment and contribute additional money toward the delinquent balance.
Under a repayment arrangement, the borrower generally continues making the normal mortgage payment plus an agreed additional amount until the missed payments are brought current.
This may make sense when the financial setback was temporary and household income has recovered.
Forbearance
Forbearance may temporarily reduce or suspend required mortgage payments during an eligible hardship.
Forbearance is not the same as forgiveness. Missed amounts generally still need to be resolved later through an approved repayment or loss-mitigation option.
Borrowers should ask their servicer exactly:
- How long the forbearance lasts
- What happens to missed payments
- Whether interest continues to accrue
- What options are available when the forbearance ends
- What documentation is required
VA Loan Modification
A loan modification changes certain terms of the existing mortgage rather than replacing the mortgage with an entirely new refinance loan.
Depending on the applicable VA and servicer guidelines, a modification may address delinquent amounts and restructure the repayment schedule to create a more sustainable payment.
A modification is generally a servicing solution. It is not the same as applying with a mortgage broker for a new refinance.
The New VA Partial Claim Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs formally launched a new VA Partial Claim Program in June 2026 to provide another foreclosure-avoidance option for certain eligible VA borrowers.
A partial claim can allow eligible past-due amounts to be moved into a separate obligation rather than requiring the entire delinquency to be paid immediately.
According to current VA guidance, eligibility and implementation depend on the borrower’s situation and mortgage servicer. VA has also provided mortgage servicers time to implement the new program into their servicing systems.
That means a borrower should not assume the Partial Claim option is already operational with every servicer. Contact your mortgage company directly and ask which current VA loss-mitigation options it has implemented.
Read the latest information on the official VA mortgage assistance page.
What Happened to the VASP Program?
You may still encounter older articles discussing the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program, commonly called VASP.
VASP is no longer accepting new borrowers. The VA ended the program effective May 1, 2025.
This is an important reason to verify the publication date whenever you read online information about VA mortgage hardship assistance. Mortgage-servicing programs can change, and old articles may continue appearing in search results long after a program has ended.
Current VA information should always take priority over older blog posts, videos or advertisements.
VA Hardship Relief vs. VA Refinancing
A homeowner experiencing mortgage hardship should understand the difference between servicing relief and refinancing.
Loss-mitigation options such as repayment arrangements, forbearance, modifications and Partial Claims generally involve the existing mortgage and its current servicer.
A refinance, on the other hand, replaces the existing mortgage with a new loan.
VA IRRRL
An eligible borrower with an existing VA mortgage may sometimes consider a VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan, commonly called an IRRRL, when the goal is to change qualifying loan terms.
An IRRRL is not a foreclosure-rescue program and it should not be presented as a substitute for contacting your servicer when you are delinquent.
VA Cash-Out Refinance
A VA home loan borrower with sufficient qualification and equity may also explore cash-out refinancing in appropriate circumstances.
Again, refinancing requires a new mortgage approval and is different from a servicer’s hardship-relief process.
If you are already behind on payments, discuss your situation with the servicer before assuming refinancing is available or appropriate.
Estimate Your Housing Costs Before Making a Long-Term Decision
For homeowners trying to stabilize their budget, understanding the complete monthly housing cost can help when evaluating future options.
Your payment may include:
- Mortgage principal and interest
- Property taxes
- Homeowners insurance
- Flood insurance where applicable
- HOA or condominium dues
- Other property-related obligations
You can use our Florida mortgage calculator to compare estimated mortgage-payment scenarios.
A calculator does not determine eligibility for a VA modification, Partial Claim, refinance or other hardship option. Your servicer and the applicable VA guidelines determine servicing eligibility.
VA Mortgage Help for Florida Veterans
Florida veterans can face additional housing-cost pressures because homeowners insurance, flood coverage, condominium fees, property taxes and repairs can significantly affect a household budget.
Veterans purchasing or refinancing in South Florida can learn more about mortgage financing through our Florida VA loan program.
Mortgages Done Right also serves borrowers throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County.
Local mortgage resources include:
- Boynton Beach mortgage options
- Wellington mortgage options
- West Palm Beach mortgage options
- Delray Beach mortgage options
- Boca Raton mortgage options
- Fort Lauderdale mortgage options
These pages address mortgage financing in those communities. They do not replace your current mortgage servicer when you need hardship assistance on an existing loan.
How to Avoid VA Mortgage Relief Scams
Homeowners in financial distress can become targets for foreclosure-rescue scams. Be especially cautious if someone:
- Guarantees they can stop a foreclosure
- Claims to have access to a secret VA hardship program
- Requests a large upfront payment for foreclosure assistance
- Asks you to stop communicating with your mortgage servicer
- Tells you to send mortgage payments somewhere other than your established servicer
- Asks you to transfer or sign over ownership of your home
When in doubt, verify mortgage-relief information directly through your mortgage servicer or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Steps to Take If You Are Struggling With Your VA Mortgage
- Contact your mortgage servicer immediately. Tell the servicer you are experiencing or expecting a financial hardship.
- Explain whether the hardship is temporary or long term. A temporary income interruption may require a different solution than a permanent reduction in household income.
- Ask about every available VA loss-mitigation option. This may include repayment arrangements, forbearance, modification or the Partial Claim Program when available and appropriate.
- Request the requirements in writing. Keep copies of letters, emails, financial documents and notes from conversations.
- Respond quickly to documentation requests. Missing paperwork can delay evaluation.
- Verify information through the VA. Do not rely solely on advertisements or old online articles.
- Be cautious about refinancing while delinquent. A refinance is a new mortgage transaction and should not be confused with servicing relief.
Frequently Asked Questions About VA Hardship Loans
Does the VA actually offer a VA hardship loan?
No single VA mortgage product is officially named a “VA hardship loan.” The phrase is commonly used to describe several mortgage-relief options that may be available to eligible veterans and VA-backed borrowers.
What should I do first if I cannot make my VA mortgage payment?
Contact your mortgage servicer as soon as possible. Explain your hardship and ask which current VA loss-mitigation options may apply to your loan.
What is the VA Partial Claim Program?
The VA Partial Claim Program is a mortgage-retention option launched in 2026 for certain eligible VA borrowers. It may allow qualifying delinquent amounts to be addressed through a separate obligation rather than requiring the entire shortage to be repaid immediately. Eligibility and servicer implementation requirements apply.
Is VASP still available?
No. The Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program ended in 2025 and is not a current option for new applicants.
Can a VA loan modification reduce my payment?
A modification can change certain terms of an existing mortgage and may produce a more manageable payment in appropriate situations. The exact result depends on the borrower’s loan, financial circumstances and current VA and servicer guidelines.
Can I refinance instead of using hardship assistance?
Possibly, but refinancing and hardship relief are different. Refinancing requires approval for a new mortgage. If you are already delinquent or facing immediate payment problems, contact your current servicer first.
Can Mortgages Done Right modify my existing VA mortgage?
No. Your current mortgage servicer handles repayment plans, forbearance, servicing modifications and other loss-mitigation decisions on your existing mortgage. Mortgages Done Right is a mortgage broker and can discuss new mortgage financing when appropriate.
Where can I get official help with my VA mortgage?
Start with your mortgage servicer and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA provides official mortgage-assistance information and access to its home-loan support resources.
Questions About VA Mortgage Financing in Florida?
If your concern involves an existing delinquent mortgage, your first call should be to your current mortgage servicer or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you are instead buying a home, planning a future refinance, or want to understand available VA mortgage financing, Greg Hayden and Mortgages Done Right Inc. can help you compare mortgage options from multiple wholesale lenders.
Contact Greg Hayden or call 561-777-7622 to discuss your Florida mortgage questions.
Borrowers who are ready for a new mortgage transaction can also start a mortgage application online.
Important disclaimer: Mortgage-servicing and VA loss-mitigation programs, qualification requirements, implementation dates and available options can change. This article is educational and is not legal, foreclosure-prevention or financial advice. Mortgages Done Right Inc. is a mortgage broker and does not control the servicing or modification of your existing mortgage. If you are having difficulty making payments, contact your mortgage servicer and the Department of Veterans Affairs promptly. Eligibility for any mortgage-relief or new mortgage program is not guaranteed.
