Hardship letter template

A hardship letter to a lender or servicer that explains what happened, how it changed your income, what you have done since and what you are asking for.

🇺🇸 US format · Letter size
Free

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Your name

Your address and contact (optional)

One line per row. Leave empty to skip the sender block.

Recipient name

Recipient title and company (optional)

Recipient address (optional)

Date

Loan or account number

Reason for the hardship

When it started

What you are asking for

Monthly income before

Household take-home per month. Empty skips the income sentence.

Monthly income now

What you have done since

Separate paragraphs with a blank line. Dates and dollar amounts.

Documents enclosed

One per line. Printed as an Enclosures line under the signature.

Write the body yourself (optional)

Separate paragraphs with a blank line. Text here replaces the generated body.

Signature lines

What you type is not saved on our server.

A general template, not legal or financial advice

This is a general template, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, so check anything with legal consequences with a professional before you rely on it. Most servicers also require their own hardship affidavit or loss-mitigation application; this letter goes with it, not instead of it. A HUD-approved housing counselor can review your request at no cost.

Hardship Letter

Jordan Lee

123 Main St

Austin, TX 78701

(555) 010-0000, jordan.lee@example.com

October 5, 2026

Loss Mitigation Department

Northwind Mortgage Servicing

PO Box 4100

Dallas, TX 75201

RE: Hardship letter, loan or account number 0044-718-2093

Dear Loss Mitigation Department:

I am writing to explain the financial hardship that has made it hard for me to keep up with my payments and to ask for a loan modification that brings the monthly payment to an amount I can sustain.

My hardship began on March 2, 2026, when I lost my job. Before that, my monthly household income was $6,400.00. It is now $3,900.00, a shortfall of $2,500.00 each month.

I found part-time work in May and a full-time position that starts on October 19. I cut our expenses by about $600 a month, including the second car, and used our savings to keep the loan current through July.

Since August I have not been able to make the full payment. I have made partial payments of $900 in August and September.

I am asking for a loan modification that brings the monthly payment to an amount I can sustain. I want to meet my obligation and I believe this would let me do that. I will provide any further documents you need and respond promptly to your questions.

I have enclosed the documents listed below to support this request.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lee

Loan or account number 0044-718-2093

Enclosures: Last two pay stubs; Termination letter from my former employer; Bank statements, June to September 2026; Monthly budget worksheet

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Hardship Letter

Jordan Lee

123 Main St

Austin, TX 78701

(555) 010-0000, jordan.lee@example.com

October 5, 2026

Loss Mitigation Department

Northwind Mortgage Servicing

PO Box 4100

Dallas, TX 75201

RE: Hardship letter, loan or account number 0044-718-2093

Dear Loss Mitigation Department:

I am writing to explain the financial hardship that has made it hard for me to keep up with my payments and to ask for a loan modification that brings the monthly payment to an amount I can sustain.

My hardship began on March 2, 2026, when I lost my job. Before that, my monthly household income was $6,400.00. It is now $3,900.00, a shortfall of $2,500.00 each month.

Since August I have not been able to make the full payment. I have made partial payments of $900 in August and September.

I have enclosed the documents listed below to support this request.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lee

Loan or account number 0044-718-2093

Enclosures: Last two pay stubs; Termination letter from my former employer; Bank statements, June to September 2026; Monthly budget worksheet

How to use it

Put the loan or account number in, pick the reason and the date it began, and type your monthly income before and now. The letter works out the shortfall and states it in dollars. In the box below, write what you have done since: new work, expenses you cut, savings you used, partial payments you made. Then pick what you are asking for and list the documents you are sending with it.

The letter stays to one page: the request, the hardship with the date, the numbers, what you did, the ask, and the enclosures. Send it with the servicer's own application form and keep a copy with the date you mailed or uploaded it.

Things to watch

Every fact should match a document you enclose: pay stubs for income, a termination letter for job loss, bills for medical costs. Do not round the numbers up or down to make the case stronger, because the servicer will compare them to your statements. Say what you want in one sentence and do not ask for several things at once.

Calculators that go with this

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a hardship?

Servicers usually list job loss, reduced income, illness or disability, divorce or separation, death of a borrower or family member, a disaster, military service and business failure. The letter has those as choices. Something else can qualify too; pick the closest one and explain in the body.

Should I say I want to keep the home?

If you do, yes, and the request options for a modification, forbearance, repayment plan and deferral all say so in effect. If you are asking for a short sale or a settlement, say that plainly instead.

How long does a review take?

Federal servicing rules give a mortgage servicer 30 days to evaluate a complete loss-mitigation application. Send everything at once so the clock starts, and follow up in writing if you hear nothing.

Is what I type saved anywhere?

No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is sent to our server. If you refresh the page it is gone, so print, save a PDF or download the DOCX when you are done.