subject: Hardship Letters - What Are They All About? [print this page] In virtually all situations a hardship letter is requested by your lender when you have alowed yourself to get in arrears in your mortgage or are unable to keep up the payments as outlined in your mortgage contract. Why you can't make your payments on time is going to be very important for your lender to know. The intention of your hardship letter is to enlighten your lender why you can't remain up to date with your loan indebtedness.Whether your loan will be modified in total amount and / or payment structure will depend in large part based on the content of your hardship letter; or if they would prefer to put your home into the foreclosire process. It is likely that your lender will not be swayed much by a tear jerking story. They operate from a perspective of what yirlds the best return for their shareholders. For this purpose it is important that you compose a clear-cut hardship letter that establishes a plausible reason for your hardship, your lak of ability to stay current with your present loan terms, and substantiation that you will be able to meet and stay current with a modified loan structure.A Hardship Letter is probably the most important document you?ll provide to your lender in order to get a loan modification approved. The letter needs to explain your past financial situation, what has caused you to become delinquent, how your financial situation has or will improve, and how you are proposing your lender modifies your loan.It makes little difference if your letter is printed or you write it out long hand. You can go either route. You will find resources on the Internet including websites that provide a hardship letter sample. What is of greatest importance is the message and you should follow the general format that follows.It makes little difference if your letter is printed or you write it out long hand. You can go either route. You will find resources on the Internet including websites that provide a hardship letter sample. What is of greatest importance is the message and you should follow the general format that follows.Explain Your Circumstances Accurately - Your lender will ask that you give them authority to access a wide range of your financial information and it have to support what is included in your hardship letter. Create a compelling story but don't exaggerate the truth. This is the main grounds most loan modification requests get declined. It is important that you detail the facts and history that is material to your current circumstances. Give details in a short and concise manner what has created your hardship and how it has impacted your ability to remain up to date with your mortgage. Common hardships would be things like divorce, unemployment, medical issues, an auto accident.State accurately what your existingfinancial status is. Remember to be truthful as your mortgage company will ask you to supply them with written authority to dig deep into your financial situation and most likely any dishonest or exaggerated statements you make will come to light and your request will be disapproved. Make them Empathetic - Even though your mortgage company chiefly is profit motivated, they still make use of people to work the process, and people are emotional by nature. Author your account in a compelling fashion that will induce the evaluator to be more empathetic to your condition. If you?ve got a valid narrative for your circumstances, maximize it and sell it to your loan company. Provide a powerful case for why you are asking for the loan modification and why they can expect that you will be able to make good on the new terms, if granted.Talk about the Changes You've Made Already - The primary concern of your loan company is the repayment of the liability. Question yourself, what is going to provide my lender the confidence that if they do change my loan that I will be able to stay current and accomplish the new mortgage terms. Got your answer? Provide the detail in your letter. After all, that's why they would be willing to modify your loan. The lender's ambition is not to keep you in your home; it is to get paid the maximum amount from the loan they originally extended to you. Keep this in mind and you are much more likely to experience success.If your hardship is legitimate and you have the capability to make good on a rewritten loan, completing the advice above for authoring a compelling hardship letter will without question result in a renegotiated loan agreement and your retaining your home.