 TITLE: Can You Get Mortgage Forbearance More Than Once? CONTENT: Can You Extend Your Mortgage Forbearance?\n-----------------------------------------\nAmong the many provisions of the 2020 pandemic relief legislation known as the CARES Act was a mandate requiring servicers of mortgages guaranteed by the federal government to grant borrowers mortgage forbearance. They could do this by accepting reduced mortgage payments or even suspending them altogether for a period of up to 180 days, with an option to extend them another 180 days as needed.\nThat mandate has been extended, giving borrowers the option to request up to two more 90-day forbearance periods, for a maximum total of 540 days (roughly 18 months) of forbearance relief. These provisions protect roughly 70% of all single-family home mortgages in the U.S.\nThe U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has created an online clearinghouse for information on COVID-19-related relief and assistance options for homeowners. It includes:\n*   A lookup tool that tells you if your mortgage is backed by the federal government and how to contact your mortgage servicer if it is.\n*   Resources on requesting mortgage forbearance, extending existing forbearance plans and working with lenders to avoid foreclosure. END