If you had a reduction in your income or were experiencing financial difficulties but are now catching up, this option allows you to pay the amount you are behind on over a period of time.

It involves agreeing to a payment plan to catch up on past due payments. There are several ways to negotiate a forbearance agreement. Generally, the bank is asked to make your regular monthly payments, with the balance of the past due payments to be paid off in additional monthly payments over a period of time, usually twelve months.

Most temporary modifications, or "trial modifications," consist of "forbearance" agreements in which the person is asked to make partial payments, without implying that this is a modification to their mortgage.