During forbearance, the lender agrees to suspend or reduce payments for a set period (often 3-12 months). Interest still accrues, and the missed amounts must eventually be repaid — through a lump sum, an extended loan term, or modified payment schedule.

Forbearance does not erase debt; it postpones it. Most lenders won't report forbearance as a delinquency to credit bureaus, but ask in advance to confirm.

Forbearance is usually a stopgap before considering loan modification, refinancing, or — as a last resort — sale or foreclosure.