It is the package you send your mortgage servicer asking to be considered for alternatives to foreclosure, such as a loan modification, forbearance, repayment plan, short sale or deed in lieu. A complete application is what triggers most federal protections.
The servicer supplies the forms, and a typical package includes a financial information form, a hardship letter, recent pay stubs or other proof of income, bank statements and tax returns. Under Regulation X, if your application arrives 45 days or more before a scheduled sale, the servicer must tell you within five business days whether it is complete and list anything missing. A complete application received more than 37 days before a sale must generally be evaluated for every available option within 30 days, and a denial must give the specific reasons for each modification denied. Which options exist depends on who owns or insures the loan, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA or a private investor.
Treat completeness as the whole game. Send everything requested, keep copies, use a trackable delivery method, and write down the date and name for every call. Answer each request for more documents quickly, because files that sit incomplete are the most common reason reviews stall. A HUD-approved housing counselor (800-569-4287) can help you assemble the package for free, and nobody should charge you an upfront fee to submit it. If the answer is no, look in the denial letter for an appeal right; where it applies, you generally have 14 days to appeal.
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Educational information, not legal advice. Your own court documents control your deadlines; a licensed New Jersey attorney can confirm what applies to your case.