A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Brian V. Lee

Creditors expect not only to be paid, but to be paid on time. Mortgage companies are no different. When it comes to your mortgage, you can’t be a day late and a dollar short. When you’re dealing with your home, the stakes are too high to risk otherwise.

Credit bureau reporting

Mortgage companies report religiously to the credit bureaus. Strings of months with late or missed mortgage payments will badly damage your credit. If your credit score is important to you, prioritize your mortgage over any other bills. A day late and a dollar short just doesn’t work with either your mortgage company or the credit bureaus.

Loan reinstatement

Loan reinstatement means catching up on missed mortgage payments, along with all associated late fees and charges, with a single lump-sum payment. To reinstate, request from your lender a formal, written reinstatement quote with a “good through” date (or deadline). If you pay late or underpay, your loan will not be fully reinstated and your lender may reject your payment and commence foreclosure proceedings.

Mortgage modification

If your lender offers you a mortgage modification, usually there will be a trial period of three to twelve months. Once you have made all of the trial payments, then your lender will permanently modify your mortgage. There are lots of reasons why lenders deny modifications, but the most common reason is that the borrower is a day late and a dollar short. If you underpay the trial payment, your lender will void the trial modification. Worse, if you miss a trial payment or make the trial payment late, your lender will simply deny the modification and restart the foreclosure process.

Don’t be a day late and a dollar short

Actually, don’t be a day late OR a dollar short. Either is sufficient to derail your mortgage status and put you at risk of foreclosure. If you run into mortgage trouble, contact a foreclosure defense attorney early in the process to determine your options.

They Called. They're Glad They Did.

Brian Lee from Lee Legal was an amazing attorney to work with. He took his time, reviewed my documents and we discussed my situation thoroughly. He explained the process and my options as well as gave his recommendation. Not only did he assist, but he ensured that I knew this...

Sharrie S.
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Brian handled a legal matter for me and he was fantastic. He kept me informed of all updates and resolved all issues that were presented. I highly recommend Brian to all seeking legal advice and services.

Barry C.
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I was very nervous and scared about going through this process. But Brian was very knowledgeable and helped me through it. I was notified about any and all updates to my case and he was very responsive when I had questions regarding any concerns I had. Although a bit nerve...

Regina L.
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I've had the pleasure of working alongside Brian V. Lee for several years, and I can say without hesitation that he is one of the most knowledgeable bankruptcy attorneys in the DMV area. Brian's command of Chapter 7, 11, and 13 practice is exceptional, and his clients in the DC...

Michael F.
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I wanted to share my sincere appreciation for Brian and the support he provided during a very difficult time for my grandmother. We were not wealthy, but Brian treated us with genuine kindness and respect, making sure we felt comfortable throughout the entire process. He took the...

Jessica R.
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Still several years from Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness and saddled with significant student loan payments in proportion to my income, I came to Lee Legal to explore the bankruptcy path. Through his counsel, Brian took the fear out of the process and helped me to...

Justin G.
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Brian provided me with a very detailed analysis about my potential case after our first consultation. He promptly responded to all my complex questions, especially navigating student loans and some tax discussions. He is very professional and experienced at what he does, I would...

Eliane R.
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I had the opportunity to work with Brian at a time when I was challenged by a professional setback and forced with the challenge of making some very difficult legal decisions. Additionally, I worked with him again as I was dealing with some financial issues pertaining to my...

Daniel W.
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Brian has the amazing talent of taking complicated legal matters and distilling them down to seamless, frictionless resolutions. He is a phenomenal problem solver and a trusted advisor.

Fran B.
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I came to Mr. Lee in a panic when I was experiencing health problems and the walls seemed to be closing in on me. Initially, I interviewed four attorneys seeking assistance with my situation. He was one of the most thorough and thoughtful people I’ve ever met. His kindness and...

S. Y.
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Brian is both warm and professional. He helped me navigate a financial issue that I had not been looking forward to working on and he made the entire experience non-stressful, receiving a lot of anxiety I had around the matter. He is straight forward and a fantastic problem...

Martha B.
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Brian is an amazing lawyer. He was referred to me by a friend who was also pleased with his work. I found him to be affordable, efficient, understanding, and easy to talk to. He really cares for his clients and is very committed to doing his best. He is very knowledgeable and...

Arman A.
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This is your last stop in your searches for an attorney. After numerous research and interview with many lawyers, I decided to hire attorney Brian Lee. He is extremely knowledgeable, personable, attentive and diligent. He went above and beyond to file my ch 7 bankruptcy and get a...

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