Responding to the urgent need for mortgage education and advice in a turbulent market, AFGE and Union Plus are launching a homeowner education program that includes a Save My Home Hotline to help members facing mortgage payment problems.

A new national survey reveals that half of homeowners with Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM) admit they have no idea how their ARMs reset, and nearly three-quarters do not know how much their monthly mortgage payments will increase when they do.

The survey, conducted Sept. 13-25 by Peter D. Hart Research Associates for Union Privilege, reveals that ARM holders are generally not concerned about mortgage payments until their rates reset. Then anxiety sets in as they realize their payments have risen substantially. Some 2.5 million homeowners will be facing the shock of higher payments when their ARMs reset before the end of the year.

“Our poll shows that consumers are looking for government help, but the labor movement is not waiting,” AFGE National President John Gage said. “We’re reaching out to union families to make sure they don’t fall through the cracks.”

AFGE and Union Plus is stepping up with several initiatives to help homeowners and prospective homebuyers understand mortgages and how to take steps to protect themselves from foreclosure and financial ruin.

The Union Plus Save My Home Hotline at 1-866-490-5361 will provide free, confidential advice from HUD-certified housing counselors. Face-to-face counseling is available at more than 100 local offices in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Hotline counselors will help members to establish a budget, set financial priorities and explain all the strategies available to help them keep their home. Homeowners will receive a written “Homekeeper Action Plan” to follow.

Half of union respondents said they wouldn’t know where to turn if they have trouble paying their mortgages. The Union Plus Save My Home Hotline will provide union homeowners with the advice and assistance that they need.

Qualified homeowners in seven states who are experiencing temporary financial distress, are eligible for grants under a program established by Money Management International, the nonprofit, HUD-certified housing counseling agency providing the Hotline, from a million-dollar endowment from HSBC, provider of the Union Plus Credit Card.

In addition, Union Plus Mortgage will offer a mortgage education program that includes an annual “Mortgage Checkup” to make sure that the mortgage that they hold is still in their best interest.

For more information about the Union Plus Save My Home Hotline members can go to UnionPlus.org/SaveMyHome or speak to a counselor directly by calling 1-866-490-5361 24-hours-a-day toll-free.

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AFGE’s Save My Home Hotline FAQ

Who can participate in the program?
Union members, their parents and their children.

What is the Save My Home Hotline phone number?
1-866-490-5361.

What are the Save My Home Hotline hours?
The Save My Home Hotline is available by telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Is there a web site with more information?
Yes: UnionPlus.org/SaveMyHome

Can I talk to a counselor in person?
Yes. There are more than 100 local offices in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Call the Save My Home Hotline at 1-866-490-5361 to schedule an appointment.

Is there a charge to use the Save My Home Hotline?
No. This service is free to union members and families.

I already am behind on my mortgage payments. Can the Hotline help me?
Yes. The hotline’s HUD-certified counselors can help you establish a budget, set priorities and explain all the available strategies to stop foreclosure and help you keep your home. Landlords and lenders often are willing to be flexible about repayment of late or missing payments.

If you simply cannot make your payments, your counselor can provide advice for working with the lender. Your lender may be able to restructure your loan to a fixed rate, for example, or allow you to make smaller payments for a limited period of time (those payments will be added to the loan balance, though.)  If necessary, your counselor will make referrals to other resources or alternatives such as a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (where you essentially turn the home back over to the lender). You’ll leave the session with a written Homekeeper Action Plan outlining actions you need to take.

Will the counselors work directly with my lender?
No. Unlike with credit counseling, the Save My Home Hotline counselors are unable to work directly with your lender. However, they will create a written Homekeeper Action Plan to help you address your housing concerns. After the session, you should be better prepared to work with your lender. And, you may call the Hotline to speak with a counselor as many times as you need to make sure all of your questions and concerns are answered.

What type of information should I have ready to discuss with a counselor?
Your counseling session will consist of a review of your circumstances, including income, expenses, debts and mortgage terms. You should have the account numbers, billing addresses, current payments and balances for all creditors you owe, as well as any information from your mortgage lender, including payment amount and time delinquent (if applicable).

Who offers the Save My Home Hotline?
The Save My Home Hotline is offered by Union Plus, which provides benefits to union members, through Money Management International (MMI). MMI is the nation's largest full-service, nonprofit credit counseling agency and currently assists nearly 100,000 clients in repaying their debts. For more than 46 years, MMI and its family of Consumer Credit Counseling Services agencies have helped consumers nationwide, with more than 100 local offices throughout the country.