Hardship Information & Requests

Five-Year Hardship Safety Net

At AmPledge, we are committed to empowering homeowners to weather unexpected financial hardships. As part of your membership, our Five-Year Hardship Safety Net is designed to provide financial assistance during challenging times, helping you maintain stability in your home while fostering long-term community support.

AmPledge: Your Homeownership Advocate

AmPledge is your advocate, dedicated to guiding and supporting you as a homeowner during life’s challenges.

We require a minimum of 15 days’ notice before issuing financial assistance to ensure we have adequate time to vet eligibility and process your request. This is why AmPledge must be the first call you make after experiencing a hardship.

Hardships are challenging, but all problems can be solved in many ways. Our knowledgeable homeownership advocates are here to help you navigate the complexities of tough times and find solutions that work for you.

How AmPledge Financial Assistance Works

Our financial assistance is designed specifically to help you maintain your home. Here’s how it works:

Payments Made Directly to Your Mortgage Servicer: AmPledge provides assistance by making mortgage payments directly to your mortgage servicer on your behalf.

What We Don’t Cover: Payments are not made directly to the homeowner. We do not pay for medical bills, home repairs, or other personal expenses.

This ensures that our support is targeted to help you stay in your home and maintain long-term stability.

Eligible Hardships

To qualify for assistance, hardships must fall under one of the following categories. Each category has specific requirements to ensure fairness and transparency:

  • Definition: Unemployment resulting in a significant loss of income.

    Eligibility:

    • Proof of state or federal unemployment assistance must be provided.

    • Mortgage payments must be current and at least 15 days from the next due date.

    • Past-due mortgage payments may disqualify the request for assistance.

  • Definition: Out-of-pocket medical expenses that significantly impact your financial stability.

    Eligibility:

    • Out-of-pocket expenses must exceed the equivalent of two mortgage payments.

    • Proof of expenses (canceled checks or paid receipts) is required.

    • Mortgage payments must be current and at least 15 days from the next due date.

  • Definition: An uninsured or unexpected expense necessary for the home’s safety or habitability.

    Eligibility:

    • Repair costs must exceed the equivalent of two mortgage payments.

    • Proof of expenses (canceled checks or paid receipts) is required.

    • Mortgage payments must be current and at least 15 days from the next due date.

  • Definition: A significant reduction in household income due to divorce or the death of a financial contributor to the family.

    Eligibility:

    • The affected AmPledge member must retain ownership of the home.

    • The exiting individual must have contributed at least 25% of the household income at the time of onboarding.

    • Mortgage payments must be current and at least 15 days from the next due date.

Pay-It-Forward Understanding

AmPledge operates on a unique Pay-It-Forward Program to sustain assistance for current and future homeowners. Here’s how it works:

Zero-Interest Assistance for the First Payment: The first mortgage payment assistance for each eligible hardship category is provided with no interest or fees.

Subsequent Assistance Terms: If additional assistance is required for the same hardship category, the second and third payments will carry interest equal to the current rate on the homeowner’s first mortgage.

Assistance is capped at 5% of your home’s original purchase price.

Repayment:

During your homeownership journey, there are no required payments for the assistance provided through AmPledge. However, when you sell, transfer, or refinance your home, the Pay-It-Forward clause activates. At that time, you will repay the financial assistance previously provided to you.

This repayment allows AmPledge to continue its mission, ensuring that other aspiring homeowners can benefit from the same support and stability that helped you. By paying it forward, you contribute to a cycle of community growth and opportunity.

Our Commitment

We care about your success and want to see you move forward with confidence. While we focus on fairness and transparency in every decision, our ultimate goal is to support your journey to self-reliance and long-term stability.

Important Notes for Members

• Advance Notice Encouraged: Requests must be made while the mortgage is current and at least 15 days from the next due date.

• Delinquency May Affect Eligibility: AmPledge reserves the right to disallow assistance if the mortgage is past due at the time of the request.

• Make Us Your First Call: Don’t wait—contact AmPledge as soon as you experience a hardship. Our team of homeownership advocates is here to help you navigate the situation and explore all possible solutions.

When you’re ready to proceed, click below to complete the Hardship Request Form.

AmPledge will review your request promptly, with decisions typically made within 15 days.