Consumer complaint received 2023-09-21
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — Applying for or obtaining a modification, forbearance plan, short sale, or deed-in-lieu
Company: ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP (WI)

We have struggled financially and have contacted our mortgage lender Associated Bank asking for help several times. I have attempted to discuss this with their agents, but I suffer from cognitive issues and sometimes have trouble understanding what is being said. My girlfriend XXXX tries to discuss the situation but their agents tell her even though she lives in the house and is on the title she can't talk to Associated Bank because she is not the borrower. We have gone through a very difficult financial crisis due to XXXX and major health issues and believe that Associated Bank is not following guidelines for servicing this loan. They know of our situation and we did everything we could to keep making payments but now we are being told they will not take our payment and we have to pay all the past due amounts in one payment. We do not have the funds to do this, and we believe there are other federal and state programs available to help homeowners in our situation and Associated Bank has denied access to these programs. Our hardship is resolved, we can afford our mortgage payment but need Associated Bank to work with us on the past due payments. 

XXXX and I live in this home with XXXX children ages XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. I was a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX am now on fixed income. XXXX works with XXXX XXXX  children as a XXXX XXXX XXXX and also receives XXXX income. We were excited to buy our home in XX/XX/2021 and pooled together our money for the down payment. XXXX began working extra hours and overtime to help us make ends meet. In XXXX XXXX was hospitalized due to a XXXX XXXX  issue complicated by XXXX and she ended up having XXXX XXXX followed by a XXXX XXXX  XXXX in XXXX to relieve pressure on her XXXX As a result she was out of work for 3 and a half months. We were able to continue making the mortgage payment but in XXXX she had to have a second procedure and was out of work for another two months. We asked Associated for help through Covid forbearance or some type of program but were not offered any options, so we just kept making payments of about {$800.00} per month which is less than the {$1100.00} payment but all we could afford. We wanted to do everything we could to keep up with the payments so we sent in what we could to try and stay in good standing with Associated. 

Last month we were told that the payments we made were not being used for the mortgage and were going into a suspense account which I don't know what that means. I don't understand why the money we pay for the mortgage does not go to the mortgage. And they also told me that our case was being referred to a law firm and that they will not work with us or accept anything less than the past due payments of approximately {$9000.00} ( probably less because there is money in the suspense account ). 
I do not believe this is right. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that caused us to fall behind. We have XXXX young children in our home and don't believe we deserve this. We want to pay and intend to pay, but the issue is the past due payments. Our hardship is resolved, XXXX is healthy and back working and between our incomes we can afford our mortgage