On January 28, 2010, the Treasury Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  released updated guidance for the mortgage servicers who initiate the modifications and monitor the trial periods.  The guidance refines the documentation requirements and other procedures in order to expedite conversions of current trial modifications to permanent ones.

Guidance Details

Supplemental Directive 10-01 provides guidance on two major issues:

1. Converting Borrowers in the Temporary Review Period to Permanent Modifications

In December 2009, the Treasury implemented a review period through January 31, 2010 to provide servicers additional time to collect and submit missing documentation for borrowers in trial modifications, to require that borrowers be notified of any missing documents, and to give borrowers an opportunity to dispute and correct any erroneous information in their applications. Today’s guidance clarifies for servicers the proper procedures for conversion of those borrowers who are current on their monthly payments to permanent modifications.

Acknowledgement and Review of Initial Package

Within 10 business days following receipt of an Initial Package, the mortgage servicer must acknowledge in writing the borrower’s request for HAMP participation by sending the borrower confirmation that the Initial Package was received, and a description of the mortgage servicer’s evaluation process and timeline. If the Initial Package is received from the borrower via e-mail, the servicer may e-mail the acknowledgment. Servicers must maintain evidence of the date of receipt of the borrower’s Initial Package in its records.

Within 30 calendar days from the date an Initial Package is received, the mortgage servicer must review the documentation provided by the borrower for completeness. If the documentation is incomplete, the mortgage servicer must send the borrower an Incomplete Information Notice in accordance with the guidance set forth in the “Incomplete Information Notice” section below. If the borrower’s documentation is complete, the servicer must either:

1. Send the borrower a Trial Period Plan Notice; or
2. Make a determination that the borrower is not eligible for HAMP and communicate this determination to the borrower in accordance with the Borrower Notice guidance provided in Supplemental Directive 09-08.

A single written communication sent within 10 days of receipt of a borrower’s request for HAMP participation may also include, at the mortgage servicer’s discretion, the results of its review of the Initial Package. Mortgage servicers are reminded that Supplemental Directive 09-01 generally prohibits servicers from proceeding with a foreclosure sale for any potentially eligible mortgage loan until the borrower has been evaluated for eligibility under HAMP and has been determined to be ineligible or has declined a trial period plan offer.

 Incomplete Information Notice

If the mortgage servicer receives an incomplete Initial Package or needs additional documentation to verify the borrower’s eligibility and income, the servicer must send the borrower an Incomplete Information Notice that lists the additional required verification documentation. The Incomplete Information Notice must include a specific date by which the documentation must be received, which must be no less than 30 calendar days from the date of the notice. If the documents are not received by the date specified in the notice, the servicer must make one additional attempt to contact the borrower in writing regarding the incomplete documents. This additional notice must include the specific date by which the documentation must be received, which must be no less than 15 calendar days from the date of the second notice. If a borrower is unresponsive to these requests for documentation the servicer may discontinue document collection efforts and determine the borrower to be ineligible for HAMP. If the borrower is determined to be ineligible for HAMP, the servicer must communicate this determination to the borrower in accordance with the Borrower Notice guidance provided in Supplemental Directive 09-08.

Trial Period Plan Approval

Within 30 calendar days following receipt of an Initial Package or complete verification documents, the mortgage servicer must complete its verification and evaluate the borrower’s eligibility for HAMP and, if the borrower is qualified, send the borrower a Trial Period Plan Notice. If the borrower is determined to be ineligible for HAMP, the servicer must communicate this determination to the borrower in accordance with the Borrower Notice guidance provided in Supplemental Directive 09-08. Servicers are reminded that Supplemental Directive 09-01 prohibits servicers from initiating a new foreclosure action while a borrower is in a trial period plan.

Consideration for Alternative Loss Mitigation Options

When a borrower is determined to be ineligible for a HAMP modification, the servicer is required to consider that borrower for all other available loss mitigation options, including but not limited to refinance, forbearance, non-HAMP modifications and, to the extent a borrower does not qualify for a home retention alternative, Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (short sales or deeds in lieu of foreclosure) under Supplemental Directive 09-09. As required in Supplemental Directive 09-08, available loss mitigation options should be described in the Non-Approval Notice.

Conversation from Trial to Permanent Modification:

Servicers must use a two-step process for HAMP modifications. Following underwriting and a determination that the borrower qualifies for a HAMP trial modification, servicers will place qualified borrowers in a trial period plan by preparing and sending a Trial Period Plan Notice to the borrower describing the terms of the trial modification and the payment due dates. Borrowers who make all trial period payments timely and who satisfy all other trial period requirements will be offered a permanent HAMP modification.

Step 1 – Trial Period Plan Start

The trial period is 3 months in duration (or longer if necessary to comply with applicable contractual obligations). Borrowers are not required to sign or return the Trial Period Plan Notice. Servicers should retain a copy of the Trial Period Plan Notice in the borrower file and note the date that it was sent to the borrower. Receipt of the first payment due under the trial period plan on or before the last day of the month in which the first payment is due is evidence of the borrower’s acceptance of the trial period plan and its terms and conditions. The effective date of the trial period will be set forth in the trial period plan and is the 1st day of the month in which the first trial period plan payment is due.

Step 2 – Conversion to Permanent

The borrower must be current under the terms of the trial period plan at the end of the trial period to receive a permanent loan modification. “Current” in this context is defined as the borrower having made each required trial period payment by the last day of the month in which it is due.

Borrowers who fail to make current trial period payments are considered to have failed the trial period and are not eligible for a HAMP modification. Servicers are instructed to use good business judgment in determining whether trial period payments were received timely or if mitigating circumstances caused the payment to be late. Exceptions should be documented in the servicing record.

On January 28, 2010, the Treasury Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  released updated guidance for the mortgage servicers who initiate the modifications and monitor the trial periods.  The guidance refines the documentation requirements and other procedures in order to expedite conversions of current trial modifications to permanent ones.

Phyllis Caldwell, Chief of Treasury’s Homeownership Preservation Office states that the “guidance represents our commitment to more efficiently move qualified homeowners into permanent modifications.”

“Increasing the number of borrowers receiving permanent modifications under HAMP is critical to our efforts to preserve affordable and sustainable homeownership,” said HUD Senior Advisor for Housing Finance William Apgar. “While we continue to meet our goals to provide immediate assistance, the updates announced today should enable servicers to transition borrowers more quickly and easily from trial to permanent modification.

Guidance Details

Supplemental Directive 10-01 provides guidance on two major issues:

1. New Requirements that Documentation be Provided Before Trial Modification Begins

A simple, standard package of documents will be required prior to the servicer’s evaluation of the borrower for a trial modification.  This process will be required for all new HAMP modifications that became effective after June 1, 2010, although mortgage servicers may implement it sooner.  The following documents, referred to as the “Initial Package” must include:

• Request for Modification and Affidavit (RMA) Form
• IRS Form 4506-T or 4506T-EZ (Request for Transcript of Tax Return)
• Evidence of Income

Step 1 – Complete the RMA Form

The RMA Form provides the servicer with borrower and co-borrower financial information including the cause of the borrower’s hardship. The financial information and hardship sections of the RMA must be completed and executed by the borrower and, if applicable, the co-borrower. The RMA also solicits data related to the race, ethnicity and gender of the borrower and co-borrower, referred to as Government Monitoring Data (GMD). The borrower and co-borrower are not required to provide GMD. Servicers may not refuse to accept an RMA because the borrower or co-borrower did not complete this section. Click here for instructions for completing the form.

Servicers may require use of the RMA by all borrowers requesting consideration for HAMP or may continue to use other proprietary financial information forms that are substantially similar in content to the RMA. When provided by or on behalf of the borrower, the RMA form must be accepted by servicers in lieu of any servicer specific form(s). When the RMA is not used, servicers must obtain an executed MHA Hardship Affidavit.

Step 2 - Complete the IRS Form 4506-T or 4506T-EZ

The IRS Form 4506-T or 4506T-EZ gives permission to your mortgage servicer to request a copy of your most recent tax return you have filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After you have completed the form, print two copies – one for your records and one to send to your mortgage servicer. Only one taxpayer is required to sign to Tax Form. Click here for instructions for completing the form.

Step 3 – Gather Evidence of Income

Your mortgage servicer is required to verify your income to ensure that the modified mortgage payments will be affordable for you.  The type of documentation you need to provide depends on the source of your income. The simple Proof of Income Checklist will tell you what documents you need to collect if you are a wage earner, self-employed, or receive retirement income.  Be sure to make copies of your income documentation and keep the originals for your records.

***Note: The income evidence and financial information provided by the borrower may not be more than 90 days old as of the date the Initial Package is received by the mortgage servicer.***

Step 4 – Send the Documentation to your Servicer

After you complete, print, and sign the RMA and Tax Form, send these documents, along with your proof of income, to your mortgage servicer.  You will find the correct mailing address and fax number at Contact Your Mortgage Servicer.

***Note: For all documents required by Treasury (other than the Tax Form), electronic submission and signatures are acceptable.***

So after sending in my final paperwork for about the fifth or sixth time, Mortgage Outreach told me I was once again missing documents. Bank statements! Again! So I went ahead, got print outs, scanned them in, and emailed them to Citi yesterday. No confirmation from them on whether they were received and/or scanned, but I will call tomorrow, Thursday and Friday for confirmation. I tried calling them about six times last week, but after being on hold for 25 minutes either I was disconnected or had to hang up because 80% of my cell phone minutes are already dedicated to calling Citi. I did not receive any texts, mail, or emails from them telling me I was still missing documents. Your slacking as covering your rears Citi!

Because I had already made my last payments when I found out about the missing documents (from me calling of course) I am not 100% sure what my status is. As you know, we all get told different things by different people. The last person I spoke with told me that I would just continue making trial payments until all documents were in order and they were ready for underwriting. Does that mean that my documents, assuming they have no complaints this time around, should go to underwriting on Monday?

It is very hard for me to keep my patience with them and while I know giving up is not an option, it almost seems less stressful at this point. Still lets see where things are on Friday. I will post again then.

Update: I should mention that I am dealing with the Lost Mitigation Department, which is a third party company hired to help Citi. None the less, their actions reflect onto Citimortgage as a whole.

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As I mentioned in my post earlier today, I was calling Citimortgage to ensure everything was in order. It was then that I learned that the 4506-T was not valid because I had lined out a date I placed in the wrong field. It amazes me Citi did not notify me of the issue (thankfully I am proactive). They also told me that I needed to send them more recent pay stubs and bank statements. The same documents two weeks ago I was told not to worry about. I had my first breakdown with them on the phone, crying out of frustration. I even asked to speak to a manager because the information I was being told by Ken (KE39204) was not the same information James Brenson told me a few weeks ago. Not only was the manager Taiwan (or something of that nature) not kind, but in the middle of me trying to explain to him the situation, without warning, he put me on hold, and never picked up again. Shameless to say the least but who do I complain to about this? Anyhow, I ended up emailing them the updated 4506-T, statement for October and November’s partial statement because apparently (as of today I assume) there is now a 60 or 90 day expiration on these files as well (one person told me 60 another person told me 90…and of course can’t believe anyone that works for Citi, so I took the shorter expiration date to be safe).  I now have to hope my husband has paystubs available to scan and email this evening. Again, all of the documents must be received, scanned, and reviewed by January 1 or I could either be put on trial again (totally bogus) or start the process all over again (double bogus). With that said, you can only imagine the heart break I am feeling so close to Christmas. I suppose now it is time for me to come to terms with the fact that I will be losing my home due to the incompetence of Citimortgage! Thanks Citi for nothing

As promised by Citimortgage, I received a letter last week informing me that a cancellation of forbearance letter was sent to me in error. Thank goodness. Now I just have to see if I get approved for the loan modification. I am calling today to ensure all of my paperwork is in order and that after my January 1st payment my documents will go to underwriting for review and a final decision. I should have an answer by January 10th, or at least that is my assumption. Of course we all all know assumptions make an ass of u and me…so we will see. Unless I have any real updates, no posts until the new year! I wish you all a happy holiday season. I know that for me and my family this year could not have ended soon enough. Here is to hoping the new year brings better news and happier time to everyone.

So I got a call from Citimortgage yesterday informing me that I was missing documents and to please stay on the line. First I was told the bank statements and pay subs I sent them were out of date. Really, who’s fault is this? Mine? Not my fault Citi lags and is notorious for losing documentation. Luckily the guy I spoke with agreed that this was asinine (obviously not his wording lol). He spoke with two managers and they agreed, so that was cleared, for now. Then I learned something very interesting. The 4506T is only valid for up to 60 days. While annoying, mainly because the lag is due to Citi’s inabilities, it was simple enough and here is why…

According to the rep I spoke with, and yes I did not follow my own directions to get a rep name and number, they are now allowed to receive documents via email. Supposedly this is newly implemented, but I doubt that, as I have heard from others who were permitted to email their documents for some time now. Again this is probably the luck of the draw – who picks up on the other end. Either way, I was happy to be able to email the document to him. He even sent a confirmation email (which in turn means that I now have his name and traceability archived in my email providers database).

I am sure something else will happen over the next few weeks that will require action on my end, guess we will see soon enough.

I will be calling them again in two weeks to find out the status. I only have one more trial payment, so hopefully I start to see things finalize without any more hiccups.

I still have not heard any updates to the MHAP but to be honest I haven’t had much time to research this week. I will try and find time over the next few days and will post something next week. Until then, hold your head up high and never give up hope.

I read an article I wanted to share with everyone today. The link is

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091130/ap_on_bi_ge/us_home_foreclosures;_ylt=AoduLFaAeaku2Gy_OXqU67is0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTMyMjVsZ3VvBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMTMwL3VzX2hvbWVfZm9yZWNsb3N1cmVzBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDNwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDYWRtaW5pc3RyYXRp

I knew that Citimortgage made money off of each loan they modified, what I did not know was that they received $1000.00 as soon as they put a person in trial period with no mention of having to pay the money back if they do not approve you. From my understanding Citimortgage makes $4,000.00 per account they modify. The government is now trying to speed up the modification approval process and delay payments to banks until homeowners are approved. In my opinion it seems obvious to pay them once approved, otherwise they are getting funds for the assumption they plan to help. The official changes to the MHAP are supposed to be announced today. I will keep an eye out and post anything of interest.

So my excitement that all of my paperwork was finally accounted for by Citi has come to a sudden halt. It appears that I am now missing another vital piece of paperwork. According to Citi, I am now missing my 4506T form. This form, once signed, allows Citi to request a copy of my tax returns from the IRS. I believe that each package comes with two copies, both of which have to be signed and returned. I verified not once, but twice, that all paperwork that was sent to me was properly signed and enclosed in the package. In addition, out of the list of paperwork missing, this one was not mentioned until Tuesday Nov, 17th; the same day I was told that all of the paperwork was accounted for. How interesting since they received my first package in early September. I did not get a chance to call them today, but will do so later tonight or early tomorrow. I am just curious how the documents are suddenly missing. I believe we are dealing with “dolts” my friends…or they are purposely attempting to find ways to delay the process. Either way I am not a happy camper and will have to get to the bottom of this. Will update this posting tomorrow.

Hello World! (of one!)

Today, I read the instructions.

Stay tuned for the results.

UPDATE: I have great news. Citi finally scanned in my second set of paperwork. Of course, they were saying I was still missing requested documents but Tuwanna (TG04524), the rep I spoke with, reviewed my account while I was on the phone and found that all of the required paperwork was there. In turn she made some notations to my account to help guide the document review team and put it in their queue. Once they open their eyes and see that in fact the paperwork is there, they will forward it to underwriting; who will determines if I qualify or not. So now it is just the waiting game (only two more trial payments to go). I still plan on calling once a week to make sure they are still on track and no one else drops the ball. Lets hope things so smoothly from here on out. I would recommend anyone calling in about paperwork to request Tuwanna. She was very helpful!!!!

Original Post: So as promised, I called after my post. FYI Citi, that is what one would call follow through. I committed to something and delivered. It really isn’t a hard concept to grasp, at least in my opinion. I am sorry if I sound a bit bitter in this post but it amazes me how dysfunctional Citi has been throughout this process.

Today I spoke with Pat (PA888343). I must say she was extremely nice but we spent more time verifying my account then actually seeing if my package was received. According to her my account was updated Oct 21 indicating it was still missing required paperwork, the paperwork I have been sending them since September. I am now at set number four. I wonder how many more times I will need to mail/fax them. I wish they would just let me email them to them. That would eliminate the required to have their imaging department scan them, especially since no one in Citi is able to contact them (yes I know that is complete BS). It also leaves someone at Citi accountable as it would be associated to the person who received the email. Course, with Citi’s track recond, it wouldn’t surprise me if they said the person no longer worked there or there was a database crash. Even though we all know they make backups and most emails sit on a secondary server and are retrievable. One BS story after the next.

I am still on hold with the number Pat transferred me to (1-866-413-4560). Supposedly they would be first to determine if my package was received, but of course I have no expectations.

While I am on hold I would like to add something. I received a letter at the end of October from Citi. They informed me that I was assessed a 15 dollar charge. The letter itself sounded like I was charged for a delinquency, but when I called I found out it is for the house assessment. I tried to pay it online, but because I am on trial it wouldn’t let me. Then I tried to pay over the phone but the charge you incur was ridiculous, so I have to find out if I am able to mail them the payment. Of course, as all my readers know, the answer depends on who is on the other end that day…pfft!

I will update this post once I get through to a rep, I recommend not holding your breath for this one as I have already been on hold for 20 minutes. It’s more likely they will disconnect me then put me through to a rep.

October 31 I mailed the missing documents to CitiMortgage (after three faxes have apparently gone missing). I was told I would hear from someone from Citi within 7 to 10 business days. Today is the 17th and still no word. I am going to call them momentarily, but am amazed at the inability of Citi to complete their own tasks. Don’t say someone is going to call if they are not. Don’t tell me to fax something to you when you know the paperwork will be lost in the shuffle. Don’t mail me a pre-paid mailing address and package when the package goes no where. On the outside, to the media, it appears Citi is doing everything in their power to help homeowners, when i reality Citi is pulling a blanket over everyone’s eyes. For goodness sakes Citi, if you say you are here to help, then do it! Foreclosure doesn’t benefit you or me.

I have lost track on how many weeks it has been since my first fax, or even my third fax. I spoke with several people since my last fax to include a supervisor. No idea where my faxes walked off to, but must have been a trek. I was going to ship out copies as well, but was asked to hold off to prevent duplicates. I am guessing by now this was just another ploy to delay the process, so I will mail it out on Saturday. I have zero trust in Citi but have to count on them to help save my home. I am beyond frustrated, nervous, and scared. Not a very promising combination. I will call them again today to double-check, but honestly I already know the answer. They are backlogged, not sure where my faxes are, and cannot reach the imaging department to verify (which we all know is BS). Here’s to nothing

I actually contacted the HOPE group that helps and while they felt my pain, they were unable to help because I was already in the trial period which meant that while Citi isn’t putting their best foot forward, they are “appearing” to be helping a Jane Doe like myself out. Pfft!

It will be two weeks until my next post, but I do promise to post again. Until then, lets pray something positive happens soon for all of us!

Sorry for the gap in posts, but I was hoping to post something noteworthy, unfortunately, the only news I have is that I have faxed my 13 page document to citi three times. Each time the message “fax successful” was returned by the sending fax machine. Where or where have the documents gone. Who has possession of all my personal information. Are they trying to make if difficult for me to be approved? What can I do? I suppose I will have to fedex my documents and wait yet another two weeks. Its been what, three weeks since my first fax. It’s crazy they are unable to find my paperwork. It’s scary to know someone has them or has seen them. Not only am I frustrated, but how can I trust them? Time for some more research on my end to see what I can do about the holes in Citi’s processes and procedures.

September 28th, early in the AM EST my husband faxed Citi the requested documentation. There were 13 pages in total. I checked with them last week to be told to contact them again last Friday. I opted to wait until today to give their scanning team a little extra time. However, when I called today I was told that faxes are normally scanned within 48 hours. So now my W-2s and bank statements are lying around for some random Citi employee to see. This makes me nervous. Anyone with access to the fax room now has my SSN, bank account number, mailing address, name, and even my CitiMortgage account number. Where could 13 pages walk off too? I checked with my husband and he confirmed that the fax machine returned the text “transmission successful”. My husband is sending the paperwork again today, but that does not account for the paperwork sent last Monday. Again Citi has found a way to make me feel uneasy and now I am worried my privacy is being challenged. This obviously will also pro-long the process….ugh!

As I mentioned in a pervious post, I did not receive my “overnight” package from Citi until September 3rd. Yesterday I received a letter from Citi dated 09/04/2009 stating that they had not received my returned package yet and how it was important for me to get it too them as soon as possible. Are you kidding me? They seem to be efficient when it comes to making sure they can show the government what they want to see than actually helping the average John and Jane Does of this world. What a waste of postage and manpower. The are capable of mailing a notice letter within a day of me receiving their package, but it takes them four days to three weeks to scan in documents.

I faxed in the requested documents yesterday morning, called this afternoon and was told to call back Friday, as it takes a while to scan in the documents. Maybe they need to use their recourses more effectively. Enough venting. I will contact them on Friday to see if all documentation had been uploaded to my account properly. I am guessing I will be told to try again Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Until then…

Received a text message today to call 886-379-7382. After being on hold for 10 minutes, the phone call disconnected. I called the number a second time and once again was on hold for several minutes. When I was finally put through to a rep, I spoke with Pracilla (PS64815) who informed me I was missing some required documentation. The documentation I checked twice to ensure all was enclosed. She could not give me further information, instead she transferred me to another department, the CitiHead team, at 1-866-272-4749. Surprise, surprise, yet another department to deal with; no wonder things slip through the cracks at Citi.  It’s like hot potatoes, they have too many departments filtering through a single loan modification.  

Brad Wood at extension x4620 (VW92986) is the second person I talked to. He informed me I was missing the following documentation:

Two consecutive paystubs. I had a feeling there would be an issue with this. We could not find one of my husbands pay stubs, so we sent two we could find.

Proof of unemployment and payment information. This was sent to them, so not sure why they mentioned this. But Brad was able to find the document in my original package and notated my account.

2008 w-2. This was not a requirement according to the package Citi sent me. However, I found out after requesting to speak to a supervisor that this is a new requirement affective 09/15/2009. While Brad said it should not be required based on my application date, I will go ahead and send them these as well to be on the safe side.

Two consecutive months of bank account statements (the packet said only one was required if I sent them my tax returns for 2008. So again, not sure why but I will send these documents as well).

At least they are allowing us to fax the missing paperwork to: 866-989-1356 ATTN:  HAM Program. I just have to make sure to reference my account number.

I will be faxing them the necessary paperwork tomorrow morning or as late as Monday morning depending on how things pane out tomorrow. His final comment was that someone will be in touch within 7 to 10 days.

Once my documents are faxed I will contact Citi to ensure they received all of the forms. I will post once I receive confirmation from them. It will most likely be on Tuesday.

Stay Tuned…

Phew, I can breath a little easier today. I know I said I would wait until Friday to contact CitiMortgage, but the stress is overwhelming. I spoke with John today and received some good news. My documents were uploaded on September 19th and he confirmed they received my first trial payment on September 11, 2009. I am still nervous because he said my next payment is not due until November 1, 2009. I cannot understand how some reps tell me my payments are due on the 10th while others say my payments are due on the 1st. He also mentioned that I will be on the trial period for four months because I am current with my payments and am in good standing with Citi. He reiterated that I may receive collection calls but not to worry. I asked what the next step was to which he replied I just have to wait. Someone from Citi will contact me if they need additional information and when they are ready to approve my loan. I then proceeded to ask if Citi ever approves a modification before the trial period ends.  I did not get a real answer to this, so I am not sure if there is any way to expedite the process. I will however be calling Citi weekly to make sure everything is on track and reconfirm my payment dates.

First let me say, leaving my number with Sergio did not quicken the process. In fact, no one called me. Should I be surprised? Not in the least. The way things have played out thus far, there is no reason for me to have high expectations. I did get a collections call which tells me that when it benefits them they are on the ball, when they are helping a Jane Doe, they could care less. Of course, part of me is still grateful there is a chance to save my home, but doubt floods most of my thoughts.

Second, I called CitiMortgage’s lost mitigation department on Friday and they still have no record of my package. In fact, I was informed that a different department handles the paperwork. Yes you read right, yet another department. The package is received and processed by the Mortgage Outreach Services (MOS) department. Their number is 1-877-591-4752. I was transferred to them and was told that they had no record of my documents in their database. When I explained to them that the package was Fedex’d to them and that confirmation of receipt was received from Fedex’s side Monday September 14, 2009, the lady informed me that just because it was not showing electronically does not mean it was not received by their department as it can take two to three weeks to scan the documents and make the necessary notations to my account. She then told me to call back next Wednesday (tomorrow) to see if the documents were scanned yet. I am going to give them an extra couple of days and wait until Friday to see if they have received it. I am thankful I made a copy of my outbound package, as I have a bad feeling in my gut that once again they have lost my paperwork. I hope I am wrong, but their track record doesn’t leave much promise.

I will keep you posted.

I have decided to go forward and call a loan safe team member. My nerves are getting the best of me and I fear that CitiMortgage may have once again lost my paperwork. I am hoping that by being assigned a single point of contact, there will be less confusion, and less misinformation. The number is for Loan Safe members and is 1-866-255-3901. Please visit www.loansafe.org to create an account before calling the number. I will be contacting them today and post updates on Monday.

UPDATE: Called the number provided on loansafe.org and spoke with Sergio (the number one recommended rep). They are no longer handling the incoming issues. Instead, he took my account number, verified who I was, and wrote down my phone number, informing me that someone from a different department would be in touch with me in the next 24 hours.  All I can say is “Oh no, why did I wait so long?”

First let me say that I have not received confirmation from CitiMortgage that they received my package. They should have received my package before 3:00PM on Monday, but it may take a few days to process and upload the documents to my account. Lets hope they did not lose the paperwork. I will call on Friday to confirm.

The real reason for this post is to pre-warn others that while in the trial period you are more likely than not to receive collection calls from CitiMortgage’s collections department. Next time they call I will write and share the number with you. They have already called twice, so I expect a least one call per week. It is annoying and makes me feel like a delinquent, but none the less, you must ensure you call them back and remind them you are on the trial period. This will not end the numerous calls you will receive, but they will at least notate your account, hopefully preventing them from placing you in the foreclosure process.

They processed my trial payment on September 10, 2009, but again, it is seen as only a partial payment until you are approved for the loan modification. I am hoping I will be approved sooner than the alloted 90 days (3 months) but we will see. As CitiMortgage clearly states in their automated message when you call, it could take 30 to 45 days for them to process and review my paperwork. What is required from me and/or them afterwards is unknown to me at this time, but I will be visiting www.loansafe.org over the weekend to read posts from others who are in the final stages of the approval process to see what the next steps are.

As a side note, you are not required to pay any money. If someone is attempting to collect money from you to help modify your loan report them immediately to http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/

Will post more Monday!

I have been following this ‘grants’ thing for quite some time from different sources, and today was the final straw because of the ‘fine’ print (even if it is at the top of the page). I am getting VERY tired of this stuff even if it is not a ’scam’ as they claim. If you don’t take action in 7 days you are going to find a scary reduction on your credit card if you don’t. Now mind you, if you don’t have a credit card (because of the financial state you are in) surely that ‘last Ramon noodle meal’ as one testimony states will most likely be your last. We really need to look for sources that are truly FREE and not just to line someone elses’ pocket Read this fine print below to see what I mean

Terms, Disclosures, and Electronic Signature Information. xxx authorization to provide and bill its services is obtained by way of your electronic signature. Once submitted, this electronic order constitutes an electronic letter of agency. xxx reliance on your electronic signature, as obtained above, is done pursuant to the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and the electronic Signatures in Global and National Transactions Act. Both laws specifically preempt State laws that recognize only paper records or handwritten signatures. By submitting this form, I am ordering the yyyy and trial membership for $2.29 S&H. After the 7 day trial, I will be charged $39.95 a month thereafter if I do not cancel. I also agree to the 14 day and 21 day bonus trials to the zzzz  and zzzz for $19.95 a and $9.95 a month thereafter, should I choose not to cancel. I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions. For questions, call 1234 , anytime, 24 hours a day.

I have removed the company name, program, and phone number. But, I think you get the idea here. While these are not scams (perhaps) we really need to take a close look before we get deeper into the problems we have.

You may come to web work through no choice of your own, either because you’ve been moved into a remote working position at your current job, or because your current gig is ending and finding a replacement full-time salaried job isn’t the easiest thing to do in this economic climate. If it is your choice, though, there are steps you can take well in advance to make your chosen path that much easier to follow.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was working full-time at a consulting firm, dressing in a suit and going in to a physical office five or six days a week. I knew about two months in advance that I would be leaving for sure to pursue working remotely from home as a freelancer. Unlike when you make the transition from one regular job to another, leaving to work for yourself actually requires a lot of preparation.

Test the Waters

Planning to work online from home is all well and good, but if you don’t actually have any work lined up, then you won’t really be doing much besides full-time web browsing.

Having an idea of what type of work you want to do when you start is a good beginning, but it isn’t enough. Because working remotely from home generally allows you considerable flexibility with your working hours, it’s a good idea to actually start before you take the plunge and go for it full-time.

Doing so will not only set you up with work for when you actually do start web working as a career, but it should also let you find out if you’re making the right move. In most cases, when you leave a day job, there aren’t any takebacks. Web work is one of the few situations where you can actually organize a trial period. Take advantage of that.

Pave the Way

Working online as a freelancer has a lot to do with the quality of your work, but it’s also half, or maybe even two-thirds self-promotion. That means significant attention must be paid to identity management, or personal branding, or whatever you want to call it.

Laying down that groundwork well ahead of time means you won’t be started with a blank slate once you hit the open waters of the web, a situation comparable to entering the job market fresh out of school.

That groundwork can consist of well-developed and complete social networking profiles, clips and publications at outlets, including your own personal blog, and relevant conference attendance and participation. If you’ve dabbled in online work part-time, something I mentioned was a good idea above, you’ll also be well prepared to show what you’ve done.

Evaluate Your Finances and Lifestyle

Transitioning to online work can be a lot like starting your own business, because in many ways, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Part of that means expecting and preparing for an unprofitable period while you get your footing. Even if you do line things up and you actually don’t experience any lag time between your old job and your new career, having the peace of mind that comes with making sure your finances can take a hit will help during dry spells.

You should also take a good look at your lifestyle and think about your goals in pursuing a remote career. If you want to do it to make your schedule more flexible and balanced, take some time off work and see if flexibility and balance is actually something you value. It may be that routine suits you best, which might change the type of web work you target.

Also beware the lure of distraction. I found it best to actually minimize the number of things that might cause my attention to stray during the day by keeping the video game consoles in the closet and eschewing a cable subscription altogether.

As with most things, with web working preparation is the key to success. It may be tempting to jump headfirst into something that seems new and exciting, but if you put it off for as long as possible and concentrate on getting your ducks in a row, you’ll be richly rewarded in your new life.

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into web work, what steps are you taking to prepare yourself?

Photo credit: gill wildman

Quick post – just wanted to let you know that after making copies of my package and double checking to ensure all the proper paperwork was enclosed, I mailed the package out for two day delivery via Fedex. CitiMortgage is suppose to receive my package on Monday, well over the six days I was suppose to have the package back to the them. Hopefully I did not screw myself by taking so long to get the documents together and make the necessary copies. Will call them on Wednesday and post update here.  To get a head start, so you don’t run into the same issues I did, please read my previous posts.

Sorry I did not post sooner, but had to complete a project I was working on. I actually received my package on Thursday September 3, 2009. If you are still waiting for your package, there are some things you can do ahead of time.

1) Get a copy of your 2008 Federal Tax Return
2) For salaried or working persons, you will need copies of the last two pay slips
3) You will need a copy of your current home owners insurance
4) If you have flood insurance, you will need a copy of that as well
5) If you have home owner association fees, you will need a copy of that
6) You will need a copy of your utility bill, I assume this is to ensure you are actually living at the resident and not renting the property out to someone else
7) For the unemployed, if you are collecting disability or unemployment, etc. you need proof of that. If you are unemployed, make sure you request assistance immediately. You have to have at least nine months of unemployment payments available for it to be considered income.

Hint for those still trying to get on trial period: Keep calling in until you get the right person on the phone. Get someone who is willing to put you on the trial period over the phone. Waiting for a package to fill out just to get on trial period can lengthen the process by several months. In fact, I never even received my pre-trial package. After several months of calling, I finally got someone who put me on trial over the phone.

Also, I was told there would be a pre-addressed envelope in my package. There was none. Instead a number was provided for me to call when I was ready to mail the package out. I made a copy of the entire packet once it was complete and will be mailing the package out tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to over night it to them.

Again, will be mailing it out tomorrow. Will contact CitiMortgage next Friday to ensure they received my package and to make sure nothing was missing. It takes 30 to 45 days to process the package once they receive it, but I am hoping that by calling weekly and being presistent, things will move a little more quickly for me.

Good luck to all and come back next Friday to find out where I stand!

Citimortgage really needs to have open communication between their reps as the information they provide varies depending on which rep you get a hold of. 

If you have been keeping up with my posts, you are aware that I received a call last week informing me that I would be over-nighted my package on August 31, 2009. I have been home waiting for my package from UPS, but nothing as of 3:35 EST. Worried that I only have six days to return the package with no package received yet, I called citimortgage again.

I spoke with Lupe (GA94784) and was told that the package was sent out Monday through UPS, but added that it did not state the package was overnighted, and might take a day or two to receive. When I mentioned the six day mark she said I had until October 1st to return the packet. Really? What am I suppose to do? Who am I suppose to believe?

And surprise, surprise, once again I was told my payment was due on October 1, 2009 and not September 10, 2009. When I asked about my September payment, she  mentioned that my payment of 1336.62 combined my September and October payment. I don’t know, but that doesn’t sound right.

I guess she could sense my fear, because she said she would confirm to help calm my nerves. I of course jumped at the chance for her to double check and waited on hold while she verified my due date. When she came back she confirmed it was due October 1st, but said that if I felt more comfortable making my payment September 10th, I should go ahead and make the payment then.

With that said, I have always planned on making my payment on September 10th and am hoping I will receive my package in time to get it to them by Monday September 07, but I am so confused and my nerves are getting the best of me. Who really knows what is going on? If my package doesn’t get there until September 08, is my case closed? It is lights out for me and for any hopes of saving my home?

If you are in a similar situation, have questions, or any helpful advice, please leave a comment. I would love some pointers! If a citimortgage employee reads this and has knowledge on the process, please advise, because I am frustrated and now understand why others give up, or forfeit their modification due to the misinformation provided by citimortgage.

Today’s call left more questions than answers, but I am tugging along. I will post an update tomorrow. So stay tuned….