HUD-Approved HOEPA Counseling
HOEPA Counseling for High-Cost Mortgages
If your lender has identified your loan as a high-cost mortgage covered by HOEPA, counseling is required before the lender can make the loan. Money Fit provides the one-on-one counseling and certificate through a HUD-approved nonprofit housing counseling agency.
Housing counseling support is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Eastern Time.
Request a counseling session
Complete the form below and Money Fit will follow up about scheduling and the documents to have ready. Submitting the form does not obligate you to proceed with the mortgage. If you are unsure whether HOEPA counseling is the service your lender requested, include the information your lender gave you and we can clarify during follow-up.
Your information stays with Money Fit. We use the information you submit for counseling-related follow-up and documentation. Please avoid sending documents or sensitive information unless a counselor asks for them through an approved method. Review the Money Fit Privacy Policy.
HOEPA counseling reviews the mortgage terms and whether the payment fits the household budget
The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, commonly called HOEPA, adds protections for certain high-cost mortgages. Before making a covered loan, the creditor must receive written certification that the borrower completed counseling with an approved counselor.
During counseling, you review the key loan terms, the required disclosures, your income and expenses, and the affordability of the proposed payment. A counseling certificate confirms that the session was completed. It does not mean the counselor approved, recommended, or guaranteed the mortgage.
Counseling through a HUD-approved nonprofit agency
Money Fit is a service of Debt Reduction Services, Inc., a nonprofit housing counseling agency approved to participate in HUD's Housing Counseling Program. The counselor's role is to help you understand the loan and your budget, not to sell the mortgage or make the lender's decision.
What HOEPA counseling covers
The session is built around the proposed mortgage and the finances that will support it. Your counselor will explain the information in plain language and make room for your questions.
The mortgage terms
Review the interest rate, payment, fees, disclosures, and any terms that could change what you owe.
Your household budget
Look at income, debts, essential expenses, and the room available for the proposed housing payment.
Questions and alternatives
Identify questions for the lender and consider other choices before deciding whether to move forward.
What to have ready
Bring the information you have. If something is missing, the counselor can explain what may still be needed before the session can be completed.
- The loan estimate, HOEPA disclosure, or other documents provided by the lender
- Your best estimate of household income and available assets
- Monthly debts, housing costs, insurance, utilities, and other essential expenses
- Any questions, lender instructions, certificate requirements, or closing deadlines
What happens after you submit the form
HOEPA counseling is a live, one-on-one service. Most sessions take about one to two hours, depending on the loan, the documents, and your questions.
We review your request
Money Fit confirms the service, timing, and documents connected to your lender's request.
We schedule counseling
Your session is scheduled by phone or video based on availability and program requirements.
You complete the session
Once the counseling requirements are met, Money Fit issues the certificate needed for your lender.
The HOEPA counseling fee is $119
The fee covers the live counseling session, review of the required information, and the completion certificate when all requirements are met.
Money Fit may waive the fee for households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. If cost is a barrier, ask about the waiver during follow-up. You can review the current HHS poverty guidelines.
A high-cost mortgage has to work after the closing table
The loan payment is only one part of homeownership. Property taxes, insurance, repairs, utilities, transportation, medical costs, existing debts, and changes in income still have to fit. HOEPA counseling brings those real household costs into the conversation before you decide whether the proposed mortgage is workable.
The decision remains yours. Money Fit helps you understand what the loan requires, where it may put pressure on the budget, and what questions you may want answered before moving forward.
Common questions
What is HOEPA?
HOEPA is the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act. It provides added protections for certain mortgages with costs or terms that meet federal high-cost mortgage thresholds.
Who needs HOEPA counseling?
A borrower needs HOEPA counseling when a creditor identifies the proposed loan as a high-cost mortgage covered by HOEPA. Your lender should tell you when counseling and a certificate are required.
When can HOEPA counseling take place?
HOEPA counseling generally takes place after you receive the required loan disclosures from the lender. Your lender or loan officer should tell you when the documents are ready and what certificate is needed.
Does the certificate mean Money Fit approved or recommended the mortgage?
No. The certificate confirms that the required counseling was completed. It does not mean Money Fit approved the loan, recommended the lender, guaranteed closing, or decided that the mortgage is appropriate for you.
How long does HOEPA counseling take?
Most HOEPA counseling sessions take about one to two hours. The actual time depends on the loan documents, the household budget, and the questions that need to be reviewed.
How much does HOEPA counseling cost?
The fee is $119. Money Fit may waive the fee for households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. Ask about the waiver during follow-up if cost is a barrier.
What should I bring to the counseling session?
Have the lender's loan estimate, HOEPA disclosure, or other required documents ready, along with your best estimate of household income, assets, debts, and monthly expenses. Bring any lender instructions, deadlines, and questions you want to discuss.
