CGG Law | Foreclosure support | Path one
Explore keeping your home
If you hope to stay, the first steps are practical: gather what you already have, learn who is set up to help, and put the deadlines in front of a lawyer. None of this commits you to anything, and none of it is a verdict on what will happen.
A court or sale deadline may continue while you use this page. Do not wait for this page or a reply if a deadline is approaching; seek prompt legal help.
One path, not a verdict. Reading about keeping your home does not mean it is the right path for you, or the only one. The three paths on these pages are choices to read about. No number from the calculator points to any of them, and nothing on this page screens anyone, automatically or otherwise.
Gather what you have
A folder, on paper or on a phone, with these items makes every later conversation shorter and calmer:
- Mortgage statements: the most recent ones, and any that show an amount past due.
- Every notice or letter from the servicer or lender, including anything about loss mitigation, default or acceleration.
- Court papers, if a case has been filed: the summons, the complaint and any order, with the dates printed on them.
- Income: recent pay stubs, benefit letters, and a note of any irregular income.
- Expenses: the essential monthly costs, in the same shape the calculator asks for them.
- Any earlier application for help with the mortgage, and the servicer’s written answers to it.
Who to contact
Ask your mortgage servicer which loss-mitigation options may be available and what documents and deadlines apply. Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what was said. Then consider the organizations below; they exist for exactly this situation.
Housing counseling, mediation and legal help
Whether a program can help, and whether a person fits its rules, depends on the program and the provider; nothing on these pages decides that for anyone. These links lead to independent providers, which have their own eligibility rules and privacy practices.
HUD-approved housing counseling
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development can review your situation, explain options with your servicer and help with paperwork.
- 800-569-4287 HUD housing counseling line
Foreclosure counseling from a HUD-approved counselor is free, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Which counselors are available, and how soon, varies by provider.
Cook County Circuit Court mortgage foreclosure mediation
The Chancery Division’s mediation program for mortgage foreclosure cases filed in Cook County.
- 855-452-2637 if you have received a summons or have a current foreclosure case
- 855-956-5763 for mortgage concerns without a summons or a current foreclosure case
The program described there covers a primary residence of one to four units in Cook County. A mediator is neutral and does not represent either side; the program also connects homeowners with housing counseling and legal help. Mediation does not guarantee any result. Hours are not listed here because published sources differ; confirm them when you call.
Illinois Legal Aid Online: get legal help
A starting point for finding free or low-cost legal help in Illinois, with guides and a way to apply.
Using the site or applying is not acceptance by any legal aid organization; each one decides whom it can help.
Help for homeowners: avoiding foreclosure (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Plain-language explanations of the options a servicer may offer and the questions to ask.
Chicago Bankruptcy Pro Se Help Desk (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois)
Free, limited advice for people who are not represented by a lawyer and have questions about bankruptcy.
- 312-229-6344 leave a message
The help desk is not representation, and listing it is not a recommendation to file. Bankruptcy has lasting consequences that deserve independent legal advice.
Ask a lawyer about the deadlines
Dates in a foreclosure case and in servicer notices control what is possible. An attorney can read them and explain what each one means for you, which papers to answer and by when. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the legal aid and help-desk links above are places to start; the firm’s own standard assessment is described further down this page.
Budgeting while you decide
Writing down cash flow and bills, even roughly, makes the calculator’s numbers more useful and every conversation easier.
Your Money, Your Goals toolkit (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Free worksheets from a federal agency for cash flow, prioritizing bills, dealing with debt and reviewing your credit reports.
Emotional support
A mortgage that has fallen behind is stressful. Support for that is ordinary, and worth having.
Emotional support and mental-health navigation for Chicago and suburban Cook County.
- 833-626-4244 call or text; you can also text HELPLINE
Weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekends 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is ordinary support, not an emergency service and not a diagnosis. For immediate physical danger or a medical emergency, call 911.
Optional faith and community support
If faith is part of your life, a trusted faith leader or community can be a source of support alongside the secular help above. You do not need a religious belief to use these CGG resources. Faith-based support is optional and offered alongside secular resources.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: get help
Practical assistance (food, housing-related help, counseling and more) offered by a faith-based organization.
- 312-655-7700 weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Welcomes people of all faiths, according to its own FAQ; eligibility for particular programs varies. You do not need a religious belief to use these CGG resources.
Optional next step
A foreclosure assessment, if you want one
Assessment-only fee: $750
CGG Law offers a standard foreclosure assessment for $750. The fee covers the assessment only. It does not include court representation, court filings, negotiations with a lender or servicer, or any other service. It does not buy or guarantee foreclosure relief or any particular result.
Carolina Garza-Gongora, the firm’s attorney, reviews whether CGG can accept the matter, including conflicts, and performs the assessment. Accepted clients receive the same standard assessment scope and engagement terms in writing. Any additional service would require a separate written agreement if the firm offers it.
If you choose to proceed and the firm accepts the matter, the assessment terms and payment arrangements are discussed during the call. No payment is collected on this website. You can use these CGG pages and calculator, and contact the listed providers, without purchasing an assessment.
Using this planner does not itself establish an engagement; CGG will confirm any accepted scope in writing. Applicable duties to prospective clients are not waived.
Before you rely on anything here
- These pages are educational information, not legal advice; they are not individual legal or tax advice about your situation.
- Do not upload confidential documents here. These pages accept no files and ask for no personal details.
- Using this page does not pause a court or sale deadline. Neither does requesting a consultation or contacting a provider.
- These CGG pages and the calculator are free to use, without an account. You do not need to hire CGG Law or pay its assessment fee to contact the listed providers. Each provider sets its own eligibility, intake requirements and any fees.
- These links lead to independent providers, which have their own eligibility rules and privacy practices. Resource web information was checked on October 26, 2026. The numbers listed have not been called, and availability is not guaranteed.