Question about online access to mortgage accounts

[Ann]

All, I have read here that when you file bankruptcy and do not reaffirm the debt with your mortgage company they will deny you online access. I have 2 mortgages that my lawyer does not want me to reaffirm. My first is through Citimortgage and was wondering if they still send you end of the year statements? Also, will it be okay to use my banks online bill pay to send payment to them? I really hate the idea of sending in a check every month. Also, how long after you file will I be denied online access???

[CCsAreEvil]

Yes, I have them for my 1st, too. They will still allow access to their online site but only to view current information (current balance, escrow data, etc). I'm not able to make an online payment. They will continue to send you monthly statements in the mail with the wording "this is for information only.. not trying to collect a debt...blah blah". However, it's pretty much like the normal invoice otherwise. They even always provide that return envelope to make it "convenient" for you should you wish to make a payment (haha).

I do hate mailing the payments in. I've been doing it for a few months now (paying by writing a check and mailing). I might consider trying to call their customer service so they can allow me to make online payments again. If you end up doing this before I do, reply here and let us know what they say.

[Faust]

I have been paying our BoA mtg through checkfree. I have been paying out car loans with Cap One through our credit union free billpay service.

I stopped paying my student loan until the get the payment process restarted. That is with Chase.

[SMinGA]

Yes & yes.

They must mail the year end tax information - that is not a billing effort so the automatic stay has no impact.

And paying from your bank account's online banking should be fine - just make sure you enter the correct payment info.

[Brazzy]

Yes you can set up online bill pay through any bank that offers it whom you have a checking account with. You can not do an "auto debit". The bill pay option is different because you are requesting a check be cut for X amount to Y creditor.

Online viewing is turned off because most online banking has auto reminders. Basically if you fall behind an email goes out, a window pops up or something comes flashing across the screen saying you are past due and demands payment or puppies will die. Just to avoid the nonsense the banks just turn it off when you file and will turn it back on if you reaffirm.

[markdel16]

GMAC has not limited my online access at all. I can still pay through the website, view statements, etc. I can still also use their pay-by-phone service. I did not reaffirm.

[blockhead]

WF lets me see account and pay on their website just as before. I did not reaffirm.

[anime-chicka]

FYI on BoA - they take forever to get the ball rolling again with online access after you're discharged. It took about 4 months of back and forth calling, faxing the discharge papers and finally calling the executive office to get the access restored. BoA does not do reaffirmations.

They completely cut off my online access when I filed, so I had to "trick" the system and sign up my husband on the online account (I take care of the payments since he doesn't care to deal with it) to see the amount owed and to get contact info if we needed it.

I paid the mortgage via bank check and overnighted it.

[SMinGA]

We have BofA - and about 3 weeks after our ch. 13 was dismissed our online account access went back to normal. Before that I could log in, see that I had a mortgage account, but could not go into it. Error message said I could contact customer service if I needed information.

FYI on BoA - they take forever to get the ball rolling again with online access after you're discharged. It took about 4 months of back and forth calling, faxing the discharge papers and finally calling the executive office to get the access restored. BoA does not do reaffirmations.

They completely cut off my online access when I filed, so I had to "trick" the system and sign up my husband on the online account (I take care of the payments since he doesn't care to deal with it) to see the amount owed and to get contact info if we needed it.

I paid the mortgage via bank check and overnighted it.

[GettingGoing]

We filed ch7 at the beginning of April. Our wells fargo mortgage online access has never been disabled and I was able to pay May's payment online as usual.