If you're a Georgia veteran who has fallen behind on a VA-guaranteed mortgage, there is a new tool that could stop a foreclosure without pushing your monthly payment higher. On June 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs began accepting servicer submissions for its new Partial Claim Program — a foreclosure-prevention option that lets your loan servicer bring your loan current and defer the past-due balance instead of demanding it all at once. According to the VA's announcement, the program is meant to give veterans an off-ramp from default that keeps them in their homes.
This matters in Georgia. Large populations of VA-loan borrowers cluster around Fort Stewart (the Hinesville and Savannah area), Robins Air Force Base (Warner Robins and Macon), and Fort Benning/Fort Moore (Columbus). If you live in one of those metros and you're staring at a delinquency notice, this is worth understanding — but it comes with real caveats, and it is not something you apply for on your own. Here's a plain-English breakdown.
What the Partial Claim Program actually is
The program was authorized by the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, which was signed into law on July 30, 2025. VA published its final policy on June 1, 2026, and opened the door to servicer submissions two weeks later. At its core, the Partial Claim works in four steps:
-
The servicer identifies a veteran who is in default or at imminent risk of default on a VA-guaranteed loan.
-
The veteran completes a three-month trial payment plan, paying the normal monthly payment amount for three months to show the loan can be sustained.
-
On successful completion, the servicer advances the past-due amount to bring the loan fully current.
-
VA reimburses the servicer that same amount.
The result is that your loan is caught up, and — importantly — your regular monthly payment does not go up. The overdue balance doesn't disappear, though. It moves somewhere else, which is the part every borrower needs to understand before signing anything.
The subordinate lien, explained plainly
The money VA advances to catch up your loan becomes a subordinate (second) lien against your home. Here's what that means in practice:
-
It carries zero interest.
-
It has no monthly payment.
-
It comes due in full only when you sell the home, refinance the VA loan, or pay off the mortgage. At that point the servicer repays VA.
That's a genuinely helpful structure — it defers the arrears without adding to your monthly burden. But be honest with yourself about the trade-off: it is still money owed, and it is secured against your home equity. When you eventually sell or refinance, that deferred balance gets paid back out of your proceeds. It's a lifeline, not free money. If you have limited equity, it's worth thinking through how a second lien affects your options down the road.
Who qualifies — and who doesn't
The eligibility rules are specific, and a lot of homeowners will fall outside them. As Military.com's breakdown of the 2026 rules notes, the program applies only to:
-
VA-guaranteed loans. FHA, USDA, and conventional loans are excluded. If your mortgage isn't a VA loan, this program is not for you.
-
A primary residence. Second homes and investment properties do not qualify.
-
Borrowers in default or at imminent risk of default. This is a hardship tool, not a general refinance option.
There's also a cap on how much VA will advance. VA can cover up to 25% of your unpaid principal balance, and that rises to 30% if your missed payments fell between March 1, 2020 and May 1, 2025 — the COVID-era window. To put numbers on it: on a $300,000 unpaid balance, that's up to $75,000 under the standard cap, or up to $90,000 for a qualifying COVID-era delinquency.
A couple of disqualifiers to watch for:
-
You generally can't have received more than one loan modification within a three-year window.
-
If you already received a partial claim under a COVID-era program — the VA Partial Claim Payment program (VAPCP) or a Refund Modification — you are ineligible for this one.
How it fits the new Loss Mitigation Waterfall
The Partial Claim doesn't stand alone. It sits inside a new VA Loss Mitigation Waterfall, and the two are designed to work together. As VA's servicer guidance puts it, the two "must be implemented together, as neither can operate independently."
The waterfall is a structured menu of options a servicer works through, which — per the National Association of Realtors' summary — includes repayment plans, traditional and extended loan modifications (with terms up to 40 years), and disaster relief. The Partial Claim is one rung on that ladder.
What happens if the three-month trial payment plan doesn't succeed? VA's servicer FAQ indicates that a failed trial plan generally sends the borrower back to Step 1 of the waterfall to be evaluated for other options. In other words, missing the trial payments doesn't automatically mean foreclosure, but it does reset the process.
The timeline that matters
Three dates are worth writing down:
-
June 15, 2026 — VA began accepting servicer submissions.
-
November 28, 2026 — the implementation deadline. Servicers were given 180 days from the June 1 policy to fully implement the program. Until then, rollout is uneven, so availability may vary from one servicer to the next. Don't assume your servicer is ready yet — ask.
-
July 30, 2030 — the program sunsets. The five-year authorization expires on this date unless Congress extends it, and after that VA cannot make new partial claims.
Because the program is still ramping up through late 2026, a legal analysis from Consumer Finance Monitor cautions that a lot depends on individual servicer discretion and how quickly each one builds the process. If you're behind now, that's an argument for calling early rather than waiting.
What Georgia veterans should actually do
The single most important thing to understand: this is a servicer-driven program, not a benefit you apply for directly. Your loan servicer — the company you send your mortgage payment to — is the one who identifies you, puts you on the trial payment plan, and submits the partial claim to VA. There's no VA application form for the borrower.
So the practical steps are:
-
Call your mortgage servicer as soon as you know you're going to miss payments — or already have. Ask specifically whether they've implemented the VA Partial Claim Program and the Loss Mitigation Waterfall, and whether you might qualify. Remember that availability varies by servicer through late 2026.
-
Call VA directly if you want a second opinion or your servicer isn't helpful. VA's help line for veterans having trouble making payments is 877-827-3702, option 6. VA's borrower-facing resource page is va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/trouble-making-payments.
-
Consider a HUD-approved housing counselor before you sign anything. A counselor can help you weigh the partial claim against other waterfall options and think through the equity implications.
For veterans near Fort Stewart (Hinesville/Savannah), Robins AFB (Warner Robins/Macon), and Fort Benning/Fort Moore (Columbus) — the parts of Georgia with the heaviest concentrations of VA borrowers — the same guidance applies. The program is a backstop your servicer initiates; your job is to reach out early and ask the right questions.
Cautions and what's still unknown
A few honest caveats to keep in mind:
-
It's not automatic. Being eligible on paper doesn't guarantee a partial claim; servicers have discretion in how they work the waterfall.
-
Rollout is still in progress. With the implementation deadline set for November 28, 2026, some servicers will be further along than others in the back half of the year.
-
It affects your equity. The deferred balance is a real lien that gets repaid when you sell or refinance. Understand that math before you commit.
-
Counseling is worth it. A HUD-approved counselor costs you nothing and can help you avoid a decision you'll regret.
Bottom line: the Partial Claim Program is a meaningful new option for Georgia veterans facing foreclosure on a VA loan, and its no-payment-increase design is genuinely borrower-friendly. But it's a servicer-driven backstop with specific eligibility rules and equity consequences — not a magic reset. If you're behind, the best move is the same one it's always been: pick up the phone early and ask.
Related reading
Sources
-
VA launches Partial Claim Program to help Veterans avoid home foreclosure — VA News
-
VA Partial Claims Program and Loss Mitigation Waterfall FAQs for Servicers
-
What Is the VA Partial Claim Program? 2026 Rules Explained — Military.com
This article contains AI-assisted content and has been reviewed in our publication workflow. It is general information, not financial or legal advice; contact your loan servicer, VA at 877-827-3702 (option 6), or a HUD-approved housing counselor about your specific situation.
