Which term describes delaying foreclosure or loan enforcement?

• A. Delay
• B. Forbearance
• C. Reprieve
• D. Sufferance

Answer: (B)

Forbearance is a lender’s agreement to delay or reduce loan payments and suspend enforcement actions, like foreclosure, for a set period. It gives the borrower time to get back on track without having the loan accelerated or foreclosed immediately. This is different from a general delay, which is vague, or a reprieve, which typically refers to postponement granted by an authority in criminal or court contexts. Sufferance isn’t related to loan terms at all. In practice, a forbearance might involve temporarily reducing or pausing payments, with the missed amounts either added to the end of the loan or repaid under a revised plan after the forbearance period ends.