How do I postpone my car payment?
Asked by: Mr. Melvina Purdy | Last update: December 18, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (13 votes)
- Ask Your Lender to Skip or Defer a Car Payment. Some lenders offer borrowers deferred payments. ...
- Push Back or Change the Payment Due Date. ...
- Refinance Your Auto Loan. ...
- Find Someone to Take Over the Car Payments. ...
- Sell the Car. ...
- Surrender the Car Before Repossession.
Is it possible to delay car payment?
If you find yourself facing financial challenges, you may be wondering, “Can you defer a car payment?” Yes, many lenders allow their borrowers to defer a car payment to the end of their loan when necessary. There numerous reasons to defer a car payment. Anyone can find themself in a financial emergency.
What's a good excuse to defer a car payment?
A car loan deferment is when a lender allows you to postpone one or more payments to a later date. Some borrowers said they chose to defer car payments when they faced unexpected expenses, like an illness, hurricane or death in the family. Others simply couldn't afford their loans.
Can I ask for an extension on my car payment?
Request a Deferral
Some allow you to defer your entire payment, while others require you to keep paying interest. Some may also limit the number of times you can request a deferral or even prohibit deferrals entirely if you're already behind on your bills. Check with your lender to understand your options.
Does deferring a car payment hurt your credit?
Deferments do not hurt your credit score. Unlike simply missing a payment or paying it late, a deferred payment counts as “paid according to agreement,” since you arranged it with your lender ahead of time. That's especially important if you're already in the kind of emergency that would call for a deferment.
How Do I Get Out Of My $48,000 Car Loan?
How to ask for deferred car payment?
If you don't think you'll be able to pay your auto loan going forward, contact your lender to ask if they can offer any hardship options. If you are proactive about your problems, some lenders will work with you, especially in unusual situations such as a major economic downturn.
How do I pause car payments?
- Ask Your Lender to Skip or Defer a Car Payment. Some lenders offer borrowers deferred payments. ...
- Push Back or Change the Payment Due Date. ...
- Refinance Your Auto Loan. ...
- Find Someone to Take Over the Car Payments. ...
- Sell the Car. ...
- Surrender the Car Before Repossession.
How do you politely ask for a payment extension?
Due to an unexpected emergency that has occurred, I will be unable to make this payment by the [date] I am requesting an extension of [time] to make this payment. If you review my file, I believe you will find that my payments have generally been made in a timely fashion.
Can I put a hold on my car payment?
Request a loan deferment
If your financial difficulties are temporary, you may be able to request a pause on your car loan payments. For example, if you lost your job and need time to find a new one or were off work for a medical emergency, your lender may be willing to work with you.
What do I do if I can't pay my car payment?
- What Happens When I Miss a Payment? ...
- Talk to Your Lender. ...
- Refinance the Loan. ...
- Sell, Trade, or Try Transit. ...
- Use Home Equity. ...
- Voluntarily Surrender Your Car. ...
- Car Repossession. ...
- Get a Budget, Stick to It, and Make Your Car Affordable.
How many months can you go without paying your car payment?
While repossession can occur after a single missed payment, most lenders wait until you're 30 to 90 days behind on payments. That means you can face repossession after you've missed one, two or three payments.
What is it called to postpone a car payment?
Borrowers like you owe more than $1.6 trillion in auto debt, and many are falling behind. Your lender might have given you the option to move payments to a later date, also known as a “deferment” or “extension.”
What is the right to defer payment?
A deferred payment option is a right to operationally defer payment on an investment until a later date. Deferring payment often has certain advantages to paying upfront, such as accruing interest or avoiding opportunity costs, which the owner of that option will usually pay for.
How do I ask for a deferred payment?
- Contact your lender: The first step is reaching out to your lender and explaining your situation. ...
- Submit proof of your circumstances: Typically, lenders will require some form of proof regarding your change in circumstances.
Can I change my car payment date?
Can you change the due date on a car loan? In most cases, the answer is yes.
How does a car payment extension work?
A payment extension allows you to defer your payment due date and extend the time you have to make your payment. After the extension period ends, you resume making your regularly scheduled vehicle payments.
How do I ask for an extension on my car payment?
Reach out to your lender and ask questions until you understand their requirements. In general, a payment extension allows you to defer a certain number of monthly payments—usually one or two—until a later date, providing a brief break for borrowers suffering unexpected financial hardships or a natural disaster.
Does postponing a car payment hurt your credit?
No, deferred payments generally won't directly hurt your credit. When a creditor defers your payments, it can report your account's new status to the credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. While this appears in your credit report, the deferment status won't directly help or hurt your credit scores.
What is a good reason to defer a car payment?
Avoid paying hefty late fees. If you're a Hendersonville driver who still has some equity left in your car, deferring your payment will give you additional time to sell it. Deferring your payment allows you extra time to refinance your loan, which can help mitigate issues with payments in the future.
How do you respectfully request an extension?
- You may ask for an extension. ...
- Make sure you have a concrete and appropriate reason for asking for an extension. ...
- Don't wait until the last minute to ask for an extension. ...
- Be tactful and diplomatic in your wording. ...
- For the sake of speed, phone the employer to discuss the situation.
How do I ask for extended payment terms?
Ask for the most
For instance, if you need more time than your normal 30-day payment terms, ask for 60 days. You may end up with 45 days, but that's still better than where you started. It can help to research other suppliers and vendors as a point of leverage and as a backup, in case your negotiation falls through.
What happens if I can't pay my car payment?
Once you're in default, the lender may be able to repossess your car anytime, without notice, and come onto your property to take it. If your car is repossessed, your lender will try to sell it at an auction or in a private sale to recover their money. If they sell it at an auction, you may be able to buy it back.
How late can you be on a car payment?
Car loan grace periods vary by lender and generally range from 10-15 days. For example, if your auto loan payment is due on the 15th of the month, and your lender has a 10-day grace period, you would not be charged a late fee if you pay by the 26th of the month.