If you have clients facing a potential foreclosure, help them help themselves by assembling the following, as suggested by the Federal Housing Administration.

1. Loan number and recent payment history

2. A brief explanation of their circumstances. Are their financial problems temporary (for example, a cut in job hours or the illness of a family member) or permanent?

3. Recent income documentation, including pay stubs or tax returns

4. A list of household expenses - utility bills, food, insurance

5. A list of other debt obligations - credit cards, car loans

For more advice on avoiding foreclosure, visit www.fha.gov/foreclosure.