<p>Insolvent household, maybe?
For a person or a household, the most common term is insolvency.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-31T11:27:56.280Z
2015-07-31T11:27:56.280Z
Etienne
<p><em>Not paying</em> a mortgage is first known as <em>delinquency</em> (when payments are missed) and later, <em>default</em> (when the loan is written down and the lender seeks foreclosure). But an inability to pay has no particular term of art attached to it, because an inability to pay can arise either out of <em>illiquidity</em> (debts exceed liquid assets) or <em>insolvency</em> (debts exceed liquid assets and ability to borrow against future income).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-31T20:06:53.897Z
2015-07-31T20:06:53.897Z
dismalscience
<p>Is there a term for not being able to pay your mortgage(s)? Like "personal bankruptcy", "consumer default" or something like that?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-31T09:28:02.070Z
In which English (British, American, Indian, other?) For one payment, or a sequence of payments, or permanently? Are you asking about specific technical jargon in a particular context?
410 gone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-31T11:49:09.007Z
Is the distinction you are making between "can't pay" / 'won't pay" or "not paying" / "paying"?
BKay
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2015-08-01T01:37:18.820Z
In any English. For a any amount of payments (one, many, permanently). Yes, a technical jargon, but in general, not for a particular context. The context is in general, although the most common case is not being able to pay the mortgage for the loan you made for buying the house. I am asking strictly about "can't pay", not "won't pay" / "don't want to pay" or anything else.
Joe Jobs
<finance><definition>
What's the term for consumers not being able to pay their mortgage?
Joe Jobs
# What's the term for consumers not being able to pay their mortgage?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-31)

Is there a term for not being able to pay your mortgage(s)? Like "personal bankruptcy", "consumer default" or something like that?

**Tags:** finance, definition

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In which English (British, American, Indian, other?) For one payment, or a sequence of payments, or permanently? Are you asking about specific technical jargon in a particular context?  
> **username_2**: Is the distinction you are making between "can't pay" / 'won't pay" or "not paying" / "paying"?  
> **username_0**: In any English. For a any amount of payments (one, many, permanently). Yes, a technical jargon, but in general, not for a particular context. The context is in general, although the most common case is not being able to pay the mortgage for the loan you made for buying the house. I am asking strictly about "can't pay", not "won't pay" / "don't want to pay" or anything else.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-07-31. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

*Not paying* a mortgage is first known as *delinquency* (when payments are missed) and later, *default* (when the loan is written down and the lender seeks foreclosure). But an inability to pay has no particular term of art attached to it, because an inability to pay can arise either out of *illiquidity* (debts exceed liquid assets) or *insolvency* (debts exceed liquid assets and ability to borrow against future income).


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-07-31. Score: 2

Insolvent household, maybe?
For a person or a household, the most common term is insolvency.


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