Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2026-5 (Bulletin) announcing revisions to the Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide. Per the Bulletin, Freddie Mac:

• Updated Freddie Mac Flex Modification requirements by:
  • Adjusting the requirement for servicers to provide a date by when the borrower must sign and return an executed modification agreement to permit the servicer to provide an acceptable time frame by which the documents must be returned (currently, Freddie Mac is prescriptive in instructing the servicer to provide 14 days from the date the servicer sent the modification agreement for the borrower to return the final signed modification documents);
  • Updating the requirements for the application of amounts held in a suspense funds account to clarify that at the end of a Trial Period Plan, if suspense funds held per the requirements in Guide Section 9206.2 (Modification terms, Trial Period and Conditions of a Freddie Mac Flex Modification) are in excess of the total amount of arrearages and expenses and remain unapplied, those funds be applied to reduce the post-capitalized unpaid principal balance;
  • Clarified that for streamlined eligibility for a Freddie Mac Flex Modification, the borrower must be 90 days delinquent as of the evaluation date, and payments received after the evaluation date do not affect borrower eligibility even if the payment results in the borrower becoming less than 90 days delinquent;
• Updated reimbursement requirements for certain foreclosure and bankruptcy legal fees for reimbursement claims submitted in the Payments Automated Intelligent and Dynamic System;
• Created new expense codes and updated the allowable fees associated with certain existing expense codes related to bankruptcy legal services;
• Removed the requirement for servicers to obtain Freddie Mac’s prior written approval before incurring legal expenses in connection with the foreclosure of a Cooperative Share loan;
• Created a new expense code for “Private Selling Officers” when a foreclosure sale is conducted by an auction service in lieu of the sheriff sale;
• Updated the effective date from January 1, 2027 to May 11, 2026 for information security requirements related to organizations’ business impact analyses;
• Updated information security requirements related to servicers’ software and application;
• Updated delivery requirements related to Payoff Draft Date 18 mortgages;
• Updated licensing framework to include a reference to the Alternative Collateral Deal tool;
• Redesignated Freddie Mac’s electronic invoice portal eBill as eBilling;
• removed lender-paid mortgage insurance payments pertaining to VPC mortgage loans from the closing payment structure;
• Revised and updated system-specific licenses; and
• Updated eNote certifications requirements related to the Bank of New York, NA.

Revisions related to a new effective date for previously announced requirements related to organizations’ business impact analyses are effective May 11, 2026. Revisions related to updated requirements for servicers’ software and applications, delivery of Payoff Draft Date 18 mortgages, and redesignation of Freddie Mac’s electronic invoice portal eBill as eBilling are effective July 1, 2026. All other revisions went into effect April 8, 2026.

Click to view the Freddie Mac Bulletin 2026-5: https://www.tenaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Freddie-Mac-Guide-Bulletin-2026-5-04-08-26.pdf