This is an excellent question and one I'm happy to answer as many times as needed; due to the fact that more and more homeowners find themselves (through no fault of their own) in a position where the mortgage is more than they can afford.  Either due to a work situation dramatically reducing pay or an adjustable rate adjusting beyond the homeowners ability to pay.  Sometimes the issue of "quality of life" comes to play; where a homeowner must make that very difficult decision to put food on the table or pay the mortgage.

But where to start? A great place for information (sometimes too much) is the internet; simply typing in "loan modification" in the search window will produce a myriad of results.  From links to companies actually offering loan modification services to articles which can be most informative in order to make an educated decision on what might be the best course of action and what to expect when engaging one of those companies. 

If you do not have computer access in the home local libraries offer computer stations for general use.  Also, talk to friends, family, coworkers, etc.  As more and more homeowners find themselves in a situation where a loan modification is needed; you might be surprised to find someone who shares your circumstances and has a success story to point you in the direction of a company that did a good job for them.

You can also start by calling your mortgage company to explore what options are available to you as a homeowner.  Call the number for customer service and they will connect you to the department which will be best be able to assist you.

However you do it; get the information! Going blindly into a situation or simply deciding to work with a company you just found on internet may not be the best course of action.  Information is power; but don't be so caught up in research that you are overwhelmed and end-up doing nothing.  This is analysis paralysis. I hope this has helped; best luck to you.