If you are one of the many Illinoisans in trouble of defaulting on your mortgage, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has some advice, according to CBS 2:

Please reach out. Make sure that you are in communication in particular with a HUD-certified housing counselor because they can make sure that you understand your loan."

There are many places to get help and housing counselors say that if you're about to fall behind in your mortgage, you should contact your lender before you miss a payment.

"It helps to work with a HUD-certified housing counselor. To find one, and for other tips on fighting foreclosure check these resources:

-- The Attorney General's Mortgage Lending Guide, a resource manual containing step-by-step instructions for those struggling to make their loan payments and a list of HUD-certified counseling agencies that offer default counseling services. 

-- To get a referral to a certified housing counselor or to learn more about the steps to take to avoid foreclosure, homeowners can call Madigan's Homeowners' Referral Helpline at 1-866-544-7151 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-- State of Illinois Resources – this includes a calendar of upcoming Homeownership Outreach Day Fairs

-- DuPage Homeownership Center -- the group working with Richard Fox 

-- City of Chicago Foreclosure Prevention"