Payment Deferral
Skip a payment when life happens
A furnace goes out in February. A hospital bill lands in July. Eligible members can move one auto loan payment to the end of the loan, once every twelve months, for a $35 processing fee.
Who can skip a payment
The rules are short on purpose. If you meet these, the request is approved automatically.
Six payments made
Your loan needs at least six months of history with us, and the account must be current at the time you ask.
Once every twelve months
One deferral per rolling twelve-month period, and no more than three across the entire life of the loan.
No paperwork trail
You do not need to prove hardship or explain yourself. Submit the request at least seven days before the due date and we handle the rest.
How to request one
Four steps, and none of them involve waiting on hold.
Sign in and pick the loan
Open the loan in online banking and choose Request Payment Deferral from the account menu.
Choose the month
Select which upcoming payment you want to move. The request must be in at least seven days before that due date.
Confirm the $35 fee
The processing fee is deducted from your share or checking account when the deferral posts. It is never added to the loan balance.
Pause your autopay
If you pay from another institution, cancel that one transfer yourself. We can only stop payments that originate at Summit.
What it costs in interest
Skipping a payment is not free money. Interest keeps accruing daily on the full balance during the month you skip.
Rates current as of July 2026 and subject to change. Membership eligibility required. This is a demonstration website; rates, products, and figures shown are illustrative only.
Common questions
Does a deferral hurt my credit?
No. An approved deferral is not a missed payment, and we report the account as current for that month. Nothing about it appears on your credit report.
Where does the skipped payment go?
To the end of the loan. Your maturity date moves out by one month and every other payment stays the same amount.
Which loans are eligible?
New, used, private party, refinance, and lease buyout auto loans, plus personal loans. Mortgages, home equity lines, and credit cards use different hardship programs.
What if I am already behind on the loan?
A deferral requires a current account, but that does not mean we cannot help. Call our member solutions team; they have options that a self-service form does not.
Can I skip two months in a row?
Not through this program. One deferral per twelve months is the limit, and a second consecutive skip would be handled as a formal loan modification.
Do I still need insurance during the skipped month?
Yes. Comprehensive and collision coverage naming Summit as lienholder must stay in force for the entire term, deferral or not.
Need a month of room?
Requests submitted seven days before the due date are processed automatically, usually within one business day.