Until Oct 31st, 2009, the mortgage lenders reported mortgage modifications in various ways – paid as agreed, partial payments etc. Reporting of mortgage modification as partial payments had negative affects on the credit score of the borrowers. However, a new reporting plan has been implemented since Nov 1st, 2009. As per the guidelines of Consumer Data Industry Association, lenders will have to report the government sponsored loan modifications as "loan modified under a federal government plan". However, FICO has announced that it would ignore this new notation for the time being. Thus, it would neither hurt nor improve the credit score of the borrowers.