Q.If I default on my mortgages and am foreclosed on, do the credit card companies I have balances with have the right to increase their interest rates?

A. Your credit card companies not only have the right to charge a higher interest rate if you stop making payments on your mortgage and are foreclosed on, they almost certainly will do so.

Your credit score will drop dramatically and lenders will consider you to be a greater risk for default on their loans. The greater the risk, the higher the rates.

How high could your rates go? Be prepared to pay anywhere from 28% to 32%.

We don't know your circumstances, but foreclosure may not be inevitable. Here's where to find our best advice on how to avoid foreclosure.

If you're in such a bind that foreclosure can't be avoided, here's our best advice on 10 steps to a graceful exit to avoid a chaotic eviction.