Mortgages: Should You Keep Paying On Yours?

Should you keep paying your mortgage on a home that's dwindling in value? No way, say an increasing number of underwater homeowners who are voluntarily choosing to "walk away" from their home loans, a practice known as "strategic default."

Jon Maddux, CEO of YouWalkAway.com, reports 10% more clients this year to his company, which advises people how best to handle the walk away process.

Charles Gallagher, a real estate attorney in St. Petersburg, Fla., has also seen an uptick.

And a recent survey by home finance company Fannie Mae found that while only about 27% of homeowners would even consider walking away, that's up from 15% last year.

In an early 2010 report, Morgan Stanley researchers said nearly 200,000 defaults in the prior year were voluntary, or roughly 12% of the total. The bank expects to issue updated estimates in coming weeks.

"People are more educated about the process," said Maddux of YouWalkAway. "They're making more calculated, less emotional, decisions and are less fearful and less concerned about the stigma."

University of Arizona law professor Brent White thinks the past few years of banking scandals have reinforced the view that it's not unethical to walk away.

"There's a sense that the banks don't follow the 'rules,' but somehow the little guy is supposed to — more and more people are saying 'enough is enough' and walking away," said White, who is also the author of "Underwater Home: What Should You Do If You Owe More on Your Home than It's Worth?"

Some homeowners, however, can't get past the stigma.

What about you? How do you feel about people who are able to pay, but walking away? The comment link below is where you click to comment on this. We'd love to hear from you.