Why 1.5% — explained from an accounting standpoint.
Azure Gypsy Guild charges a single counterclaim service fee equal to 1.5% of your mortgage balance, payable only at settlement. This page walks through the line items that fee covers, when it is recognized on the trustee ledger, and the accounting principles that justify the percentage.
of mortgage balance on file at intake.
Nothing owed during the 60-day process — the Guild funds the work up front.
No monthly billing, no markup at completion.
What the 1.5% covers — line by line
Each percentage point of the 1.5% fee is allocated to a specific accounting cost center on the trustee ledger. Allocations below are the Guild's standard internal cost basis.
| Cost center | Share | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Good accounting ledger audit | 35% | Forensic line-by-line audit of the mortgage, taxes, and lender accounting record. |
| Trustee pledge & escrow | 30% | Guild pledges funds into the trustee account to trigger mortgage reassignment. |
| Counterclaim filing & service | 20% | Court filing fees, certified service to the law firm and bank, court docket fees. |
| Mediation & arbitration | 10% | Mediation scheduling, arbitrator retainer, transcripts, and binding award filing. |
| Settlement recording & trustee oversight | 5% | Final mortgage reassignment recording, ledger close-out, member portal updates. |
| Total of 1.5% counterclaim service fee | 100% | Single line entry on the trustee settlement statement. |
Worked example — a $250,000 mortgage
What you actually pay, lifecycle: intake → settlement.
Note: the $1,500 membership is collected on enrollment via Stripe. The 1.5% counterclaim fee is invoiced and collected only at the close of settlement, alongside mortgage reassignment.
Accounting principles applied
- Matching principle. Fee is recognized only when revenue (the settlement) materializes — costs and revenue are matched on the same period close.
- Trustee fund accounting. The Guild funds audit, filing, mediation, and pledge costs out of trustee reserves during the 60-day process — the homeowner is not invoiced for work-in-progress.
- Proportionality to subject value. Tying the fee to the mortgage balance keeps the engagement proportional to the value being preserved, in line with private-trust fee conventions.
- Single line entry. The full 1.5% appears as one line on the settlement statement — no hidden surcharges, no monthly recurring fees, no markup at completion.
- Outcome alignment. Because the fee is paid only at settlement, the Guild's incentives are aligned with the homeowner: no settlement, no fee.
Trustee testimonials
AI-generated placeholders — real member videos coming soonShort walkthroughs explaining the 1.5% line items. These are interim AI-generated clips while the Guild collects real member testimonials.
How that compares
Foreclosure defense law firms typically charge a retainer plus hourly billing or a percentage of equity preserved. The Guild's 1.5% flat is materially lower than market rates for the equivalent scope and outcome.
Hourly billing accrues during litigation.
Often not refundable if modification fails.
Single line, at settlement, no settlement = no fee.
Accounting allocations on this page reflect the Guild's standard internal cost basis and may vary by case complexity. The 1.5% headline rate, however, does not vary by case and is locked at intake. Nothing on this page constitutes legal, tax, or financial advice.