(CNN) As hundreds of thousands of federal employees are expecting to begin the new year furloughed or working without pay due to the partial government shutdown, the US Office of Personnel Management provided sample letters for employees to submit to their creditors, mortgage companies or landlords.

"I am a Federal employee who has recently been furloughed due to a lack of funding of my agency," a sample letter to a creditor read. "Because of this, my income has been severely cut and I am unable to pay the entire cost of my monthly payments, along with my other expenses."

Read other sample letters below.