Refinance calculator

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Refinance Calculator - See How Much You Could Save

This is what you can save

Average monthly interest savings

$282

Average monthly interest savings
Total interest savings

$50,694

Total interest savings
 
 

Refinance details

Original monthly payment

$1,580

Original monthly mortgage payment
Remaining balance

$192,696

Remaining mortgage balance
Remaining interest

$123,338

Remaining interest
New monthly payment

$1,474

New monthly mortgage payment
New mortgage amount

$192,696

New mortgage amount
New total interest

$72,644

New mortgage total interest
 

Refinancing is often billed as one of the most beneficial ways to save money on your home mortgage. That is not always true, and the fact is that where you save the money may not be exactly where you want to. For many people, the best way to learn whether they should refinance is to use a mortgage refinance calculator to break down the facts of their loan and really understand if this is the right decision. For a good number of those who do this, the benefits are there. Others may end up paying far more than they realized they would.

What Makes Refinancing Worth It?

Many things play a role in whether refinancing is a good move. The first is to determine your overall goal in refinancing. It can answer many questions for you and provide several benefits. Why do you want to refinance?

  • Do you want to save money on your loan in total?
  • Do you want to save money per month on your mortgage payment?
  • Do you want to borrow more money and still have just one loan?
  • Do you want to cut down your terms so that you are paying off your loan sooner?
  • Do you just want a lower interest rate or a different type of loan?

All of these are good reasons to refinance, but the picture needs to be sharpened a bit more so you can see exactly how the change will affect your overall homeownership. You can learn the details by using a mortgage calculator. Depending on your goals, you will be able to see whether this is a wise move or whether you should look for another solution to your problem.

How To Break It All Down

For anyone looking to take on a mortgage or refinance one, the goal is to know what to expect. You should know what you will pay per month, how much you will pay in all (interest and principal together), and how long you will be making payments. When you refinance your loan, you take what you currently have and change it in the hope of accomplishing your goals.

For example, if you want to save money on your loan in total, be sure to get a lower interest rate or a shorter term for that loan. If you want a smaller monthly payment, the best course of action is to extend the terms of your loan back to their original length (if you have been paying on your 30-year mortgage for 5 years, instead of having just 25 more to go, you would re-extend it to 30 years and start over).

Using A Refinance Calculator To Get Answers

When it comes to refinancing, you want to know what you will save. You can use a mortgage refinance calculator to learn this. Here's an example of what refinancing may cost you or save you.

Your original interest rate: 7 percent
The original amount you borrowed to buy your home: $200,000
The original loan term that you had: 30 years
The number of months left to repay the original loan: 120
New interest rate you can get: 6.5
New loan amount you are borrowing: $180,000
New loan term: 30 years

The results are simple to see. Your old loan would cost you about $1,330 per month in payments while the new loan will save you by reducing your monthly payment to $1,138. This is a savings per month of $193, which is significant for most people. Yet, you do need to look a little farther.

The total cost of your original loan would be $479,018, while the new loan will cost you $409,580. That saves you over $69,400 in total cost by refinancing. This is an ideal scenario because several key things are happening. First, you have a reduction in the interest rate of your loan, which nearly always saves you money. You are also seeing a reduction in the amount of money in your new loan. If the new loan is the same size as the original (for example, if you want to take some cash out of your home), you may not see as much savings.

With this type of loan, you are refinancing and will likely save money, but that is not always the case. If you refinance into a longer term, as in this example, you do lose the time and payments you have already made on your home. Yet when you reduce the amount you are borrowing, this is less of a factor. What is important to note is that all of these variables can change. The interest rate available to you depends on your credit score, and if you are looking at an adjustable-rate loan, there is no definite way to see what could happen in terms of cost.

The best thing for anyone considering a mortgage refinance is to use a good refinance calculator to see clearly how much money you could save, and how much money you can keep in your pocket each month! For most people, the goal is to lower their monthly payment, but remember that you can also drop your terms, increase them, or borrow against the equity in your home to pay down credit cards or make a purchase. Refinancing your loan puts you in the position to make decisions with your money. Use a mortgage calculator to see where and how you should do this. It will clearly help you find the most beneficial move in both the short term and the long term.

Frequently asked questions

How does this refinance calculator work?

Enter your current loan details and the new rate and term you are considering. The calculator compares the two, showing your new payment, monthly savings, and how long it takes to break even on closing costs.

What is the refinance break-even point?

It is the time it takes for your monthly savings to cover the closing costs of the new loan. Divide total closing costs by monthly savings to estimate the number of months until refinancing pays off.

How much can refinancing save me?

Savings depend on how much the rate drops, the new term, and closing costs. A lower rate reduces your payment and total interest, but extending the term can increase lifetime interest even if the payment falls.

When does refinancing make sense?

Refinancing often helps if you can lower your rate, plan to stay past the break-even point, and the closing costs are reasonable. If your main goal is faster payoff, also see our mortgage payoff calculator.

What costs are involved in refinancing?

Expect closing costs such as origination, appraisal, title, and recording fees, often a few percent of the loan. Include these in the calculator so your break-even and savings estimates are realistic.