Is Making Biweekly Mortgage Payments An Excellent Idea?
Melodee Lloyd edited this page 2 weeks ago


Does It Improve Credit History?

Does It Reduce the Interest?

How Does the Math Work?

What's the Downside?


Is Making Biweekly Mortgage Payments a Great Idea?

Suzanne is a content online marketer, writer, and . She holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance degree from Bridgewater State University and assists develop content techniques.

If you are a homeowner with a standard mortgage who makes regular monthly payments on your home, you might have found out about biweekly mortgage payments as an option to conventional payment strategies. The reasoning is that increasing the frequency of the payments reduces the interest that develops and, throughout a 30- or 15-year mortgage, that can equal years of payments eliminated from your loan. However, biweekly mortgage payment programs normally bring extra costs and require consenting to a bigger repayment quantity.

Before you sign up for biweekly payments, it 'd be wise to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of this type of program to identify whether it will in fact save you any cash.

- Some biweekly payment programs used by lending institutions are not the finest monetary choice for the homeowner.

  • Committing to biweekly mortgage payments can be challenging on a tight spending plan.
  • Biweekly mortgage payments won't always enhance your credit history.
  • Making extra payments towards the principal of your mortgage is a method to reduce your interest payments over the life of the loan. You do not need a formal agreement to do this.
  • In any case, make sure your mortgage doesn't featured an early prepayment penalty. That will damage any strategy for paying off the loan early.

    milan2099/ Getty Images

    Will Switching to Biweekly Payments Boost My Credit Score?

    Using a biweekly payment schedule set up by your mortgage lender puts you on an automatic withdrawal plan that ensures that your payments are made on time.

    If you're the type of individual who misses out on payments from time to time because you forgot to compose the check, an automated payment schedule will enhance your credit because your payments will be on time. However, you can get the very same advantage with an automatic monthly payment.

    Will Biweekly Payments Reduce the Interest I Pay?

    The concept that biweekly payments will reduce your interest payments might be a myth. Why? Because, depending upon the details of your loan, there is a good chance that the company getting your mortgage payment isn't the company that holds the loan.

    Although you're paying two times per month, the servicer receiving your payment isn't making biweekly payments to the business that owns your loan. It's most likely that they're likely holding the payment in an account till the end of the month.

    But will you still be lowering the interest that is developing up in time? Yes. Remember that each calendar year has 52 weeks. If monthly has four weeks that equates to 48 weeks. So, biweekly payments do not consist of two payments each month however rather amount to 26 half payments-the equivalent of 13 month-to-month payments in a year.

    Some mortgage business do not accept biweekly payments on mortgages, so you need to ask ahead of time before signing up for a biweekly payment strategy through a third-party lending institution.

    How Does the Math Work on Biweekly Mortgage Payments?

    It works like this: Biweekly payments are equivalent to 13 regular monthly payments in a year, while traditional regular monthly payments are equal to 12 payments each year.

    By paying an additional month every year, you're paying additional principal, which shaves 6 to 8 years off the life of the loan gradually.

    But do you have to make biweekly payments to do that? Instead, you could divide the total of one month's payment by 12 and include that amount to your month-to-month mortgage payment.

    If you're paying $1,500 each month, divide 1,500 by 12 and make your month-to-month payment $1,625. Talk with your mortgage company first to make sure there isn't something more you have to do to make sure the additional cash is applied to the primary quantity of your loan.

    What's Wrong with Biweekly Mortgage Payments?

    There are possibly 2 issues with opting for a lender's biweekly payment program:

    - There are often costs connected to this payment plan. That eats into the amount you're conserving by accelerating your repayment schedule.
    - You might, like most American customers, currently have sufficient legal payment commitments in your life. Unless you have considerable monetary reserves, you might desire to keep some flexibility in your budget plan rather than committing to biweekly payments.

    Remember, you can always make an additional payment when you get three paychecks in a month, receive a tax refund, or enter into a windfall. You do not have to contractually obligate yourself to do it each month.

    Why Are Biweekly Mortgage Payments a Good Idea?

    There are a couple of benefits to biweekly mortgage payments. They include:

    - Settling your mortgage faster, and paying less interest over the life of the loan.
    - Building equity in your home quicker.
    What Are the Downsides of Biweekly Mortgage Payments?

    Signing a formal arrangement to make biweekly mortgage payments has a number of possible drawbacks:

    - There are typically costs involved and they will consume into the quantity you're conserving by increasing your yearly mortgage payment.
    - You're locking yourself into a commitment to pay a bigger amount every year. If your spending plan takes a hit from another instructions, you might be sorry for that.
    What Are Other Ways I Can Pay Down My Mortgage Faster and Cheaper?

    You can pay off your mortgage earlier and minimize your interest expenses without committing to a biweekly mortgage payment. For example, you can utilize a bonus offer or an unanticipated windfall to settle a piece of your mortgage. If you get a tax refund, put the money against your mortgage.
    stackoverflow.com
    Whatever you do, ensure that you contact your mortgage holder in advance and make sure that your additional payment will be applied against the principal of your mortgage loan.

    There are methods to pay for a mortgage without signing up for a plan that may feature charges connected. The benefits might not surpass the gains of a biweekly mortgage.