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Mortgage comparison:
15 years vs. 30 years
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Determining which mortgage term is right for you can be a challenge. With a 15 year mortgage you will pay significantly less interest, but only if you can afford the higher monthly payment. Use this calculator to compare these two mortgage terms, and let us help you decide which term is better for you.
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Definitions
- Mortgage amount
- Original or expected balance for your mortgage.
- Interest rate
- Annual interest rate for your mortgage. Interest rates are generally lower for shorter term mortgages.
- Marginal tax rate
- This is your combined state and federal tax rate. This is used to calculate your potential income tax savings by deducting your mortgage interest.
- Monthly payment
- Monthly principal and interest payment (PI). Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
- Total payments
- Total of all monthly payments over the full term of the mortgage. Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
- Total interest
- Total of all interest paid over the full term of the mortgage. Both 30 year and 15 year mortgages are shown.
- Show schedule by month
- Display the payment schedule by month when you press the Payment Schedule button.
- Show schedule by year
- Display the payment schedule by year when you press the Payment Schedule button.
- Total annual income debt percentage
- Not shown. This is the percentage of your annual income your financial institution allows you to use for debt installment payments. This includes car payments, credit card payments, other loan payments and your "Principal, Interest, Tax and Insurance" payment for your home. The default rate is 36%.
- PITI annual income percentage
- Not shown. This is the percentage of your annual income your financial institution allows you to use for your "Principal, Interest, Tax and Insurance" payment for your home. The default rate is 28%.
- Qualify amount
- Shown as "Total monthly payment." This is the total amount you qualify for per month. This amount is the total of "Principal, Interest, Tax and Insurance" for your home.
Information and interactive calculators are made available to you as self-help tools for your independent use. We cannot and do not guarantee their accuracy or their applicability to your circumstances. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues. |
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