mortgage

Refinance could reduce tax deduction

Don Taylorq_v2.gifDear Dr. Don,
My current monthly mortgage is $1,692.80. I always apply an extra $308.99 to the principal. The loan was opened in June 2005 with a fixed interest rate of 5.88 percent. I plan to sell and retire within the next five years.

If I were to refinance $255,000 at 4.75 percent with a monthly payment of $1,386 and apply an extra $614 to the principal each month, would I be ahead in five years with this new loan? Or would I be further ahead by standing pat and skipping the refinance?
-- Amy Amortizes

a_v2.gifDear Amy,
I'd love to do the math for you regarding this refinance, but there are too many unknowns for me to be exact.

For example, was the first mortgage payment in June 2005? Or is that when the loan closed? Did you make an additional mortgage principal payment every month? Or did you start sometime after the first payment?

You can use Bankrate's "Mortgage payment calculator" with its corresponding amortization schedule to determine the total mortgage interest paid under the different scenarios. The goal should be to find a financing and additional payment approach that minimizes the total mortgage interest expense after considering the closing costs associated with the new loan.

I took a stab at it by inferring a couple of data points and didn't come close to your numbers on the refinancing.

If you're using the mortgage interest deduction, don't forget to consider the impact of this deduction on your taxes. You'll want to look at the total mortgage interest expense on an after-tax basis. It isn't likely to change the decision, but it will reduce the gap between the two approaches. That's because you've reduced the mortgage interest expense and by doing so, reduced the tax deduction.

Read more Dr. Don columns for additional personal finance advice.

advertisement

Start Here
Type of Loan:
Home Description:
Credit Profile:
Property Location:
* Please select a "Property Location"
Get up to Four Loan Offers in Minutes!
Compare low rates from the nation's top lenders and local brokers
  • Fill out our simple, secure form
  • Receive up to 4 loan offers
  • Choose the program that best fits your needs
Compare Mortgage Rates
Zip code:
Product:



advertisement
Mortgage Overnight Averages
Product Rate +/- Last week
30 yr fixed
5.03%
5.02%
15 yr fixed
4.53%
4.60%
5/1 ARM
4.06%
4.09%
30 yr fixed refi
5.05%
5.03%
View rates in your area:
mortgage
Banks, like car dealers, try to trip up consumers with a well-practiced array of tricks.
advertisement
advertisement

Mortgage rates giving you motion sickness?

Let us watch for you. We'll tell you when they hit your target.

Subscribe:RSS Feeds