Reduce Your Mortgage Payment in 2022: 3 options

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Taking steps to improve financial wellness is a resolution for many of us. Families want to save more and spend less. Between student loan debt and cell phone bills, it can be challenging to find opportunities to save. Homeowners, however, may have several options within reach.  These are the three ways to reduce a mortgage payment in 2022.

Reduce your mortgage payment: 3 options

Want to spend less on your mortgage each month? Sure, who wouldn't!?  There are a few ways to obtain relief.  Each option has important short and long-term considerations.

Re-cast your mortgage loan

Re-casting a mortgage restarts the mortgage term. Imagine for a moment that you have paid the first ten years of your 30-year mortgage. You will have just twenty years remaining. A recast would spread your remaining balance over thirty years rather than the current remaining term of twenty years. The result is a lower monthly mortgage payment.

Re-casting is different than refinancing.  A re-cast can only be done by the lending institution currently servicing your mortgage loan. It may involve a pre-paid interest fee or "re-cast" fee. The charge is typically far less than the cumulative fees associated with a traditional refinance transaction. Another important difference is that a re-cast will typically not require an appraisal.  For those that purchased a home at the peak of the market, this may be an important consideration.

Re-casting a mortgage loan will reset the mortgage amortization schedule.  [Why this is important] Using the example from above, you would extend your mortgage payments for ten additional years. Rather than paying your slightly higher mortgage payment for twenty years, you'll pay a lower amount for thirty years. This can make sense for many, particularly those who are likely to move in less than twenty years.

Eliminate mortgage insurance

Mortgage insurance can be required on conventional mortgages or FHA loans. Homebuyers who currently pay mortgage insurance may be able to eliminate the requirement, saving money each month.

Homeowners interested in removing mortgage insurance must meet certain criteria. Depending on the type of loan, the current balance must be equal or less than seventy-eight or eighty percent of the home value. Said another way, homeowners will need to have at least twenty percent equity in their home. Because mortgage insurance can cost $100 or more, this can be a great way to free up cash flow.

The process of eliminating mortgage insurance involves interaction with your current servicing company. By speaking with them, you'll learn what is needed and how much it may cost.  Your loan servicer may require an appraisal to confirm the current value of your home.  Your loan servicer may also use the value of your home at the time of purchase. Eliminating mortgage insurance is a simple way to save money each month.

Refinance your mortgage

Reducing a mortgage payment is most commonly achieved with a rate and term refinance. Homeowners will often reduce interest rates and extend loan terms providing for substantial monthly savings. Refinance mortgages are also flexible, allowing many goals to be achieved in one transaction.

The most common way to save money with a refinance is by lowering the interest rate.  All else being equal, a lower interest rate will require a lower monthly payment.  Since 2007, rates have remained relatively low which means most mortgages are already in the 3.5% to 4.5% range.  If your mortgage is in this range, you may not save money by reducing the interest rate alone.

Similar to a re-cast, refinancing into a longer term may also save you money each month in the short term. Similar to the example above, a loan extended from twenty years to thirty years will have a lower monthly payment with all else being equal. Extending the term of a mortgage can save you money each month even when the new interest rate may be higher than your current rate.

When refinancing a current mortgage, it is important to factor in the costs of the transaction as well as the long-term impacts. For example, those within twenty years of retirement may not benefit by obtaining a new 30-year mortgage loan. Additionally, a monthly savings of $50 or $75 may not be enough to warrant a rate and term refinance.  Each mortgage scenario is different, and several variables can impact the options available.

There you have it! Three ways to reduce a mortgage payment in 2022.

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