Definitions

Mortgage amount

Original or expected balance for your mortgage. Taxpayers can deduct the interest paid on first and second mortgages up to $1,000,000 in mortgage debt (the limit is $500,000 if married and filing separately). Any interest paid on first or second mortgages over this amount is not tax deductible. Home equity loans are limited to $100,000 or the amount of equity you have in your home. Our calculator limits your interest deduction to the interest payment that would be paid on a $1,000,000 mortgage.

Interest rate

Annual interest rate for this mortgage.

Term in years

The number of years over which you will repay this loan. The most common mortgage terms are 15 years and 30 years.

Monthly payment

Monthly principal and interest payment (PI).

Loan origination percent

The percent of your loan charged as a loan origination fee. For example, a 1% fee on a $120,000 loan would cost $1,200.

Discount points

Total number of 'points' purchased to reduce your mortgage's interest rate. Each 'point' costs 1% of your loan amount. As long as the points paid are not a broker's commission, they are considered tax deductible in the year that they were paid.

Other fees

Any other fees that should be included in the APR calculation. These fees can vary by lender, but at a minimum usually includes prepaid interest.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

A standard calculation used by lenders. It is designed to help borrowers compare different loan options. For example, a loan with a lower stated interest rate may be a bad value if its fees are too high. Likewise, a loan with a higher stated rate with very low fees could be an exceptional value. APR calculations incorporate these fees into a single rate. You can then compare loans with different fees, rates or different terms.