Skip to content
Finance·1 min read·

Mortgage payment

Estimate principal and interest, then add the monthly property tax and insurance you enter.

The answer

The loan portion uses the standard fixed-rate formula. Tax and insurance are the yearly amounts divided by 12. The housing payment is those pieces added.

Result

$2,296.20

Monthly housing payment

Principal and interest
$1,896.20
Tax and insurance each month
$400.00

How this works

Let r be the annual rate divided by 12 and by 100, and n the number of months. Principal and interest is loan × r(1+r)^n ÷ ((1+r)^n − 1). A zero rate divides the loan by the months. Divide yearly property tax by 12 and yearly insurance by 12, then add both to that payment.

A $300,000 loan at 6.5% for 30 years is $1,896.20 of principal and interest. $3,600 of tax and $1,200 of insurance add $400. The housing payment is $2,296.20. Fees, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues are not in the formula. A lender’s quote can be higher. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how to read a real offer.

Examples

  • $300,000 at 6.5% for 30 years, $3,600 tax, $1,200 insurance

    Loan portion $1,896.20. Tax and insurance $400. Housing payment $2,296.20.

Common mistakes

  • ×

    Entering the monthly tax into the yearly tax field, which multiplies the escrow by 12.

  • ×

    Treating the result as an approval or a payoff quote.

Frequently asked questions

What if tax and insurance are paid separately?

Leave those fields at 0. The result is principal and interest only, which is the same formula as the loan payment page.

Continue reading

Sources