A fixed rate mortgage has the same payment for the entire term of the loan. An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) has a rate that can change, causing your monthly payment to increase or decrease. LIBOR, which stands for the London InterBank Offered Rate, is an index set by a group of London based banks, and sometimes used as a base for U.S. adjustable rate mortgages. This calculator compares a fixed rate mortgage to a LIBOR ARM.
Financial Calculators from
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Fixed Rate Mortgage: | Monthly payment $0.00 |
Fully amortizing ARM: | Initial payment $0.00 |
Interest only ARM: | Initial payment $0.00 |
Monthly Payment by Mortgage Type |
Definitions
Fixed Rate Mortgage
A fixed rate mortgage has the same interest rate and monthly payment throughout the term of the mortgage. The payment is calculated to payoff the mortgage balance at the end of the term. The most common terms are 15 years and 30 years.
Fully Amortizing LIBOR ARM
As of the end of 2021 the LIBOR rate is no longer available for use. This calculator is available for reference only. This is an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) that uses London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) as its base index. It was phased out in 2021 and should NOT be used as a base index. The term was typically 30 years. After any fixed interest rate period has passed, the interest rate and payment would have adjusted annually based on the LIBOR rate.
| ARM Type | Months Fixed |
|---|---|
| 10/1 ARM | Fixed for 120 months, adjusts annually for the remaining term of the loan. |
| 7/1 ARM | Fixed for 84 months, adjusts annually for the remaining term of the loan. |
| 5/1 ARM | Fixed for 60 months, adjusts annually for the remaining term of the loan. |
| 3/1 ARM | Fixed for 36 months, adjusts annually for the remaining term of the loan. |
LIBOR Interest Only ARM
As of the end of 2021 the LIBOR rate is no longer available for use. This calculator is available for reference only. An Interest Only ARM only requires monthly interest payments. Since you are not paying any principal, as you are with the other two types of mortgages described above, this can lower your monthly payment. However, since your mortgage's principal balance is not decreased, you will have a balloon payment at the end of the mortgage's term. Like a Fully Amortizing ARM, an Interest Only ARM will often have a period where the interest rate is fixed, and then it is adjusted annually. An Interest Only ARM will also have a maximum interest rate that it will not exceed. This calculator uses a maximum interest rate of 12%.
Mortgage amount
Expected balance for your mortgage.
Term in years
The number of years over which you will repay this mortgage. The most common mortgage terms are 15 years and 30 years. Please note that for the Interest Only ARM you will have a balloon payment for the entire principal balance at the end of the loan term.
Expected rate change
The annual adjustment you expect in your ARM. The range for this calculator is minus 3% to plus 3%. Use a negative value if you believe interest rates will decrease, a positive value if you believe they will increase.
Interest rate
Annual interest rate for each mortgage type. Typically an ARM will have a lower interest rate than a fixed rate mortgage. The rate of an Interest Only ARM will vary by lender.
Months rate fixed
This is the number of months the rate is fixed for an ARM. During this period the interest rate and the monthly payment will remain fixed. The rate will then adjust annually by the expected rate change.
Interest rate cap
This is the maximum interest rate for this mortgage. The mortgage's interest rate will never exceed the interest rate cap.
Monthly payment
Monthly principal and interest payment (PI) for the Fixed Rate Mortgage and the Fully Amortizing ARM. This is an interest only payment for an Interest Only ARM.