The Pros and Cons of a 15-Year Mortgage

A 15-year mortgage is a loan for buying a home whereby the interest rate and monthly payment are fixed throughout the life of the loan, which is 15 years. Some borrowers opt for the 15-year vs. a 30-year mortgage (a more conventional choice) since it can save them a significant amount of money in the long term.

The 15-year mortgage has some advantages when compared to the 30-year, such as less overall interest paid, a lower interest rate, lower fees, and forced savings. There are, however, some disadvantages, such as higher monthly payments, less affordability, and less money going toward savings. Below, we take a look at all of these advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a 15-Year Mortgage

Below are the advantages of a 15-year mortgage vs. a 30-year. Both have fixed rates and fixed payments over their terms.

Less in Total Interest

A 15-year mortgage costs less in the long run since the total interest payments are less than a 30-year mortgage. The cost of a mortgage is calculated based on an annual interest rate, and since you're borrowing the money for half as long, the total interest paid will likely be half of what you’d pay over 30 years. A mortgage calculator can show you the impact of different rates on your monthly payment, as well as the difference between a 15- and a 30-year mortgage.

Lower Interest Rate

Since short-term loans are less risky and cheaper for banks to fund than long-term loans, a 15-year mortgage typically comes with a lower interest rate. The rate can be anywhere between a quarter-point to a whole point less than the 30-year mortgage.

Lower Fees

If your mortgage is purchased by one of the government-sponsored companies, like Fannie Mae, you will likely end up paying less in fees for a 15-year loan. Fannie Mae and the other government-backed enterprises charge what they call loan-level price adjustments that often apply only to, or are higher for, 30-year mortgages.

These fees typically apply to borrowers with lower credit scores who make smaller down payments. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) charges lower mortgage insurance premiums to 15-year borrowers. Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is required by lenders when you put a down payment that's smaller than 20% of the home's value.

Charging PMI protects the lender in case you can't make the payments. It is a monthly fee added to the mortgage payment, but it's temporary, meaning it ceases to exist once you pay off 20% of your mortgage.

Forced Savings

Since the monthly payment is higher for a 15-year mortgage, financial planners consider it a type of forced savings. In other words, instead of taking the monthly savings from a 30-year mortgage and investing the funds in a money market account or the stock market, you'd be investing it in your house, which over the long run is also likely to appreciate.

Disadvantages of a 15-Year Mortgage

Despite the interest saved with a 15-year mortgage, borrowers should think about a few considerations and disadvantages before deciding on the term of their loan.

Higher Monthly Payments

A 15-year mortgage has a higher monthly payment than a 30-year one since the loan needs to be paid off in half the time. For example, a 15-year loan for $250,000 at 4% interest has a monthly payment of $1,849 versus $1,194 for the 30-year. In other words, the 15-year monthly payment is 55% higher than the 30-year for the same amount at the same rate.

Less Affordability

The higher payment might limit the buyer to a more modest house than they would be able to buy with a 30-year loan. Using our example above, let's say the mortgage lender will only approve a maximum of $1,500 per month. The borrower would need to buy a cheaper house—a $200,000 mortgage at 4%, for 15 years, results in a $1,479 payment.

On the other hand, a 30-year loan (for $250,000) would result in a $1,194 monthly payment—well under the $1,500 maximum. Or the 30-year loan might let the borrower buy a bigger home or take on a larger mortgage. For example, a 30-year mortgage for a $300,000 home would cost $1,432 per month. The 30-year loan brings the payment under the $1,500 maximum and allows the borrower to take on a larger loan—presumably getting a bigger home or a better location.

Less Money Going to Savings

The higher payment requires higher cash reserves—as much as one year’s worth of income in liquid savings. Also, the higher monthly payment means a borrower may forgo the opportunity to build up savings or save for goals such as college tuition for a child or retirement.

Both college savings and retirement accounts are tax-deferred, while 401(k) retirement accounts have an employer contribution. A savvy and disciplined investor would also lose the opportunity to invest the difference between the 15-year and 30-year payments in higher-yielding securities.

Example of a 15-Year Mortgage

A mortgage amount of $250,000 over 30 years at a rate of 4% would cost $429,674 in principal and interest payments by the end of the loan, and the total interest would be $179,674.

The same loan amount and interest rate over 15 years would cost $332,860 by the end of the term. The total interest would be $82,860 for borrowing for 15 years. At 4%, you'd pay only about 46% of the total interest for a 15-year than you'd pay for a 30-year loan. The higher the interest rate, the more significant the gap between the two mortgages.

The Bottom Line

A 15-year mortgage can undoubtedly save you a lot of money in the long run; however, it's essential to consult a financial planner to discuss what monthly payments you can handle. Although the 15-year can pay off a mortgage sooner if you lose your job or your income changes, that higher monthly payment versus the 30-year loan could cause you to go into financial hardship.