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Refinance break-even calculator
See how long a refinance takes to pay for itself. Enter the monthly savings the refinance produces and the total cost of doing it. We compare that to how long you expect to stay in the home.
Your numbers
$
Closing costs plus any discount points
yrs
A rough sense of how long until you sell or refinance again
Plain-English summary
You break even around month 24, or about 2 years. Over the time you expect to stay in the home, you would net about $13,280 after recovering the refinance cost.
Break-even point
Months to break even24
Years and months2 yr 0 mo
Cumulative savings at break-even$5,280
Over your expected stay
Time horizon7 yr
Net savings after costs$13,280
You expect to stay long enough to come out ahead on this refinance.
Results are estimates based on user inputs and do not represent loan terms, APR, or a financing offer. Pre-filled values are illustrative examples, not available or quoted rates. Actual terms depend on credit, property, program, and underwriting. Every result applies to the entered planning scenario, not an observation period or local market statistic. Replace price, tax, insurance and fee allowances with dated, property-specific figures. Missing inputs are not assumed to be zero.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the break-even point in a refinance?
The number of months it takes for your monthly payment savings to add up to the closing costs you paid for the refinance. Stay in the home past break-even and the refinance was worth it.
What's a good break-even period?
Under 36 months is generally good. Under 24 months is excellent. Anything over 60 months and you should look hard at whether you'll really be in the home that long.
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