Financial Guides & Calculator Tips
5 of 16 posts
When to Refinance a Mortgage: The Break-Even Guide
Deciding when to refinance a mortgage is not about whether the new rate is lower, it is about how long until the closing costs recover. This guide walks through the break-even formula, a worked example, and the mistakes that turn a seemingly good refinance into a losing trade.
Mortgage Overpayment vs Investing: Which Wins, and When
A clear, country-neutral comparison of mortgage overpayment vs investing, with the formula, a worked example, and the conditions under which each route tends to come out ahead.
15-Year vs 30-Year Mortgage: A Real-Numbers Comparison
The 15 vs 30 year mortgage choice is really a trade between monthly cashflow and lifetime interest. A worked example shows the size of that trade and how to think about it.
How Is a Mortgage Payment Calculated? Formula + Example
The mortgage payment formula in plain English, with a step-by-step worked example on a 300,000 loan at 5% over 25 years — showing exactly how the monthly payment and total interest are built.
The Rule of 72: When the Mental Shortcut Actually Breaks
The rule of 72 is the back-of-envelope trick for compound growth. Here is how it works, where it stays accurate, and the cases where it quietly misleads.