<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>mtgcalculator — mortgage guides</title><description>Free, fast, transparent mortgage calculators with original amortization, prepayment, refinance and affordability analytics. No tracking, no signups.</description><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/</link><language>en-us</language><item><title>15-year vs 30-year mortgage: which actually saves you more?</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/15-vs-30-year-mortgage/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/15-vs-30-year-mortgage/</guid><description>A side-by-side comparison of 15- and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with full math, opportunity-cost analysis, and a decision framework.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>ARM vs fixed-rate mortgage: which is the better bet?</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/arm-vs-fixed-rate/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/arm-vs-fixed-rate/</guid><description>A clear-eyed look at adjustable-rate mortgages — when their initial discount is worth the rate-reset risk and when it is a trap.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Closing costs explained: every line item and how to negotiate them</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/closing-costs-explained/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/closing-costs-explained/</guid><description>A complete walkthrough of mortgage closing costs — what each fee is for, which are negotiable, and what is typical in 2026.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Conventional vs FHA vs VA loans: how to pick the right mortgage</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/conventional-vs-fha-vs-va/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/conventional-vs-fha-vs-va/</guid><description>Plain-English comparison of conventional, FHA, and VA mortgage programs — eligibility, down payment, mortgage insurance, and total cost.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Do extra mortgage payments really pay off?</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/extra-payments-impact/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/extra-payments-impact/</guid><description>A quantitative look at extra principal payments — bi-weekly, monthly extras, and lump sums — with the only metric that lets you compare them honestly.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Mortgage points: are they ever worth buying?</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/mortgage-points-explained/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/mortgage-points-explained/</guid><description>How discount points work, when buying them is rational, and a clean break-even formula you can run in your head.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>How mortgage payments are calculated (the math)</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/how-mortgage-payments-are-calculated/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/how-mortgage-payments-are-calculated/</guid><description>A plain-English derivation of the standard US mortgage formula, plus how PITI, PMI and escrow change what you actually pay each month.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>PMI explained: when it costs you and when to drop it</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/pmi-explained/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/pmi-explained/</guid><description>How private mortgage insurance is calculated, when it auto-cancels under federal law, and the three ways to drop it sooner.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Property tax and escrow: how lenders collect and pay your tax bill</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/property-tax-and-escrow/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/property-tax-and-escrow/</guid><description>How escrow accounts work, why your monthly payment can change without your interest rate changing, and how to spot an escrow shortage before it surprises you.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Refinance break-even: when refinancing is worth the closing costs</title><link>https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/refinance-break-even/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://mtgcalculator.org/learn/refinance-break-even/</guid><description>How to compute the exact month a refinance pays back its closing costs, plus when the simple break-even math is misleading.</description><pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>