Simply put: if you have an FHA loan term of more than 15 years, have been paying it for at least 5 years, and have an LTV ratio of 78% or less, PMI can be removed from the loan. FHA loans of 15 years or less have the same criteria, minus the 5-year requirement.
FHA mortgage loans don't require PMI, but they do require an Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium and a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) to be paid instead. Depending on the terms and conditions of your home loan, most FHA loans today will require MIP for either 11 years or the lifetime of the mortgage.
For FHA loans opened on or after June 3, 2013
Most home buyers with newer FHA loans will have a harder time canceling their annual MIP payments. That's because the FHA made annual MIP permanent for many borrowers starting in 2013.
FHA Loan: Cons
Here are some FHA home loan disadvantages: An extra cost – an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP) of 2.25% of the loan's value. The MIP must either be paid in cash when you get the loan or rolled into the life of the loan. Home price qualifying maximums are set by FHA.
FHA Rule 75 states that 75% of the rental income must exceed the monthly mortgage for the property to be self-sufficient. This percentage must be at least enough to cover the mortgage payment, known as PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance.)
The most important thing to know about PMI is that it's not forever. Generally, PMI can be removed from your monthly payments in two ways: when you pay your loan balance down below 80% of the purchase price of your home, or once you have achieved 20% equity in your home.
However, you won't pay PMI forever. Lenders are required to cancel it when your mortgage balance drops to 78 percent of your home's original value (its worth when you bought it), or when you are halfway through your loan term.
You can remove PMI, or private mortgage insurance, from your mortgage after you have established enough equity in your home. You will need at least 20% in equity. At that point, you can request to have it removed or wait for it to automatically drop off when you have 22% in equity.
That depends on how much equity you have. If you have a home equity stake worth 20 percent or more of the home's value, you won't need to pay PMI.
An FHA loan may be a better option if you have a lower credit score, a higher DTI ratio, or less money saved for a down payment. On the other hand, a conventional loan may work better if your finances are sound and you can qualify for favorable loan terms.
You can often request PMI removal once you own 20% equity in your home. And lenders generally must drop PMI automatically when your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) hits 78%. In this article, we'll go over the basics of PMI and what it covers, and we'll also show you how and when you can stop paying it.
For recent FHA loans, you will need to pay insurance premiums for at least 11 years, and you may need to pay them for the life of the loan. Some FHA homeowners refinance into a Conventional loan to stop paying for mortgage insurance. Learn more about how to stop paying for mortgage insurance.
Many lenders (like Fannie Mae) also require a two-year “seasoning requirement,” meaning you can't have PMI removed until you've made two years' worth of on-time payments—even if your equity has grown above 20%. If it's been less than five years, you might even be required to have 25% worth of equity.
Remember: You might be able to eliminate PMI when your home value rises or when you refinance the mortgage with at least 20 percent equity. But the onus is on you to request it.
If you received your FHA loan on or after June 3, 2013:
You can remove MIP after 11 years if your original down payment was at least 10% of the purchase price. If your down payment was less than 10%, you must pay MIP for the life of the loan, unless you refinance.
PMI will reimburse the mortgage lender if you default on your loan and your house isn't worth enough to repay the debt in full through a foreclosure sale. PMI has nothing to do with job loss, disability, or death, and it won't pay your mortgage if one of these things happens to you.
Your mortgage lender will determine the PMI rate and multiply the percentage by the loan balance. For example, if the PMI rate is 0.5% and your loan amount is $300,000, your PMI will cost $1,500 annually or $125 monthly.
Once you reach 20% equity in your home, you have another option for removing PMI without refinancing. You can apply to cancel the PMI. This involves submitting a request to your lender. You'll need to be in good standing with your lender, and it helps if you haven't taken out a second mortgage.
Monthly MIP: The Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) is the FHA's version of PMI, a monthly payment that protects lenders in case of loan default. This ranges from 0.40% to 0.75% depending on your down payment, home price and loan term.
Is mortgage insurance tax-deductible? No, private mortgage insurance isn't tax-deductible now. The mortgage insurance deduction was only available for eligible homeowners for the 2018–2021 tax years.
FHA First Mortgage
Borrower must have owned property for 12 months AND if encumbered by a mortgage made payments for the last 12 months within the month due. Otherwise limited to 85% LTV. Standard 31/43 ratios, may be exceeded with compensating factor(s).
FHA Loan Down Payments
The minimum down payment you're required to make on an FHA loan is directly linked to your credit score. Your credit score is a number ranging from 300 – 850 that's used to indicate your creditworthiness. An FHA loan requires a minimum 3.5% down payment for credit scores of 580 and higher.
Exceptions to the Rule: When You Can Have Multiple FHA Loans
The FHA recognizes that life circumstances can necessitate having more than one FHA loan. To be eligible for a second FHA loan, you must have at least 25% equity in your home or have paid down the FHA loan balance to 75% in certain circumstances.