Skip nav to main content.
Mobile App
Find it for free on the App Store.
Get The App
Mobile App
Find it for free on the App Store.
Get The App

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a 15-year mortgage?

The 15-year fixed rate mortgage offers two big advantages for most borrowers: You own your home in half the time it would take with a traditional 30-year mortgage. You save more than half the amount of interest of a 30-year mortgage. Lenders usually offer this mortgage at a slightly lower interest rate than with 30-year loans. It is this lower interest rate added to the shorter loan life that creates real savings for 15-year fixed rate borrowers. The possible disadvantages associated with a 15-year fixed rate mortgage are: The monthly payments for this type of loan are roughly 10 to 15 percent higher per month than the payment for a 30-year. And, because you’ll pay less total interest on the 15-year fixed rate mortgage, you won’t have the maximum mortgage interest tax deduction possible.