Disclaimer

A guide here can tell you how discount points work, what the break-even arithmetic looks like, and which assumptions change the answer. It cannot tell you whether to buy points, because that depends on how long you will keep the house, what else the cash could do, what your marginal tax position is, and how stable your income is. We know none of those things. You do.

Not financial, legal, insurance or tax advice

The Wealth Post is a publisher. We are not a licensed financial adviser, investment adviser, insurance producer or broker, mortgage broker or loan originator, credit counsellor, credit repair organisation, accountant or law firm. Reading this site, emailing us, or using a calculator creates no advisory, fiduciary, brokerage or attorney-client relationship.

Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, apply for, cancel or keep any specific financial product. Where a guide concludes that one option is usually better than another, that is a general observation about the products, not a recommendation to you.

What the worked examples are

Every dollar figure in a worked example is an illustration built on assumptions that are printed with it. Change one input and the conclusion can reverse, that is the point of showing the arithmetic rather than just the answer.

The same applies to the 8 calculators. They are simplified models. They do not include every fee, tax, insurance escrow, underwriting adjustment or jurisdictional rule that a real provider will apply, and they print their assumptions underneath every result for exactly that reason. A calculator output is not a quote, an offer, or a pre-approval.

Rates, prices and terms change

Interest rates, premiums, credit card terms, eligibility rules and government limits all move, sometimes weekly. A figure that was correct on the date a guide was published may be wrong today.

This is why we keep original publication dates visible instead of backdating refreshes, so you can see how old a figure is and judge it accordingly. Always confirm current terms with the provider before acting.

No guarantee of outcome

The savings figures quoted here describe what the arithmetic produces under stated conditions. An audit that recovered $412, a refinance that broke even in twenty-six months. They are not typical results, promised results, or results you should expect. Your credit profile, state, property, health and provider all change the outcome.

Advertising and affiliate disclosure

This site earns from advertising and, in some sections, affiliate commissions paid when a reader applies for a product through a link. That compensation may influence which products we have researched. It does not influence conclusions, rankings or whether an unflattering finding gets published.

Advertisements are supplied by third parties. We do not endorse advertised products and we do not vet them. An advert appearing beside a guide is not a recommendation from us.

Third-party content and links

Where we cite a rate schedule, a policy form, a regulator or a statistic, we link to the source so you can check it. We are not responsible for the accuracy or availability of third-party material, and a source being cited does not mean its publisher endorses us.

When to talk to someone licensed

For any decision of real size, get advice from someone who can see your whole position and is accountable for what they tell you:

• A fee-only fiduciary financial planner for anything touching retirement, investments or a long-term plan.
• An independent insurance agent or broker licensed in your state for coverage limits and policy structure.
• A mortgage loan officer at more than one institution for real pricing, and compare the loan estimates, not the rate quotes.
• A non-profit credit counselling agency accredited by the NFCC for debt in the danger zone, before considering settlement.
• A CPA or enrolled agent for anything with a tax consequence, including forgiven debt.
• An attorney for bankruptcy, foreclosure, or a collector who is suing you.

The purpose of this site is to make you harder to mislead in those conversations. It is not to replace them.

Errors and corrections

If something here is wrong, we want to hear it before your money does. Write to alexhales2209405@gmail.com; corrections are published with a note saying what changed and when. See contact for what to include.