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Getting rid of PMI advice/strategy

Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:24 pm
Posted by PhiTiger1764
Lurker since Aug 2003
Member since Oct 2009
13847 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:24 pm
Looking for some advice here. I am not sure if this is a good way to look at this, but I keep thinking about it, so I thought I would get some input. I bought a house a couple years ago with a minimal downpayment. My rate is 3.75%, so rather than make extra payments, I have been putting my money elsewhere (retirement accounts/brokerage account). However, I am paying $86/month for PMI which comes out to $1032/year.

I currently owe around $19k until I reach the 20% equity threshold to get rid of PMI.

Now, here is what I have been thinking about. Let's assume I have $19k sitting in a brokerage account which has been earning an average 8% ROI. That would equate to $1520 earnings over the course of a year. My thought process is that since the $1520 is more than the $1032 I am paying in PMI each year, I should keep my money where it is and not make any extra payments on the house.

However, as the months go by, the principal I owe to reach 20% equity will dwindle to a breaking point number where an 8% ROI will be less than the $1032 I pay each year in PMI. This breaking point number is just under $13k. At this point, it will make financial sense to make a $13k lump sum payment toward the principal balance I owe on my house, and thereby get rid of PMI. At least, this is what I have been thinking.

Thoughts on this strategy? I am sure there are other factors I am overlooking.. Any advice is appreciated.
Posted by Hawkeye95
Member since Dec 2013
20293 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:15 pm to
you should factor in taxes.
Posted by SouthOfSouth
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2008
43456 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:40 pm to
Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but here is the way I look at it:

Current situation:

Paying - negative $1,032/yr PMI
Receiving - positive $1,520 (8% investment of 19k)

1 yr Net - positive $488


If immediately pay 19k to mortgage balance:

Paying - negative $0/yr PMI
Receiving - positive $0 (8% investment of 0k)
Reducing Interest Expense - positive $712.50 (1 yr of 3.75% of 19k that you pay off)
Reduced Tax Benefit - negative $178.13 (if in 25% tax bracket you lose the pre-tax benefit of interest expense)

1 yr Net - positive $534.37

So if I'm not missing anything, paying down the mortgage will have a $46.37 positive net effect on personal wealth without the added risk of expecting an 8% return on investments.

I think getting rid of PMI is a good idea.

After removing PMI, I don't think it's a bad move to pay minimum payments and continue to invest most of your money, but PMI is dead weight that would best be removed if possible.
This post was edited on 3/26/15 at 2:44 pm
Posted by PhiTiger1764
Lurker since Aug 2003
Member since Oct 2009
13847 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:48 pm to
That is a good point and I have thought a little bit about taxes. This would change the numbers around some. However, another positive of leaving the money in the brokerage account is that I would have the ability to liquidate if I needed to. I haven't assigned a dollar value to this, but it is a peace of mind thing. So I am essentially letting this negative (taxes) and positive (peace of mind) cancel each other out for now.

What do you think of the overall premise of my strategy? Is it valid?
Posted by PhiTiger1764
Lurker since Aug 2003
Member since Oct 2009
13847 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:51 pm to
thanks for the breakdown man
Posted by SouthOfSouth
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2008
43456 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:57 pm to
Also thinking about it, the 8% you are expecting on investments is still dependent on taxation... If short term (less than a year) would be taxes the same as income. I honestly think it is a no brainer to get rid of PMI if possible.
Posted by SLafourche07
Member since Feb 2008
9928 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 3:29 pm to
Also to consider in your calculation, once you get to no PMI you will be saving that $1,032 per year and can invest @8% or use it to pay down mortgage further.
Posted by LSU6262
Member since Jun 2008
7490 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 5:13 pm to
quote:

I bought a house a couple years ago


FHA or conventional?
Posted by PhiTiger1764
Lurker since Aug 2003
Member since Oct 2009
13847 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 9:04 pm to
Conventional
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