This calculator is designed for separating homeowners who want to see whether a standard divorce refinance may work, or whether a Spousal Buyout Mortgage, Alternative Lender, or Private Mortgage may be more appropriate.
Property and Payout Details
Registered debts secured against the property and expected to be paid out on refinance.
50%
Use the departing spouse's share of the net equity.
Net Equity—
Estimated Equity Payout—
⚠️ Negative Equity Detected: The existing mortgage, secured debts, and deducted costs exceed the home’s appraised value by . There is no equity to divide. Selling the home may not cover all debts — contact Allen to discuss your options.
Selling Costs
Use this when you want the payout estimate to reflect a notional sale cost for commission.
—
Staging, cleaning, minor repairs, or similar sale-related costs.
Total Selling Costs—
Per-Spouse Share of Selling Costs—
When included, total selling costs are deducted from equity before calculating the buyout amount.
Existing Mortgage Break Costs and Fees
For fixed-rate IRD calculations: enter the lender’s current posted rate for a term matching your months remaining — not your discounted contract rate. This rate is on your lender’s website. Using the wrong rate will significantly misstate the penalty.
When checked, mortgage break costs and refinance fees are deducted from equity first so both spouses share them before the payout is calculated.
Estimated Mortgage Penalty—
Other Refinance Fees—
Total Costs—
Cost Allocation—
⚠️ Mortgage penalty is an estimate only. Actual penalties vary significantly by lender and are calculated on their posted rates at the time of payout — contact your lender for a formal payout statement.
New Refinance Assumptions
25 yrs
⚠️ Most prime lenders cap uninsured mortgages (LTV ≤ 80%) at 25 years. A 30-year amortization is generally only available on insured or alternative lending products.
The payment shown below uses the refinance rate you enter here. GDS and TDS are shown for guidance using qualifying logic, but the display is kept simple for consumers.
Income and Property Costs
Results
Required New Mortgage—
—
Estimated Monthly Payment—
Loan-to-Value
—
0%80%95%
GDS
—
0%39%50%
TDS
—
0%44%50%
Equity Waterfall
Including selling costs assumes a notional future sale, reducing the equity divided today. When “Split Refinance Costs” is checked, the full penalty and fees are deducted from equity before the departing spouse’s payout is calculated — they bear their share through a reduced payout, not a cash payment. The staying spouse finances the full costs in the new mortgage.
Home Value—
Less: Existing Mortgage—
Less: Other Secured Debt—
Less: Selling Costs—
Less: Shared Refinance Costs—
Net Equity—
Departing Spouse Share—
Estimated Equity Payout—
Existing Mortgage to Repay—
Plus: Other Secured Debt—
Plus: Equity Payout—
Plus: Penalty and Fees—
Required New Mortgage—
Cash Needed at Closing
The mortgage penalty and all refinance fees are financed into the new mortgage in this calculator. The items below represent your estimated out-of-pocket cash obligations at closing.
Mortgage PenaltyFinanced in Mortgage
Legal Fees—
Appraisal—
Admin / Discharge Fees—
Other Fees—
Total Cash Required at Closing—
Prime guideline benchmark: 39% GDS / 44% TDS. Standard uninsured refinance: 80% maximum LTV.
Recommended Path
Complete the fields to see your likely path.
This section will tell the user whether the scenario looks more suitable for a standard divorce refinance, a Spousal Buyout Mortgage, an Alternative Lender, or a Private Mortgage.
Need help with your next step?
Allen Ehlert can review your refinance, spousal buyout, alternative lending, and private mortgage options.
