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Refinancing: Check Your Financials First Although interest rates continue to rise, they are still low and you have probably heard that refinancing could help you save money on your home loan. Even though you are probably focused on current mortgage interest rates, feverishly comparing them to your own interest rate, you need to check your financials first. What are a few important indicators of your financial health that you need to check before you go through the refinancing process?

Check Your Credit Report

During the refinancing process, you will essentially replace your current home loan with another one. Therefore, the lender is going to check your credit report, so you should do so before your lender does. You can request one free copy of your credit report from each of the major credit bureaus every year. Be sure to check your credit report for any mistakes. Correct them before you go through the refinancing process, and maximize your credit score.

Look At Your Most Recent Mortgage Statement

Next, you should also check your most recent mortgage statement. You need to understand your current interest rate, your unpaid principal, and the maturity date of your loan. This will help you figure out if it is worth it for you to go through the refinancing process. You can figure out what interest rate you need to have on the new loan to make it worth it.

Pay Down Other Debt

During the refinancing process, you need to avoid applying for other lines of credit. This includes credit cards. You may also want to pay down other sources of debt to improve your debt to income ratio. This can help you get the best possible terms on your new home loan.

Check Your Home’s Value

Your lender will order an appraisal to check your home’s value. Ideally, it has gone up in value, which will make it easier for you to qualify for a new home loan. There are free tools you can use online to get a quick estimate of your home’s value.

Consider Refinancing Your Home Loan

If you want to save money on your mortgage, it might be worth it to go through the refinancing process. You should reach out to a professional who can help you evaluate your opportunities and make the best possible decision.

A Checklist Of Documents You Need To Refinance Your Mortgage If you want to save money on your mortgage, you might think about refinancing. Before you can complete the refinancing process, there are several documents you need to have. Make sure you have all of these documents organized before you go through the refinancing process.

Basic Personal Information

You need to have documents that prove your basic personal information. This includes your name, current address, and phone number. There are plenty of documents you can use to prove this information, and your current lender probably already has this on file if you are using the same lender to go through the refinancing process.

Income and Debt Documents

You also need to have documents that verify all of your current income or debt. If you are a wage-earner, you should have at least one recent pay stub. You should also have tax returns and W2 forms from the past two years.

Make sure you have recent asset or bank statements as well. This could include retirement accounts, checking accounts, savings accounts, and investment accounts. You will probably need the most recent quarterly statement for monthly statements going back at least two months.

Any Additional Letters and Documents

There are several other letters or documents you might need as well. If you receive alimony payments or child support, you will need to have divorce decrees verifying this information.

If there are any questions about your credit history or gaps in your employment, you will need to have letters explaining these issues. That way, the lender will be reassured that you can repay the home loan. If you receive pension payments or social security payments, you should have an award letter specifying the size of the payments and how long they are going to be paid.

You also need to have a deed showing that you are the rightful owner of the home and a document showing that you have an active homeowners insurance policy with appropriate coverage.

Get Your Documents Organized for the Refinancing Process

Once you have all of these documents, you should be ready for the refinancing process. You should work with a professional who can walk you through this process from start to finish.

Refinancing: Check Your Financials First

A Checklist Of Documents You Need To Refinance Your Mortgage

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