PAYMENT FREQUENCY — DOES IT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
- johnathanmcquoid
- Jan 17
- 2 min read
When it comes to your mortgage, one thing is guaranteed:
You will pay back what you borrowed — plus interest.
But how you make those payments?
That part is up to you.
Here’s how each payment frequency works and how it impacts your bottom line 👇
💰 The 6 Main Payment Frequency Options
1️⃣ Monthly — 12 payments/year
2️⃣ Semi-monthly — 24 payments/year
3️⃣ Bi-weekly — 26 payments/year
4️⃣ Weekly — 52 payments/year
5️⃣ Accelerated bi-weekly — 26 payments/year
6️⃣ Accelerated weekly — 52 payments/year
The first four are lifestyle-based — you simply match your mortgage payments to your pay schedule.
They:
✔️ keep budgeting simple
✔️ pay your mortgage as agreed
✔️ run the full length of your amortization
But the accelerated options?
That’s where the magic happens.
⚡ Accelerated Payments = Faster Mortgage Payoff
Accelerated payments increase your payment slightly so that you effectively make one extra full payment per year.
Here’s the difference:
📌 Regular bi-weekly:
$2,000 × 12 ÷ 26 = $923.07
📌 Accelerated bi-weekly:
$2,000 × 12 ÷ 24 = $1,000
You still make 26 payments per year — but at a higher amount — which means:
✔️ more money goes to principal
✔️ interest costs drop
✔️ amortization shortens dramatically
🧠 Why does this work?
Because the extra amount goes directly toward the principal, reducing the interest you owe over the entire life of the mortgage.
With today’s rates, an accelerated bi-weekly schedule can cut your amortization by up to 3.5 years.
🗓️ Accelerated Weekly
Works the same way — you simply divide the semi-monthly payment into 52 payments instead of 26.
It’s another way to build extra payments into your cash flow without feeling the impact all at once.
💬 Final Thought
Choosing an accelerated payment frequency is one of the simplest ways to reduce your overall borrowing cost — without refinancing or increasing your rate.
If you want to see how different payment schedules affect your mortgage, message The Frontline Mortgage Group anytime. We’re happy to run the numbers for you. 💬