When should you refinance your mortgage?

There is a lot to consider when refinancing your mortgage.

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As mortgage interest rates start to rise, many homeowners are wondering - should I refinance right now? But before you call a mortgage lender, you should consider whether you'd actually be better off.

There are many situations when refinancing can save you thousands of dollars and shave off your repayment timeline. But there are also times when refinancing isn't the best solution.

Fortunately, there are several online tools you can use right now to help you crunch the numbers. You'll want to determine your new potential monthly mortgage payments and whether or not refinancing your mortgage will end up saving you money in the long run.

Still not sure if now is the right time? Read below for a more thorough breakdown of the process and when you should - and should not - refinance your home loan.

There are some obvious reasons to refinance, essentially replacing your existing home loan with a new one. Perhaps you want a new loan term, are looking to lower your monthly payments or want to take advantage of favorable mortgage refinance rates. But there are also some other important factors to consider.

As you weigh the pros and cons, you may want to first find out what mortgage interest rate you could qualify for right now. This online marketplace can show you the current rates, including APR, monthly payment and other fees.

If you've been a homeowner a while, then you may not be in the same financial position as you were when you first took out the mortgage. Here are three scenarios in which it's a good idea to refinance your mortgage.

Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is a fee you have to pay on a conventional mortgage if you have less than 20% equity in the home. When you make a down payment that is less than 20% of the purchase price, the lender will add PMI to the monthly payment.

PMI generally costs anywhere between 0.2% and 2% of the loan amount annually. If your home's value has appreciated significantly, you may be able to remove PMI by refinancing, which can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.

When someone cosigns a loan, the loan will appear on their credit report and could impact their own ability to qualify for a loan.

If your cosigner asks you to remove them from the loan, you can do so by refinancing into a new mortgage. Depending on how market rates have changed, you may not be able to qualify for the same low rate you had when you first took out the loan.

When you apply for a mortgage, a lender will use your credit score and income to decide what interest rate you qualify for. If your credit score, income or both have improved since you first applied, you may be able to get a much lower interest rate.

For example, if you had a 650 credit score when you first applied and now have a 750 credit score, you may receive a better interest rate offer.

Do you know your current credit score? If not, don't worry. There are online tools you can use to find out your credit score almost immediately. Get started now.

Alternatively, there are also plenty of reasons to hold off on refinancing your mortgage. Everyone's situation is different. So, before you start filling out any paperwork, make sure you take a look at some top reasons to possibly postpone your refinance.

When you refinance a mortgage, you have to pay closing costs, just like you did when you initially took out the loan. Closing costs range from 3% to 6% of the loan amount. For example, a $200,000 mortgage could have closing costs between $6,000 and $12,000.

In most cases, it can take about five years after refinancing to break even on closing costs. If you plan to move before that time frame, then you should avoid refinancing.

When deciding whether or not to refinance, most people start by comparing their current interest rate and overall market rates. But you should also consider what you'll pay in total over the life of the loan.

For example, let's say you took out a $200,000 30-year mortgage with a 5.5% interest rate. You took out this loan 10 years ago and now qualify for a 30-year term with a 4.5% interest rate. If you refinance, your monthly payment will be $288 less.

However, by restarting the loan term, you'll actually end up paying $30,870 more in total interest because you've effectively lengthened the loan term by 10 years.

A cash-out refinance is when you refinance your mortgage and remove most of the excess equity. You can receive the extra equity as cash, which you can use to pay for a child's college education, complete home repairs or eliminate high-interest debt.

A cash-out refinance has the same closing costs as a traditional refinance, so you should be careful before you apply. If you use a cash-out refinance for a vacation, a wedding or luxury goods, those items could end up costing you hundreds or thousands in total interest over the long run.

It's best to only use a cash-out refinance if you're using the funds to add to the home's value, pay off debt with a much higher interest rate or invest in another property. Otherwise, you should leave the equity in the home.