🏘️
Personal Finance/Home Equity Loan Calculator

Home Equity Loan Calculator

Calculate your home equity, max borrowable amount, and monthly payments for HELOC or equity loans.

LTVEquity estimateHELOC paymentsRate compare2026 rates
$
$
Most lenders cap at 80% combined LTV
Your Equity
$200,000
40.0% of value
Max Borrowable
$100,000
at 80% LTV
$985monthly payment · 15-yr at 8.5%
Combined LTV After Borrowing80.0%
Remaining Equity$100,000
Total Interest Paid$77,253
Total Amount Paid$177,253
Home Equity Loan
Fixed rate & payment
Lump sum disbursement
Closes after funding
HELOC
Draw as needed
Variable interest rate
Reusable credit line
Risk Warning: Your home is collateral. Failure to repay could result in foreclosure. Interest may be tax-deductible only if funds are used to buy, build, or substantially improve the home (TCJA 2017).
Data Source & Legal Disclaimer
Effective: 2026-01-01Last updated: 3 months agoUpdate: Quarterly
Sources: CFPB — Home Equity Loans

Estimates only. Actual rates, terms, and borrowing limits vary by lender, credit score, and market conditions. This is not financial advice — consult a mortgage professional.

See all data sources & update policy →

Home equity loans vs. HELOCs — illustrated

Your home equity is home value − outstanding mortgage. Most lenders let you borrow up to an 80% combined loan-to-value — so the maximum draw is 80% × home value − mortgage balance, capped by your equity. The tool then prices a fixed-rate home equity loan (one lump sum, amortized payments) or notes the mechanics of a HELOC (a revolving line you draw from as needed, paying variable-rate interest on the balance during the draw period). Because your home secures the debt, default can mean foreclosure — and under TCJA, interest is only deductible if the funds substantially improve the home.

Equity, the LTV ceiling, and how the money is disbursed
Equity = home value − mortgage — and what you can borrow80% LTV = $400,000Mortgage $300,000Equity $200,000Max borrowable = 80% × $500,000 − $300,000 = $100,000Home equity loanone lump sum — $100kfixed rate · amortized paymentsclosed after fundingHELOCdraw as needed up to $100kvariable rate · interest-onlyrevolving — reuse as you repay

Example: $500,000 home with a $300,000 mortgage. At an 80% LTV cap the maximum combined debt is $400,000, so $100,000 is borrowable — as a lump sum (loan) or a revolving line (HELOC).

Maria's $100,000 equity draw

Maria's home is worth $500,000 with a $300,000 mortgage. She picks an 80% LTV limit and a 15-year fixed home equity loan at 8.5% to consolidate debt.

  1. Equity:$500,000 − $300,000 = $200,000 of equity (40% of value).
  2. Borrowing limit:80% × $500,000 = $400,000 combined cap − $300,000 mortgage = $100,000 max borrowable.
  3. Fixed loan payment:$100,000 over 15 years at 8.5% ≈ $985/month (amortized).
  4. True cost & LTV:Total paid ≈ $177k → ~$77k of interest over 15 years; combined LTV after borrowing is exactly 80%.
↩ Back to calculator

About this tool

What is this tool?

Calculate how much equity you have and your HELOC borrowing power. Free, no signup.

Equity estimateHELOC paymentsRate compare2026 rates

What Is the Home Equity Loan Calculator?

The Home Equity Loan Calculator shows how much of your home you own and how much a lender might let you borrow against it. Enter the current home value and outstanding mortgage, pick a combined loan-to-value cap of 70, 80, 85, or 90 percent, then set a rate and term of 5 to 30 years. The engine computes your equity in dollars and as a share of value, the maximum borrowable amount under the chosen cap, the amortized monthly payment for a fixed home equity loan, total interest, remaining equity, and the combined LTV after borrowing. A HELOC mode swaps the payment schedule for a draw-period explanation.

Who Should Use This Tool?

Homeowners planning a renovation, consolidation, or tuition bill use it before calling a bank, to learn the realistic borrowing ceiling an 80 percent cap implies. People who bought years ago and suspect prices have moved check how much equity appreciation unlocked, since the calculator takes today's value rather than the purchase price. Borrowers weighing a fixed home equity loan against a HELOC compare the two side by side, one amortized payment versus a reusable variable-rate line. Anyone nervous about over-borrowing tests the conservative 70 percent cap to keep a buffer. The combined-LTV readout also helps owners with a first mortgage plus second lien see where lenders will actually stop.

How Does It Work?

(1) Enter home value and mortgage balance; the sample models a $500,000 home with $300,000 owed, an 80 percent cap, an 8.5 percent rate, and a 15-year term. (2) Equity is value minus balance, $200,000 or 40 percent in the sample. The lender ceiling is value times the cap, $400,000 here, and max borrowable is that ceiling minus the mortgage, $100,000. A standard amortization formula then spreads the full amount over the term, about $985 per month in the sample, and totals the interest across every payment. (3) Read the panel: combined LTV lands exactly on your chosen cap, remaining equity shows what stays untapped, and switching to HELOC mode explains draw and repayment periods instead.

Home Equity Loan or HELOC: Which Should You Model?

A home equity loan disburses a lump sum at a fixed rate, so the monthly payment never moves; model it when the cost is known, like a roof replacement. A HELOC is a reusable credit line with a variable rate, a 5 to 10 year draw period followed by 10 to 20 years of repayment, and interest charged only on the balance drawn; it suits staggered or uncertain costs. The calculator models the loan end to end, payments through total interest, and explains the HELOC structure. Both share one warning: the home is collateral, and under rules in effect since 2018 the interest is generally deductible only when funds buy, build, or substantially improve the property.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I borrow with a HELOC in 2026?

Most lenders allow borrowing up to 80-85% of your home's appraised value minus your existing mortgage balance. On a $500,000 home with a $300,000 mortgage, that is $100,000-$125,000 in available equity. Current HELOC rates range from 8.5%-10.5% variable, compared to 6.5%-7.5% for home equity loans.

Should I choose a HELOC or a home equity loan?

A HELOC offers a variable-rate revolving line (draw period: 10 years, repay period: 20 years) suited for ongoing projects. A home equity loan provides a fixed-rate lump sum with predictable payments. If you need a one-time $50,000 for a renovation, the fixed loan locks your rate; for uncertain costs, the HELOC is more flexible.

Other names for this tool

This tool is also known by these tasks — each link opens the same tool with a focused guide:

Related tools

Joke of the Day
Sep 6

What do you call a crab that plays baseball?

100% Free, Forever

Keep Tools Free for Everyone

No paywalls, no signups, no data sold. Built by a solo developer who believes useful tools should be accessible to everyone.

Support me on Ko-fi— keep tools free

100% of proceeds go towards hosting & building more free tools.