Consider Saving Your Tax Refund for Home Down Payment

Usually when you get your tax refund, you think about buying a new car or using it to go on a vacation. Yet if you plan to move to a new home in the next few years, you may want to consider saving the refund to place it toward the down payment. 

Why Save Your Tax Refund? 

Collect more interest

The refund you get from the IRS doesn’t include any interest. Yet if you place the refund into an interest-bearing checking or savings account, you can grow your money from the compounded interest. After several years of saving your tax refund, you will have even more money to place toward the new house. 

Make a bigger down payment

People will often look for home programs, such as an FHA, so they can take advantage of the low 3.5% down payment option. However, when you make a higher down payment toward a home, such as 10% or even 20%, most lenders will offer better interest rates. You also can get a smaller mortgage loan that you can pay off sooner. Combine your tax refund with what you have saved already for the down payment to get a range of additional benefits toward your mortgage loan. 

Have Emergency Repair Funds

Even if you have more than enough money to cover the down payment, it’s still a good idea to save the tax refund for unexpected surprises. You may find a serious issue with the home that needs to be repaired quickly. The tax refund can go toward those repairs without hampering your other finances. 

There are many advantages to saving your tax refund. Whether you are putting it toward the down payment, making an emergency repair fund, or paying off your debts to improve your credit, the extra refund money can make it easier to purchase a home.