06/19/2026
Accelerated biweekly mortgage payments are a repayment method where you pay half of your regular monthly mortgage payment every two weeks. Because there are 26 biweekly periods in a year, this results in 13 full monthly payments instead of 12, effectively making one extra monthly payment annually.
Key benefits:
- Pays down principal faster, reducing total interest paid over the life of the loan.
- Shortens loan term (often by several years depending on interest rate and loan size).
- Can build home equity sooner.
How it works:
- Divide your monthly payment by two and pay that amount every two weeks.
- The extra payment accumulates because 26 half-payments equal 13 full payments per year.
- Ensure your lender applies payments directly to principal rather than holding them in a ledger—confirm processing method to get the full benefit.
Considerations:
- Some lenders charge fees to set up biweekly programs or may not apply payments as intended.
- Must maintain consistent cash flow; smaller, more frequent payments require budgeting discipline.
- Compare with making one extra annual payment or increasing monthly payments directly—these can have the same effect without program fees.
Brief example:
If your monthly payment is $1,200, an accelerated biweekly plan pays $600 every two weeks. Over a year that equals $15,600 (13 × $1,200) instead of $14,400, accelerating principal reduction and saving interest.