What Is a Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM)?

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What Is a Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM)?

Let me explain what a graduated payment mortgage, or GPM, really is. It's a fixed-rate mortgage where your payments start low and then ramp up gradually to a higher level. You can expect those payments to increase by about 7% to 12% each year from the starting point until they hit the full monthly amount.

Key Takeaways

Here's the core of it: a GPM follows a fixed-rate structure but with an amortization schedule that keeps early payments low before they climb. I see this as a way to let homeowners ease into mortgage payments, which can help folks qualify who might not otherwise. But remember, the overall cost of a GPM usually ends up higher than a standard mortgage, and if you can't handle the rising payments, you could run into financial issues.

How Graduated Payment Mortgages Work

A GPM starts you off with minimal payments that grow over time. The low initial rate is what gets you qualified—without it, higher payments might disqualify you. This setup works well if you're young or buying your first home, as your income often increases gradually. Keep in mind, though, that a GPM might involve negative amortization if those early payments fall short of the interest; that means unpaid interest adds to your principal, making the loan bigger. These are only offered on FHA loans, which let low- to moderate-income buyers finance up to 96.5% of the home's value with a small down payment.

Benefits of a Graduated Payment Mortgage

You might find some real advantages in a GPM. It can make qualifying easier based on your current income, with low starting payments that rise as your earnings do, giving you budgeting flexibility. If you're looking to buy now rather than wait for a higher salary, this could let you afford more house, assuming you can count on your income keeping pace with the increases.

Drawbacks of a Graduated Payment Mortgage

The big downside is the higher total cost compared to a traditional mortgage. As payments increase, you might just be covering interest without touching the principal. If it's a negative amortization loan, deferred interest piles onto the principal, leading to even more interest charges. Plus, there's no certainty your income will match the rising payments—if it doesn't, you risk default, credit damage, and foreclosure. And if you pay it off early, watch out for prepayment penalties.

Graduated Payment Example

To make this concrete, suppose you're borrowing $300,000 over 30 years at 7% interest, with a 2% annual graduation for five years. Your payments would start at $1,844.89 in year one, then go to $1,881.79 in year two, $1,919.42 in year three, $1,957.81 in year four, $1,996.97 in year five, and settle at $2,036.91 from year six onward. Compare that to a standard mortgage at the same terms: you'd pay $1,926 monthly from the start. Use a GPM calculator to run your own numbers and see the difference.

Graduated Payment Mortgage vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage

Don't confuse a GPM with an adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM. An ARM adjusts based on market rates, which could go up or down without a fixed schedule. A GPM's rate only increases on a set plan. Some ARMs offer interest-only payments that lower your monthly bill but don't reduce the principal, similar to negative amortization risks in GPMs.