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Why did my mortgage payment go up?

A fixed-rate payment changes when escrow changes. This page separates taxes, insurance, shortage, and cushion, then flags the federal escrow limits that are easy to miss on a servicer’s statement.

By the YourHomeCosts editorial desk. Last updated .

Why did my mortgage payment go up?

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Educational information only. This is not financial, tax, legal, lending, insurance, or appraisal advice. Loan documents, state law, and your servicer or assessor control. Confirm every figure before you act.

What you get back

A line-by-line change, a check against the federal escrow cushion and shortage rules, and a short list of things worth doing. Sample numbers stay labeled as a sample.

Sample, not your loan

Up $300 a month

  • Taxes +$1,800 a year → $150
  • Insurance +$1,200 a year → $100
  • Shortage of $600 over 12 months → $50

Cushion

One-sixth of this year’s estimated escrow disbursements is the federal maximum, about two months. A higher required cushion is the flag.

Shortage

A shortage at least as large as one month of escrow, if collected, is spread over at least 12 months. A 30-day demand at that size is the flag.

The bills themselves

A legal escrow payment can still be too high because the premium or the assessment is high. Those have different fixes.

A short note when the guides change

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