Amortization and payment frequency: small choices, large numbers
Doorvia Guides · July 6, 2026
Accelerated biweekly payments add one extra monthly payment a year and can cut years off your mortgage.
Amortization is the total time to pay off the mortgage. A longer amortization lowers your payment and raises lifetime interest; a shorter one does the opposite. Insured mortgages are generally limited to 25 years, with longer terms available in defined cases including first-time buyers and newly built homes.
Payment frequency is the quieter lever. Accelerated biweekly payments are set at half the monthly amount but paid 26 times a year, which is the equivalent of one extra monthly payment annually.
Ask your lender to show you the amortization difference in years, not just the payment difference in dollars. It is usually the cheapest prepayment you will ever make.
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