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Breakage cost

What does breaking the mortgage cost?

Variable mortgages typically charge three months' interest. Fixed mortgages charge the greater of three-month interest or an Interest Rate Differential — and the IRD math differs by lender.

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Last reviewed Q2 2026

Start here · Canada

Get a Canada-ready pre-approval file, not a generic quote.

We shape the file to how Canada underwriters actually read it — closing math, lender appetite, and the small regional details that decide the approval.

Inputs

Result

$23,625
Estimated penalty — the greater of the two methods
  • Three-month interest$5,670
  • Interest Rate Differential$23,625
  • Big-Six IRD uses the posted rate at funding, not the discounted rate you actually paid. The differential is usually larger.

Leverage moves

  • Estimates are directional. Request a written penalty quote from the lender before deciding.
  • Blend-and-extend can avoid a hard penalty — ask the lender for a blended-rate scenario.
  • If you're inside the last 6 months of term, an "early renewal" usually beats breaking.

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The math is the easy part. The approval hinges on how the file is packaged — income, down payment source, credit, and property notes underwriters actually read.