closing
loan payoff
A loan payoff is the full amount needed to retire an existing mortgage at closing, including the remaining principal, interest accrued since the last payment, and any fees or prepayment penalties. The closing agent requests a written payoff statement from the lender, good through a specific date. On the closing statement, the payoff is a debit to the seller, reducing the seller's net proceeds.
- Exam tip
- Because mortgage interest is paid in arrears, the payoff includes interest accrued up to closing. It is a seller debit only, not a buyer credit.
- Example
- A seller's principal is $150,000 plus $500 of accrued interest, so the payoff debited at closing is $150,500.
Related terms & state variants
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Last verified: 2026-10-23