- With an adjustable-rate mortgage, your monthly payment can go up if interest rates rise.
- An ARM mortgage has limits on how fast and how high the rate can rise.
- ARMs are best suited for borrowers who plan to sell the home or pay off the loan within a few years.
What's an adjustable-rate mortgage?
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) has an interest rate that changes periodically with the broader market.
An ARM starts with a low fixed rate during the introductory period, which typically is three, five, seven or 10 years. When the introductory period expires, the interest rate changes regularly, based on a benchmark index.
If the index is lower than when you got the loan, your interest rate and mortgage payment will decrease. But if it's higher, your interest rate and mortgage payment will go up. ARM rates continue to change periodically after the introductory period — usually once every six months — until you sell the home, refinance or pay back the mortgage in full. ARMs usually have 30-year terms.
ARMs vs. fixed-rate mortgages
The main difference:
ARM: Your interest rate and monthly payments can go up and down over time.
Fixed-rate: Your interest rate never changes, so the monthly principal-and-interest payments stay the same.
ARMs gain popularity when their introductory interest rates are lower than those for fixed-rate mortgages. The resulting smaller monthly payments give borrowers more homebuying power.
⚠️ Borrower beware. The rate and monthly payment on an ARM have the potential to rise, which could make the payments difficult to afford.
Is an ARM a good idea?
It can be, depending on your plans. Ask yourself:
Are you planning to move in a few years?
If this isn’t your forever home, an ARM could save you money with its low introductory fixed rate, especially if you sell the home before the adjustable period starts.
Do you plan to pay off the mortgage quickly?
If you are expecting a financial windfall (such as an inheritance), you could use an ARM to take advantage of the low introductory fixed rate, then pay off the balance with the windfall before the fixed-rate period ends.
Are you comfortable with some risk in exchange for lower upfront payments?
ARM rates can go up or down after the fixed period ends. So even though lower payments at the start can help, no one can accurately predict where interest rates will be years from now.
If you plan to set down roots and own the home for the long haul or if you'll rest easier with a consistent mortgage rate and monthly payment, then a fixed-rate mortgage is probably the better choice.
ARM phases
Almost all ARM loans have two phases:
Phase 1: A fixed-rate period, which is typically three, five, seven or 10 years.
Phase 2: An adjustable phase in which the interest rate can move up or down, depending on an index.
Most new ARMs use a benchmark index called the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR). ARMs based on this index adjust every six months after the introductory period.
For example, a 5-year ARM with a 30-year term has a fixed rate for the first five years then adjusts every six months for the remaining 25 years. You also might see 5-year ARMs called 5/6 or 5y/6m ARMs.
Types of adjustable-rate mortgages
Most mortgage lenders offer some type of ARM, usually in these terms:
3-year ARM, or 3/6 ARM: The interest rate is fixed for three years and then adjusts every six months.
5-year ARM, or 5/6 ARM: The interest rate is fixed for five years and then adjusts every six months.
7-year ARM, or 7/6 ARM: The interest rate is fixed for seven years and then adjusts every six months.
10-year ARM, or 10/6 ARM: The interest rate is fixed for 10 years and then adjusts every six months.
The initial interest rate tends to be lower with a shorter fixed-rate period. So generally you'll see lower introductory rates for a 3-year ARM than for a 10-year ARM.
How ARM rates are set
To understand how ARM rates are adjusted, you need to know a few terms.
ARM caps
Adjustable-rate mortgages have caps on how much the interest rate can go up. They include:
Initial adjustment cap: The maximum amount the rate can increase the first time it is adjusted.
Subsequent adjustment cap: The maximum amount the rate can increase at each adjustment thereafter.
Lifetime adjustment cap: The maximum amount the rate can go up during the loan term, or the number of years it will take to pay off the mortgage.
For example, a 5-year ARM typically has:
An initial adjustment cap of 2 percentage points.
A subsequent adjustment cap of 1 percentage point.
A lifetime adjustment cap of 5 percentage points.
Let's say the introductory rate was 5%:
First adjustment: Up to 7% (the introductory rate of 5% plus the 2% initial adjustment cap).
Second adjustment: Up to 8% (that 7% rate plus the 1% subsequent adjustment cap).
Maximum rate possible: 10% (the initial 5% rate plus the 5% lifetime adjustment cap). This describes a worst-case scenario, which wouldn't necessarily happen.
When rates adjust, they don't always go up. They can go down in the initial or subsequent adjustments. And they don't necessarily go up or down the maximum amount. For example, the rate could rise or fall a quarter of a percentage point in the initial adjustment instead of the maximum 2 percentage points.
More ARM terms to know
Here are terms to know when comparing ARMs.
Index rate: The benchmark rate lenders use for ARMs. The index rate changes over time.
Margin: A number of percentage points that your lender adds to the index rate to arrive at the interest rate that you pay during each adjustment period. The margin doesn't change.
Introductory or teaser rate: The interest rate you pay during the loan's initial fixed-rate period.
Change frequency: How often the rate adjusts after the introductory fixed-rate period.
