Skip to main content Alert Close
Routing: 292977899

Breaking Down Your Mortgage Payment

Businesswoman's Hand Signing Check On Wooden Desk

What’s Included in Your Monthly Payment

Your home loan payment will always consist of principal and interest and may consist of taxes and insurance. Let’s break that down.

Principal and Interest

Principal and interest make up the largest portion of your monthly mortgage payment, which goes directly toward paying off your loan balance. Interest is the cost to you of borrowing money to buy your home. As you make your monthly payments, the amount you pay in interest will decrease, and the amount applied to the principal (your original loan balance) will increas

Taxes

If Clearwater manages your escrow account, your monthly loan payment will include a portion of your annual property taxes. When you make your monthly payment, we’ll put that amount into your escrow account and then take care of sending your property tax payments on time. In Montana, your annual property tax bill is split into two payments: one in May and one in November.

Insurance

Assuming Clearwater manages your escrow account, your monthly payment will also include a portion of your home insurance premiums. Depending upon your situation, three different types of insurance could be included in your monthly mortgage payment.

  • Homeowner’s Insurance
    When you finance your home, Clearwater requires homeowner’s insurance. We will collect 1/12th of your homeowner’s insurance premium monthly in your mortgage payment and hold it in your escrow account. When your insurance comes due, we’ll send your homeowner’s payment to the insurance company for you.
  • Flood Insurance
    Depending on the area you live, you may be required to have flood insurance as well. That could be combined with your homeowner’s insurance, or it could be a separate policy. If it’s separate, then we will also collect 1/12th of that premium with each monthly payment.
  • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
    Depending on your loan type and the amount of your down payment when you purchased your home, your monthly mortgage payments may also include private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums. For questions about PMI, please call our Mortgage Servicing team at 406-523-3360.

Making Your Mortgage Payment

We offer several different ways for you to make your monthly mortgage payment. If you have any questions or need help, please call 406-523-3360 or email our Mortgage Servicing team.

Cash

Stop by any Clearwater branch and pay in cash up until the day your loan payment is due.

Check

Drop your check off at any branch location or mail your payment at least 7 days before it’s due.

Transfer from Clearwater Account

Log in to Clearwater Digital Branch and transfer funds to your mortgage loan, stop by any branch, or call 406-523-3360, and we’ll transfer it for you.

Online External Transfer from Another Financial Institution

This payment can take 2-3 business days from the initiation date to post and has a $10,000 limit. There are no Clearwater fees for online external transfers. However, please note that if the payment amount should change, you are the only one who has access to change the transfer amount.

Other Credit/Debit Cards

You can make your payment using a non-Clearwater debit card or credit card cash advance. The limit is $5,000, and a $10 fee applies. Other fees outside Clearwater Credit Union may apply.

Wire Payments

We’ll post your wire payment to your mortgage the same day we receive it. While we do not charge wire fees, some third parties and other financial institutions might.

Clearwater-Initiated ACH

We’ll post automated clearing house (ACH) payments within 1-2 business days from the initiation date at no charge. Stop by any branch or call Mortgage Servicing at 406-523-3360 to get yours started.

Outside Clearwater ACH

Depending on the financial institution’s process and limits, it can take up to 5 business days to post your payment from the initiation date. There are no Clearwater ACH fees, but fees from the originating institution may apply.

Online Quickpay Debit Card or ACH

While this online option is quick, it also requires a 2% transaction fee along with a delay to post the payment depending on the other financial institution. A $10,000 limit applies, along with other possible fees from non-Clearwater institutions.

E-Check

With a $9,999 limit and no fees, this option posts your payment in 2-3 business days from the initiation date.
Questions about any of our payment options? Give Mortgage Servicing a call at 406-523-3360.