What does this calculator do?
Closing costs and cash to close are different numbers. Closing costs cover transaction charges. Cash to close combines those costs with your down payment and prepaids, then accounts for deposits and agreed credits. This rough worksheet makes those pieces visible. It allows credits only up to the modeled costs and prepaids, so it does not assume a credit can replace your down payment.
How to use it
- Use an itemized Loan Estimate when available; otherwise enter a clearly labeled planning percentage.
- Add prepaids and escrow only when the allowance excludes them.
- Enter earnest money already paid and credits your lender confirms can be used.
The math, made clear
Cash to close = down payment + closing allowance + separate prepaids − deposit − eligible creditsA worked example
For a $350,000 purchase, 20% down is $70,000 and a 3% cost allowance is $10,500. Add $3,000 separate prepaids, subtract $5,000 earnest money and $2,000 eligible credits: estimated remaining cash is $76,500.
What to keep in mind
Actual fees depend on location, loan, transaction terms, and timing. This does not calculate program-specific credit limits, transfer taxes, rate-lock fees, discount points, or financed charges. A Closing Disclosure controls the final transaction figures. Deposits are not a second cost; they reduce cash remaining.
All default values are illustrative. Results are rounded for display; calculations use full precision except where a split must allocate exact cents. Read our methodology for shared definitions and report a calculation issue if a result looks wrong.