Escrow

Understanding Your Escrow Statement

What is escrow and do I have it?

Escrow is an account balance tied to your mortgage loan to pay your escrowed entities whenever they become due. Escrowed entities can include property taxes, insurance, and/or private mortgage insurance (PMI) when applicable. You can tell if you have escrow by reading your disclosure, reviewing your loan payments, or contacting the credit union.

How is my escrow payment calculated?

Escrow payments are calculated by adding the annual amount of escrowed entity’s payments and dividing this amount by 12 (months). View the example below:

Your escrow analysis statement has three main sections.

First – Your escrow account history. This is where you will see the payments you have made towards your escrow account. Here you will also see the payments that the credit union has made towards the entities in your escrow, such as your property taxes and homeowner’s insurance.

Next, you’ll see the escrow projections from the previous year. This section shows the differences in your payments from this year compared to last year. This will help you visualize the increase or decrease in your monthly payments.

The last page of the statement is your escrow projections for the upcoming year. The credit union reviews your account history with your current monthly payment to determine if your new payment will need to increase or decrease.

Surplus, Shortage, Deficiency…What does it all mean?

Now to decipher what it all means. You may see the following words next to a dollar amount on your statement: Surplus, Shortage, and Deficiency.

Surplus means that you paid more than you needed to into your escrow account. Typically, this means that the annual payment for one or more of your escrow entities decreased or remained the same. For example, if your property taxes or homeowners insurance cost decreased from the previous year. That surplus amount goes back directly to you.

Shortage means that you did not pay enough into your escrow account. Typically, this means that one or more of your escrow entities annual payments increased. As your lender, we pay your escrow entities, regardless of your balance. The shortage amount is how much you owe to your escrow account.

Deficiency means that you have shortage, but you are also negative in your escrow account as well. An escrow account requires at least 2 months worth of payments as a cushion, or safety balance. If you have a deficiency, that means you do not have enough money in your escrow account to cover the 2 months of payments and the shortage amount.

Putting It All Together

If you have a shortage or deficiency, you can pay this amount up front in full. If you cannot afford to make the full payment for the shortage or deficiency, that amount will be split into 12 equal amounts and rolled into your escrow payment for the next year.

At the end of your escrow analysis statement there is a recalculation of your escrow payment. If you have a surplus, your monthly payment will decrease. If you have a shortage or deficiency, your monthly payment will increase.

We hope this has helped you understand more about understanding your escrow account. If you have any questions, we are here to help.

Escrow FAQs

What is an escrow account?
An escrow account is a special savings account held at GCEFCU to pay items related to your home such as insurance, property taxes, and hazard insurance. Each month a portion of your mortgage payment is set aside to pay for the items listed in your escrow.

How is my escrow payment calculated?
GCEFCU calculates the amount for your monthly escrow payment by totaling your annual premiums then dividing that amount by 12.

Why do I need to have extra funds in my escrow account?
Every GCEFCU member with an escrow is required to have 2 months of reserves in their escrow account as a cushion. This helps to prevent you from experiencing a shortage if your premiums increase or you fall behind on your payment.

What does it mean when my escrow account has a shortage?
If your escrow account has a shortage, this means that there are not enough funds in your account to cover your annual premiums. This can be caused by unexpected increases to your taxes or premiums.

What does it mean when my escrow account has a deficiency?
If your escrow account has a deficiency, this means that there is a negative balance in your escrow account. This occurs when GCEFCU advances funds on your behalf to pay for your taxes or premiums if you do not have enough cushion. This can be caused by unexpected increases to your taxes or premiums.

What does it mean when my escrow account has a surplus?
If your escrow account has a surplus, you will receive the excess amount of funds in your GCEFCU primary savings account. Surpluses occur when your taxes or premiums are less than previously calculated.

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