Using Options to Payoff My Mortgage Early

Options trading can be risky. Taking income created thanks to savings from refinancing our home in 2020 into a guaranteed rate of return makes me sleep better at night. Read my introduction post to this strategy.

Read my original options trading strategy for this account.

Read my latest monthly update: Using Options to Pay Off My Mortgage Early: Month 4

Below is an amortization table of my home loan. (At the very bottom of the page you will see a comparison with my “benchmarks” as described in the intro post) Let me briefly describe each column:

  • Principal – The principal of my options trading account as of the 1st of the month. This started with $3,000. It will go up and down based on the positions I currently have, how much I add each much (see “Additional” below), and how much I earn vs. take out of the account each month.
  • Additional – How much money was added to the account. At the start of this, I planned to add $100 of the $164.21 I save each month due to refinancing.
  • Trading Income – Income from trading options for the month in the account. I am currently not counting capital gains as income. Capital gains remain in the account to raise the principal.
  • Additional Principal – How much I decided to put towards additional principal of the loan. My original goal was to be able to put in 1% of my options trading account, after taxes, into the mortgage.
  • Original Loan – The amortization schedule for my refinanced loan that started at $510,400 with a 3.125% APR.
  • Actual Loan – The adjusted amortization schedule based on additional principal payments made.
  • Difference – The difference between Original Loan and Actual Loan. In the first few months the difference is roughly equal to the total Additional Principal made on the loan. The difference will compound at 3.125% APR each month.
  • CAGR – Compound Annual Growth Rate. CAGR is based on the current value (i.e. principal), future value and number of years. The current value in this formula is equal to the starting principal of the options trading account ($3,000) plus the sum of “Additional” payments to the account (i.e. $3,000 + $300 = $3,300 for month 3). The future value is equal to current options trading account principal plus 1 month of “Additional” payments (i.e. $100) plus the “Difference” in the loans (i.e. $3,241 + $100 + $221 = $3,562). The number of years is the current month divided by 12.
Options TradingMortgage
MonthPrincipalAdditionalTrading IncomeAdditional PrincipalOriginal LoanActual LoanDifferenceCAGR
1November 2020$3,000$100.00$152.00$73.00$509,543$509,470$7332.22%
2December 2020$2,589$100.00$167.00$114.00$508,683$508,496$187-47.25%
3January 2021$3,241$100.00$101.00$33.00*$507,822$507,601$22135.67%
4February 2021$506,958$506,736$221
5March 2021$506,091$505,869$222
6April 2021$505,223$505,000$222
7May 2021$504,352$504,129$223
8June 2021$503,479$503,256$224
9July 2021$502,604$502,380$224
10August 2021$501,726$501,501$225
11September 2021$500,846$500,621$225
12October 2021$499,964$499,738$226
13November 2021$499,080$498,853$226
14December 2021$498,193$497,966$227
15January 2022$497,304$497,076$228
16February 2022$496,413$496,184$228
17March 2022$495,519$495,290$229
18April 2022$494,623$494,393$229
19May 2022$493,725$493,495$230
20June 2022$492,824$492,593$231
21July 2022$491,921$491,690$231
22August 2022$491,015$490,784$232
23September 2022$490,108$489,875$232
24October 2022$489,198$488,965$233
25November 2022$488,285$488,051$234
26December 2022$487,370$487,136$234
27January 2023$486,453$486,218$235
28February 2023$485,533$485,298$236
29March 2023$484,611$484,375$236
30April 2023$483,687$483,450$237
31May 2023$482,760$482,523$237
32June 2023$481,831$481,593$238
33July 2023$480,899$480,661$239
34August 2023$479,965$479,726$239
35September 2023$479,029$478,789$240
36October 2023$478,090$477,849$240
37November 2023$477,148$476,907$241
38December 2023$476,204$475,963$242
39January 2024$475,258$475,016$242
40February 2024$474,309$474,066$243
41March 2024$473,358$473,115$244
42April 2024$472,404$472,160$244
43May 2024$471,448$471,203$245
44June 2024$470,489$470,244$246
45July 2024$469,528$469,282$246
46August 2024$468,565$468,318$247
47September 2024$467,598$467,351$247
48October 2024$466,630$466,382$248
49November 2024$465,658$465,410$249
50December 2024$464,685$464,435$249
51January 2025$463,708$463,458$250
52February 2025$462,729$462,479$251
53March 2025$461,748$461,497$251
54April 2025$460,764$460,512$252
55May 2025$459,778$459,525$253
56June 2025$458,789$458,535$253
57July 2025$457,797$457,543$254
58August 2025$456,803$456,548$255
59September 2025$455,806$455,550$255
60October 2025$454,806$454,550$256
61November 2025$453,804$453,548$257
62December 2025$452,800$452,542$257
63January 2026$451,792$451,534$258
64February 2026$450,782$450,524$259
65March 2026$449,770$449,511$259
66April 2026$448,755$448,495$260
67May 2026$447,737$447,476$261
68June 2026$446,717$446,455$261
69July 2026$445,693$445,431$262
70August 2026$444,668$444,405$263
71September 2026$443,639$443,376$263
72October 2026$442,608$442,344$264
73November 2026$441,574$441,310$265
74December 2026$440,538$440,272$265
75January 2027$439,499$439,233$266
76February 2027$438,457$438,190$267
77March 2027$437,412$437,145$268
78April 2027$436,365$436,097$268
79May 2027$435,315$435,046$269
80June 2027$434,262$433,992$270
81July 2027$433,206$432,936$270
82August 2027$432,148$431,877$271
83September 2027$431,087$430,815$272
84October 2027$430,023$429,751$272
85November 2027$428,957$428,684$273
86December 2027$427,887$427,613$274
87January 2028$426,815$426,541$275
88February 2028$425,740$425,465$275
89March 2028$424,663$424,387$276
90April 2028$423,582$423,305$277
91May 2028$422,499$422,221$277
92June 2028$421,412$421,134$278
93July 2028$420,323$420,045$279
94August 2028$419,232$418,952$280
95September 2028$418,137$417,857$280
96October 2028$417,039$416,758$281
97November 2028$415,939$415,657$282
98December 2028$414,836$414,553$283
99January 2029$413,730$413,446$283
100February 2029$412,621$412,337$284
101March 2029$411,509$411,224$285
102April 2029$410,394$410,108$285
103May 2029$409,276$408,990$286
104June 2029$408,156$407,869$287
105July 2029$407,032$406,744$288
106August 2029$405,906$405,617$288
107September 2029$404,776$404,487$289
108October 2029$403,644$403,354$290
109November 2029$402,509$402,218$291
110December 2029$401,371$401,079$291
111January 2030$400,229$399,937$292
112February 2030$399,085$398,792$293
113March 2030$397,938$397,644$294
114April 2030$396,788$396,493$295
115May 2030$395,635$395,339$295
116June 2030$394,479$394,183$296
117July 2030$393,319$393,023$297
118August 2030$392,157$391,860$298
119September 2030$390,992$390,694$298
120October 2030$389,824$389,525$299
121November 2030$388,653$388,353$300
122December 2030$387,478$387,178$301
123January 2031$386,301$385,999$302
124February 2031$385,121$384,818$302
125March 2031$383,937$383,634$303
126April 2031$382,750$382,447$304
127May 2031$381,561$381,256$305
128June 2031$380,368$380,063$305
129July 2031$379,172$378,866$306
130August 2031$377,973$377,666$307
131September 2031$376,771$376,463$308
132October 2031$375,566$375,257$309
133November 2031$374,357$374,048$309
134December 2031$373,146$372,836$310
135January 2032$371,931$371,620$311
136February 2032$370,713$370,401$312
137March 2032$369,492$369,179$313
138April 2032$368,268$367,954$314
139May 2032$367,041$366,726$314
140June 2032$365,810$365,495$315
141July 2032$364,576$364,260$316
142August 2032$363,339$363,022$317
143September 2032$362,099$361,781$318
144October 2032$360,855$360,537$318
145November 2032$359,609$359,290$319
146December 2032$358,359$358,039$320
147January 2033$357,106$356,785$321
148February 2033$355,849$355,527$322
149March 2033$354,589$354,267$323
150April 2033$353,326$353,003$323
151May 2033$352,060$351,736$324
152June 2033$350,790$350,465$325
153July 2033$349,518$349,192$326
154August 2033$348,241$347,915$327
155September 2033$346,962$346,634$328
156October 2033$345,679$345,350$329
157November 2033$344,393$344,063$329
158December 2033$343,103$342,773$330
159January 2034$341,810$341,479$331
160February 2034$340,514$340,182$332
161March 2034$339,214$338,881$333
162April 2034$337,911$337,577$334
163May 2034$336,605$336,270$335
164June 2034$335,295$334,959$335
165July 2034$333,982$333,645$336
166August 2034$332,665$332,328$337
167September 2034$331,345$331,007$338
168October 2034$330,021$329,682$339
169November 2034$328,694$328,354$340
170December 2034$327,364$327,023$341
171January 2035$326,030$325,688$342
172February 2035$324,692$324,350$342
173March 2035$323,352$323,008$343
174April 2035$322,007$321,663$344
175May 2035$320,659$320,314$345
176June 2035$319,308$318,962$346
177July 2035$317,953$317,606$347
178August 2035$316,595$316,247$348
179September 2035$315,233$314,884$349
180October 2035$313,867$313,518$350
181November 2035$312,498$312,148$351
182December 2035$311,126$310,774$352
183January 2036$309,749$309,397$352
184February 2036$308,370$308,016$353
185March 2036$306,986$306,632$354
186April 2036$305,599$305,244$355
187May 2036$304,209$303,852$356
188June 2036$302,814$302,457$357
189July 2036$301,416$301,059$358
190August 2036$300,015$299,656$359
191September 2036$298,610$298,250$360
192October 2036$297,201$296,840$361
193November 2036$295,789$295,427$362
194December 2036$294,372$294,010$363
195January 2037$292,953$292,589$364
196February 2037$291,529$291,165$365
197March 2037$290,102$289,736$365
198April 2037$288,671$288,304$366
199May 2037$287,236$286,869$367
200June 2037$285,798$285,429$368
201July 2037$284,356$283,986$369
202August 2037$282,910$282,539$370
203September 2037$281,460$281,089$371
204October 2037$280,007$279,634$372
205November 2037$278,549$278,176$373
206December 2037$277,088$276,714$374
207January 2038$275,623$275,248$375
208February 2038$274,155$273,779$376
209March 2038$272,682$272,305$377
210April 2038$271,206$270,828$378
211May 2038$269,726$269,347$379
212June 2038$268,242$267,862$380
213July 2038$266,754$266,373$381
214August 2038$265,262$264,880$382
215September 2038$263,767$263,384$383
216October 2038$262,267$261,883$384
217November 2038$260,764$260,379$385
218December 2038$259,256$258,870$386
219January 2039$257,745$257,358$387
220February 2039$256,230$255,842$388
221March 2039$254,711$254,321$389
222April 2039$253,187$252,797$390
223May 2039$251,660$251,269$391
224June 2039$250,129$249,737$392
225July 2039$248,594$248,201$393
226August 2039$247,055$246,661$394
227September 2039$245,512$245,117$395
228October 2039$243,965$243,569$396
229November 2039$242,414$242,017$397
230December 2039$240,859$240,461$398
231January 2040$239,300$238,900$399
232February 2040$237,736$237,336$400
233March 2040$236,169$235,768$401
234April 2040$234,598$234,195$402
235May 2040$233,022$232,619$403
236June 2040$231,443$231,038$405
237July 2040$229,859$229,453$406
238August 2040$228,271$227,864$407
239September 2040$226,679$226,271$408
240October 2040$225,083$224,674$409
241November 2040$223,483$223,073$410
242December 2040$221,878$221,467$411
243January 2041$220,270$219,858$412
244February 2041$218,657$218,244$413
245March 2041$217,040$216,626$414
246April 2041$215,418$215,003$415
247May 2041$213,793$213,377$416
248June 2041$212,163$211,746$417
249July 2041$210,529$210,111$418
250August 2041$208,891$208,472$420
251September 2041$207,249$206,828$421
252October 2041$205,602$205,180$422
253November 2041$203,951$203,528$423
254December 2041$202,296$201,872$424
255January 2042$200,636$200,211$425
256February 2042$198,972$198,546$426
257March 2042$197,304$196,877$427
258April 2042$195,631$195,203$428
259May 2042$193,954$193,525$429
260June 2042$192,273$191,842$431
261July 2042$190,587$190,156$432
262August 2042$188,897$188,464$433
263September 2042$187,203$186,769$434
264October 2042$185,504$185,069$435
265November 2042$183,800$183,364$436
266December 2042$182,093$181,655$437
267January 2043$180,380$179,942$438
268February 2043$178,664$178,224$440
269March 2043$176,943$176,502$441
270April 2043$175,217$174,775$442
271May 2043$173,487$173,044$443
272June 2043$171,752$171,308$444
273July 2043$170,013$169,568$445
274August 2043$168,269$167,823$447
275September 2043$166,521$166,073$448
276October 2043$164,768$164,319$449
277November 2043$163,011$162,561$450
278December 2043$161,249$160,798$451
279January 2044$159,483$159,030$452
280February 2044$157,711$157,258$454
281March 2044$155,936$155,481$455
282April 2044$154,155$153,699$456
283May 2044$152,370$151,913$457
284June 2044$150,581$150,122$458
285July 2044$148,786$148,327$459
286August 2044$146,988$146,527$461
287September 2044$145,184$144,722$462
288October 2044$143,376$142,912$463
289November 2044$141,562$141,098$464
290December 2044$139,745$139,279$466
291January 2045$137,922$137,455$467
292February 2045$136,095$135,627$468
293March 2045$134,263$133,794$469
294April 2045$132,426$131,956$470
295May 2045$130,585$130,113$472
296June 2045$128,738$128,265$473
297July 2045$126,887$126,413$474
298August 2045$125,031$124,556$475
299September 2045$123,170$122,694$477
300October 2045$121,305$120,827$478
301November 2045$119,434$118,955$479
302December 2045$117,559$117,078$480
303January 2046$115,678$115,197$482
304February 2046$113,793$113,310$483
305March 2046$111,903$111,419$484
306April 2046$110,008$109,523$485
307May 2046$108,108$107,622$487
308June 2046$106,203$105,715$488
309July 2046$104,293$103,804$489
310August 2046$102,378$101,888$490
311September 2046$100,459$99,967$492
312October 2046$98,534$98,041$493
313November 2046$96,604$96,110$494
314December 2046$94,669$94,174$495
315January 2047$92,729$92,232$497
316February 2047$90,784$90,286$498
317March 2047$88,834$88,335$499
318April 2047$86,879$86,379$501
319May 2047$84,919$84,417$502
320June 2047$82,954$82,450$503
321July 2047$80,983$80,479$505
322August 2047$79,008$78,502$506
323September 2047$77,027$76,520$507
324October 2047$75,041$74,533$509
325November 2047$73,050$72,540$510
326December 2047$71,054$70,543$511
327January 2048$69,053$68,540$513
328February 2048$67,046$66,532$514
329March 2048$65,034$64,519$515
330April 2048$63,017$62,501$517
331May 2048$60,995$60,477$518
332June 2048$58,967$58,448$519
333July 2048$56,934$56,414$521
334August 2048$54,896$54,374$522
335September 2048$52,853$52,330$523
336October 2048$50,804$50,279$525
337November 2048$48,750$48,224$526
338December 2048$46,690$46,163$527
339January 2049$44,626$44,097$529
340February 2049$42,555$42,025$530
341March 2049$40,480$39,948$532
342April 2049$38,399$37,866$533
343May 2049$36,312$35,778$534
344June 2049$34,220$33,685$536
345July 2049$32,123$31,586$537
346August 2049$30,020$29,482$538
347September 2049$27,912$27,372$540
348October 2049$25,798$25,257$541
349November 2049$23,679$23,136$543
350December 2049$21,554$21,010$544
351January 2050$19,424$18,879$546
352February 2050$17,288$16,741$547
353March 2050$15,147$14,598$548
354April 2050$13,000$12,450$550
355May 2050$10,847$10,296$551
356June 2050$8,689$8,136$553
357July 2050$6,525$5,971$554
358August 2050$4,356$3,800$556
359September 2050$2,181$1,624$557
360October 2050$0$0$0

I am currently beating all three benchmarks!