What happens to my mortgage loan at Merchants after I close?
You will continue to work with Merchants Bank and our local loan servicing team based in Winona, MN. We are proud to share that our loans are serviced locally, which means that our local staff will be there to help if you have questions about your payments or other loan-related items.
Can I change my payment due date?
Only for certain types of loans:
- Personal loans (excluding mortgages) – Contact your lender to request changing your payment due date.
- Mortgage loans – Due to Secondary Market requirements (of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), mortgage payments must be scheduled on the 1st of the month.
Can I make partial payments on my mortgage by making a payment twice per month?
Unfortunately, no. Because our mortgage loans follow Secondary Market guidelines (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), if we receive a partial mortgage payment, we are not allowed to keep that payment and must return it to the borrower.
Can you help me figure out how to pay off my loan early?
Yes, just contact Loan Servicing. Make sure to include the date (either today’s date or one in the near future) and you’ll receive pay-off information verbally or in statement form based on your preference.
If you plan to pay off your loan early and have automatic payments set up, please contact Loan Servicing a few days before your final loan payment. This will provide enough time to cancel your automatic payment and minimize the chances of a duplicate payment.
During tax season, what kind of information can you provide about my loan?
Each year we will send you a 1098 statement, which includes much of the tax information you’ll need:
- Interest paid on your loan for the year
- Year-end principal balance
- If applicable, information on the property securing the loan
If you have questions anytime throughout the year – not just at tax time – the department is always able to provide you with your current loan balance.
I received my property tax bill in the mail from the county. If I’m escrowing, what should I do with this bill?
I received loan coupons that are not in a booklet format...does this replace my coupon book?
Yes. Our processor changed the way they produce loan coupons and coupons will now be provided four to a sheet on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper. Please detach and submit the appropriate coupon with your payment each month.
I think my loan payment was late. When will I be assessed a late fee?
Mortgage loans have a 15-day grace period before late fees are assessed. Other personal loans and business loans have a 10-day grace period.
My loan payment is scheduled to pull electronically after the due date each month, so why am I receiving a past due reminder?
When a loan payment is unpaid for at least seven days past the payment due date, a payment reminder is sent as a courtesy. If you would like to avoid receiving this reminder, we suggest changing your automated payment to no later than five days after the payment due date.
My monthly mortgage payment is set up for electronic payment. Can I opt-out of receiving the monthly billing statement or choose to receive the statement electronically?
Merchants Bank is required by law to mail out monthly mortgage statements for loans with electronic payments. At this time, we do not offer mortgage statements online.
What happens to the extra money I send to the bank when I round up my mortgage payment?
Any additional money on top of your monthly payment is automatically applied to the principal of your loan. By applying extra money to the principal, a borrower can reduce the amount of overall interest paid on their loan.
I have paid off my loan, but still received a final escrow statement that indicates a balance. Why?
The escrow statement you were sent is for informational purposes only. The analysis represents history since your last analysis statement.
Any balance in the escrow has been netted out in the payoff statement; therefore, no balance remains. If you have any questions, please contact Loan Servicing.
What process should I follow if I have property damage and need assistance with a claim?