Qualified mortgage
Also called QM
Definition
A qualified mortgage is a federal category of loans that have more stable features intended to make it more likely the borrower can afford the loan. It is a product category under ability-to-repay rules, not the ability-to-repay duty itself.
In plain English
Federal mortgage rules describe a qualified-mortgage category. Loans in that category are designed around more stable features. Ability-to-repay is the broader determination duty. A non-QM loan is simply a mortgage outside the QM category. This page does not list current numeric tests.
Technical definition
CFPB’s key-terms heading defines a qualified mortgage as a category of loans with certain more stable features. 12 CFR 1026.43 is technical context. Thresholds and feature lists are omitted.
Why it matters
Rate sheets and research notes often say QM or non-QM. Those labels only make sense against this category.
Commonly confused with
Related terms
Sources reviewed
12 CFR 1026.43
ObservedSeptember 6, 2026
Mortgage key terms
ObservedSeptember 4, 2026
Important note
This page does not publish current qualified-mortgage thresholds or product-feature lists.