Total interest percentage
Also called TIP
Ask USMI can help explain this term and how it shows up in a mortgage question.
Definition
Total interest percentage, or TIP, is a Loan Estimate disclosure that shows how much interest will be paid over the life of the loan, expressed as a percentage of the loan amount. It is not APR.
In plain English
APR is a yearly cost measure that includes certain fees. TIP answers a different question: how much interest, as a share of the loan amount, the borrower would pay over the scheduled life of the loan. The two figures sit on the same disclosure family and are easy to mix up.
Technical definition
CFPB’s key-terms heading defines TIP as a disclosure of interest paid over the life of the mortgage. That official heading is PRIMARY. The Loan Estimate regulation is supporting context.
Why it matters
Shoppers compare APR and TIP as if they were the same rate. They are different official measures.
Commonly confused with
Related terms
Sources reviewed
12 CFR 1026.37
Source reviewedSeptember 4, 2026
Mortgage key terms
Source reviewedSeptember 4, 2026
Cite as
Ask USMI about this term
Explore how this term relates to a loan cost or your next mortgage question.