Helpful Hints from MAHT for Calculating the Amount of Interest that a Transaction is Expected to Generate
  • Title insurers or title insurance agents must place into an interest bearing MAHT account trust monies held in connection with real estate settlements, closings, escrows, and title indemnifications that would earn $50 or less in interest.

  • You must return the Annual MAHT Financial Statement of Compliance by March 31st of each year for both MAHT and non-MAHT accounts.

  • The threshold figure that determines whether or not the monies from a transaction should be deposited into a MAHT account should be revisited on a regular basis, as interest rates and "float times" on transactions may fluctuate. The chart below may be used as a guideline in determining a threshold amount.

  • When calculating the amount of interest that a transaction may accrue, title insurers and title insurance agents should treat the escrowed funds as if the funds were being placed in their own separate escrow account and the interest was accruing on that transaction’s escrowed funds only. The interest amount should not be calculated as if the funds were earning interest in a regular escrow account where several transactional escrowed monies are commingled and interest is accruing on the total aggregate amount.

  • To determine "float time," a title insurer or title insurance agent should review a sample of transactions to determine how long funds remain in the escrow account. A title insurer or title insurance agent may want to ask its bank for assistance in making this determination.
Principal Balances Which Earn $50 in Interest
When Held for Various Numbers of Days and at Various Interest Rates
Annual Interest Rate Number of Days Funds Are Typically Held
1 Day 2 Days 3 Days 4 Days 5 Days 6 Days
1.0 1,800,000 900,000 600,000 450,000 360,000 300,000
1.5 1,200,000 600,000 400,000 300,000 240,000 200,000
2.0 900,000 450,000 300,000 225,000 180,000 150,000
2.5 720,000 360,000 240,000 180,000 144,000 120,000
3.0 600,000 300,000 200,000 150,000 120,000 100,000
3.5 514,000 257,000 171,000 129,000 103,000 86,000
4.0 450,000 225,000 150,000 113,000 90,000 75,000
4.5 400,000 200,000 133,000 100,000 80,000 67,000
5.0 360,000 180,000 120,000 90,000 72,000 60,000
5.5 327,000 164,000 109,000 82,000 65,000 55,000
6.0 300,000 150,000 100,000 75,000 60,000 50,000
6.5 277,000 138,000 92,000 69,000 55,000 46,000
7.0 257,000 129,000 86,000 64,000 51,000 43,000
7.5 240,000 120,000 80,000 60,000 48,000 40,000
8.0 225,000 113,000 75,000 56,000 45,000 38,000
8.5 212,000 106,000 71,000 53,000 42,000 35,000
9.0 200,000 100,000 67,000 50,000 40,000 33,000
9.5 189,000 95,000 63,000 47,000 38,000 32,000
10.0 180,000 90,000 60,000 45,000 36,000 30,000

For example, if the trust monies separately deposited would earn interest at the annual rate of 1.0% and the funds are typically remain in the escrow account for three days, the maximum amount for transactions placed in MAHT accounts is $600,000.

 

For More Information:

callison@dhcd.state.md.us
Maryland Affordable Housing Trust
c/o Department of Housing and Community Development
100 Community Place
Crownsville, MD 21032
410-514-7179
Fax: 410-514-7291