What Is an Offset Account? (And How It Helps You Save on Your Home Loan) 🔎
Iain-Sight Series: Episode 2
If you’ve been looking into home loans, you’ve probably come across the term offset account. It sounds a bit technical, but once you understand how it works, it can be one of the most powerful tools to help reduce the amount of interest you pay over the life of your loan.
At Mortgage Muster, I like to break this stuff down in plain English—no jargon, no fluff. Here’s the simple version.
What Is an Offset Account?
An offset account is a bank account that’s connected to your home loan.
The money sitting in this account doesn’t earn interest like a normal savings account—instead, it reduces (or “offsets”) the amount of interest your lender charges on your home loan.
Example:
If your home loan balance is $500,000 and you have $20,000 in your offset account, the bank doesn’t charge you interest on $500,000.
They charge you interest on $480,000 instead.
Less interest = faster repayments + more savings for you.
Why Do People Use Offsets?
1. You keep access to your money
Unlike paying extra directly into your loan, money in an offset stays fully available. You can use it for emergencies, bills, savings goals, renovations — whatever you need. It can also have some tax benefits for investment properties.
2. It can save you thousands in interest
Because interest on a mortgage compounds daily, reducing the balance even a little can make a big difference over time.
3. Works beautifully with everyday banking
Many people have their income deposited straight into the offset, then spend out of it. Even having your pay sitting there for a few days before bills come out helps reduce interest.
4. Great for people with variable incomes
Self-employed? Shift workers? Tradies? Musos between tours? Offset gives flexibility while still keeping your loan interest as low as possible.
Is an Offset Account Right for Everyone?
Not always.
Some home loan products don’t offer an offset, most charge an annual fee or ‘package fee’ to add an offset facility and some borrowers are better off with a lower interest rate and no offset attached.
It all depends on:
Your cash flow
How much you normally keep in savings
Whether you prefer flexibility or structure
Your long-term plan for the property
That’s where personalised advice helps — because the right setup can save you a lot over the long run.
Offset vs Redraw (Quick Comparison)
These two get mixed up all the time.
But the key difference is:
Offset: Your own bank account. Easy access. Every dollar reduces interest.
Redraw: Extra repayments you’ve paid into your loan. Accessible, but usually with limits, conditions, or slower processing.
Offset = more flexible.
Redraw = more restrictive, but still useful.
Want a hand working out if an offset suits your situation?
I’m always happy to have a no-pressure chat.
→ Book a chat via the website or send me a message.
mortgagemuster.com.au
Iain — Mortgage Muster