Two calculators, and the second one decides the first
Program and regulatory figures verified October 4, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Most assistance calculators answer how much. In Wisconsin the question that actually decides the file is which of the two programs you are allowed to use.
The two
- Assistance comparison — what 6% produces at your price, side by side with the flat $7,500, so you can see which is actually larger for you.
- Income table check — your county and household size against both tables at once.
Where does the crossover sit?
Six percent of $125,000 is $7,500, so that is the crossover price. Below it the flat Capital Access amount is larger; above it Easy Close produces more. Since very little of Wisconsin trades below $125,000, Easy Close is almost always the larger number, which is exactly why people reach for it without checking whether the smaller, cheaper, deferred option would have been enough.
Why the income check comes first
Because it is the only one of the two questions you cannot negotiate. If your household is over the Capital Access limit for your county and size, the comparison is academic and Easy Close is your program. Run the income check, then run the amounts.
What a calculator cannot tell you
Whether the property qualifies. Capital Access requires a high housing needs area. No calculator knows your address's designation.
Your qualifying income. Household income for these limits is calculated to a guideline, not added off a pay stub, and self-employment, overtime and bonus income each have their own treatment.
Whether the file works. Credit at 620 or 640, the debt ratio with the Easy Close payment loaded into it, the 105% combined loan to value, property type. None of that is arithmetic on a web page.
What is not here
No payment calculator and no rate figures, anywhere on this site. Easy Close carries the same rate as the WHEDA first mortgage, so a payment estimate without a locked rate and a real file behind it is a guess that people then plan around. Ask us and we will run it properly. Send your scenario.
Frequently asked questions
How much down payment assistance will I get in Wisconsin?
Easy Close provides up to 6% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value with a $1,000 minimum, so it scales with price. Capital Access provides a flat $7,500 regardless of price. Six percent of $125,000 equals $7,500, so above that price Easy Close produces the larger figure.Which Wisconsin assistance program is bigger?
Easy Close on nearly every Wisconsin purchase, because 6% of a typical Wisconsin price exceeds the flat $7,500 Capital Access offers. The larger amount is not automatically the better structure, since Easy Close is amortized with a monthly payment while Capital Access is deferred at zero interest.Can I use a calculator to see if I qualify for WHEDA?
A calculator can check your household income against the published limit tables and estimate the assistance amount. It cannot confirm whether your address sits in a high housing needs area, how your qualifying income is calculated under WHEDA guidelines, or whether the file works on credit and debt ratio.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. WHEDA program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against WHEDA's published documents. Easy Close down payment assistance is an amortizing second mortgage with a monthly payment, not a grant. Capital Access is a deferred second mortgage repayable when the first mortgage is paid off or refinanced. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.