Most lenders will let you borrow up to 80% of your home’s current value, minus what you still owe on your mortgage. So if your home is worth $300,000 and you owe $150,000, you could potentially access up to $90,000 through a HELOC.

But here’s the thing: just because you can borrow that much doesn’t mean you should. We’ll help you figure out what you can actually afford to pay back, not just what you qualify for. There’s a big difference between those two numbers.