A premium shall be assessed against a borrower that refinances or prepays a loan or loan advance, or any portion of a loan or advance, under this section. RUS will collect the prepayment premium as calculated by FFB. FFB will calculate this premium as described in this section. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the premium shall be equal to the lesser of:

The difference between the outstanding principal balance of the loan being refinanced and the present value of the loan discounted at a rate equal to the then current cost of funds to the Department of the Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity to the loan being refinanced or prepaid;

100 percent of the amount of interest for 1 year on the outstanding principal balance of the loan or loan advance, or any portion of the loan or advance, being refinanced, multiplied by the ratio that:

The number of quarterly payment dates between the date of the refinancing or prepayment and the maturity date for the loan advance; bears to

The number of quarterly payment dates between the first quarterly payment date that occurs 12 years after the end of the year in which the amount being refinanced was advanced and the maturity date of the loan advance; and

The present value of 100 percent of the amount of interest for 1 year on the outstanding principal balance of the loan or loan advance, or any portion of the loan or advance, being refinanced or prepaid; plus

For the interval between the date of the refinancing or prepayment and the first quarterly payment date that occurs 12 years after the end of the year in which the amount being refinanced or prepaid was advanced, the present value of the difference between:

Each payment scheduled for the interval on the loan amount being refinanced or prepaid; and

The payment amounts that would be required during the interval on the amounts being refinanced or prepaid if the interest rate on the loan were equal to the then current cost of funds to the Department of the Treasury for obligations of comparable maturity to the loan being refinanced or prepaid.

Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the premium provided by paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall be required for refinancing or prepayment under this section.

In the case of a loan advanced under an agreement that permits the refinancing or prepayment of the loan advance based on the payment of 1 year of interest on the outstanding principal balance of the loan advance, a borrower may, in lieu of the premium required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, pay a premium as provided by:

Paragraph (a)(2) of this section, if the loan advance has reached the 12-year maturity required under the loan agreement for the refinancing or prepayment; or

Paragraph (a)(3) of this section, if the loan advance has not reached the 12-year maturity required under the loan agreement for the refinancing or prepayment.