Loan Calculator

Financial

Calculate the monthly payment, total interest, and total repayment for any fixed-rate loan.

15-Year vs 30-Year Fixed Loan Calculator options

Compare options side-by-side: evaluate fixed 15-year and 30-year amortization periods to determine the optimal repayment schedule for large fixed-rate loans.

Open comparison

Input Parameters

Adjust parameters to instantly compute metrics.

$
%
0 %100 %
years
1 years100 years

Computed Results

Instant
Monthly Payment
$396.02

Computed instantaneously in your browser with verified mathematical precision.

Calculation Breakdown

Total Interest$3,761.44
Total Repayment$23,761.44
Loan Principal vs Interest Breakdown
Cost Allocation

Proportion of borrowed principal compared to cumulative interest finance charges.

Loan Perturbation Scenarios

Evaluate how interest rates, loan terms, and loan amounts impact your monthly payment.

Scenario impact(-1% Interest Rate)
-$9.36 /mo(-2.4%)
Current Monthly Payment
$396.02
What-if Monthly Payment
$386.66
This scenario reduces your monthly payment by $9.36 /mo (-2.4%).

Formula Transparency

Amortized Installment Loan Payment

Monthly Payment (M) = P * [r * (1 + r)^n] / [(1 + r)^n - 1]

Computes fixed equal payments over a specified timeframe to pay down principal and accrued interest to zero.

Variable Definitions & Glossary

PPrincipal Loan Amount

Original amount of money borrowed.

rPeriodic Monthly Rate

Annual interest rate divided by 12.

nTotal Monthly Payments

Loan duration term in months.

Step-by-step educational solution

1

Borrowing Base (P)

$20,000
Borrowed Amount

The initial principal balance of the loan.

2

Periodic Interest Rate (r)

0.005833
7% Annual Rate / 12

The monthly interest percentage converted to decimal form.

3

Term Duration (n)

60 months
60 Payments

The total length of the loan amortization term.

4

Fixed Monthly Installment (M)

$396.02/mo
$20,000 * [0.005833 * (1 + 0.005833)^60] / [(1 + 0.005833)^60 - 1]

Equal payments covering interest and principal reduction.

5

Cumulative Interest Cost

$3761.44
Total Payments ($23761.44) - Principal ($20,000)

The absolute premium paid to the lender to borrow the principal balance.

How to Think About This Calculation

Understand standard amortization schedules for personal, auto, or student loans.

Core methodology
  • 1.Acquire the total principal amount borrowed.
  • 2.Convert the annual interest rate to a periodic monthly interest rate.
  • 3.Calculate the exact monthly payment that ensures the balance reaches zero at the term limit.
Professional tips
  • Making extra principal-only payments early in the loan dramatically reduces total interest costs over time.
  • Check for pre-payment penalties before deciding to settle a loan early.
Common pitfalls
  • Confusing nominal annual interest rate (APR) with periodic monthly compounding rate.
  • Assuming payments are split equally between principal and interest throughout the term.
Frequently asked questions

Common Questions about Loan

What is an amortization schedule?
A complete table detail showing each monthly payment, how much interest is paid, how much principal is reduced, and the remaining loan balance.
Can I pay off my loan early?
Yes, in most personal and auto loans. Paying early reduces interest expenses, but ensure the lender does not assess prepayment fees.

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