Compound Interest Formula:
| From: | To: |
The compound interest formula calculates the future value of an investment or loan where interest is added to the principal, resulting in interest on interest over time. It's a fundamental concept in finance for understanding investment growth and debt accumulation.
The calculator uses the compound interest formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates how much an investment will grow when interest is compounded at regular intervals, taking into account the effect of compounding on the principal amount.
Details: Understanding compound interest is essential for financial planning, investment decisions, retirement planning, and evaluating loan terms. It demonstrates the power of time and compounding in wealth accumulation.
Tips: Enter the principal amount in currency, annual interest rate as a decimal (e.g., 0.05 for 5%), compounding frequency per year, and time in years. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What's the difference between simple and compound interest?
A: Simple interest is calculated only on the principal amount, while compound interest is calculated on both the principal and accumulated interest, leading to exponential growth.
Q2: How does compounding frequency affect the result?
A: More frequent compounding (e.g., monthly vs. annually) results in higher returns due to interest being calculated and added more often.
Q3: What is a typical compounding frequency?
A: Common frequencies include annually (1), semi-annually (2), quarterly (4), monthly (12), and daily (365).
Q4: Can this formula be used for loans?
A: Yes, the same formula applies to compound interest loans, though the perspective changes from investment growth to debt accumulation.
Q5: How do I convert annual percentage rate to decimal?
A: Divide the percentage by 100 (e.g., 5% becomes 0.05).