Standard Amortization Example
Example Input
Loan Amount: $20,000, Interest Rate: 7%, Term: 5 Years.
Sample Output
Monthly Payment: $396.02. Total Interest Paid: $3,761.44 over 60 months.
Free browser-based estimate
Loan Amortization Calculator
Create an estimated loan amortization schedule with payment, interest, principal, and optional extra payments. Review the assumptions and verify important figures with current official sources.
Your assumptions
Inputs stay localScheduled payment
$512.91
Payoff with extra payment
54 months
Estimated interest
$5,125
How to read this estimate
The schedule uses monthly compounding and assumes the rate and payment stay constant. Fees, penalties, and lender-specific rounding are not included.
Independent planning tool. Results are estimates based on the values and assumptions shown. This is not financial, tax, legal, mortgage, or pension advice.
Check the official guidance: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau loan guidance•
Privacy note:Calculations run locally in your browser. Your entered financial figures are not sent to our calculator server.
What is an Amortization Schedule?
A loan amortization calculator breaks down every single payment over the life of a loan into principal and interest components. This schedule reveals how your early payments are heavily weighted toward interest rather than reducing your actual balance.
Who Should Use This?
Borrowers looking to understand the true cost of large, long-term debts should use this schedule. It is an eye-opening tool for anyone about to sign a contract using an auto loan calculator or a home loan.
Examples
Impact of Extra Payments
Example Input
Loan Amount: $300,000, Interest Rate: 6.5%, Term: 30 Years, Extra Monthly Payment: $200.
Sample Output
Pays off the loan 6 years and 4 months early, saving $78,500 in total interest.
Actionable Use Cases
Use this tool to see exactly how making one extra payment a year impacts your total interest paid. It is also highly effective when used alongside a loan comparison calculator to decide between a 15-year and 30-year term.
Understanding Principal vs Interest
In the early years of an amortized loan, the bank takes its interest upfront. If you want to build equity faster, input varying extra payment amounts to see how attacking the principal shifts the mathematical curve in your favor.
Common Pitfalls
Many people mistakenly assume a 5% interest rate means they only pay 5% more than the purchase price. However, over a 30-year term found in a mortgage calculator, total interest can easily exceed 100% of the original loan amount.
FAQ
What is an amortization schedule?
It is a complete table of periodic loan payments, showing the amount of principal and the amount of interest that comprise each payment until the loan is paid off.
Why is most of my early payment going to interest?
Loans are front-loaded with interest because the interest is calculated on the remaining balance. Since your balance is highest at the beginning, the interest portion of your payment is also highest.
Do extra payments go toward principal or interest?
If you specify to your lender, extra payments should go directly toward your principal balance. This reduces the balance that future interest is calculated on, saving you money.
Why Use Our Calculator?
Our tool generates a complete, instantly updated schedule right in your browser without requiring personal data. You can rapidly simulate how different extra payment strategies alter your exact payoff date.
Workflow Sequence
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Financial Planning Guide
Pillar Documentation6 min read • 1,069 words
The Mathematics of Loan EMIs: How Interest Actually Works
Understand the underlying formula of EMIs, the impact of compounding, and why early prepayments save you years of debt.
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