# Post-Judgment Interest Calculator

Calculate post-judgment interest on court awards. Enter judgment amount, interest rate, and time period. Supports simple and compound interest methods.

## What this calculates

Calculate how much post-judgment interest has accrued on a court award. Enter the judgment amount, applicable interest rate, compounding method, and number of days since the judgment was entered.

## Inputs

- **Judgment Amount** ($) — min 0 — The original dollar amount of the court judgment.
- **Annual Interest Rate** (%) — min 0, max 25 — The post-judgment interest rate. Federal rate is set by 28 U.S.C. 1961; state rates vary.
- **Compounding** — options: Simple Interest, Compounded Annually, Compounded Daily — Federal judgments use simple interest. Some state courts use compound interest.
- **Days Since Judgment** — min 1, max 36500 — Number of days from judgment date to today (or payment date).

## Outputs

- **Interest Accrued** — formatted as currency — Total post-judgment interest owed.
- **Total Amount Owed** — formatted as currency — Original judgment plus accrued interest.
- **Daily Interest** — formatted as currency — Interest accruing per day (at the start for simple interest).
- **Effective Rate Over Period** — formatted as percentage — Total interest as a percentage of the original judgment.

## Details

Post-judgment interest is the interest that accrues on a court judgment from the date it is entered until the date it is paid. This interest compensates the winning party for the time value of money while waiting for payment.

For federal court judgments, the interest rate is set by 28 U.S.C. Section 1961 and is based on the weekly average 1-year constant maturity Treasury yield. Federal post-judgment interest is calculated using simple interest, not compound interest. The rate is fixed at the time the judgment is entered.

State courts have their own rules. Some states set a fixed statutory rate (for example, New York uses 9% per year), while others tie the rate to Treasury yields or prime rate. Some states allow compound interest on judgments. Always check your jurisdiction's specific rules.

The formula for simple interest is: Interest = Principal x Rate x Time. For a $50,000 judgment at 5.5% for one year: $50,000 x 0.055 x 1 = $2,750. At 365 days, that works out to about $7.53 per day that goes unpaid.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What is the current federal post-judgment interest rate?**

A: The federal post-judgment interest rate changes weekly and is based on the 1-year constant maturity Treasury yield auction. You can find the current rate on the US Courts website or the Federal Reserve's H.15 statistical release. In recent years, rates have ranged from near 0% (2020-2021) to over 5% (2023-2024). The rate that applies to your judgment is the rate in effect on the date the judgment was entered.

**Q: Is post-judgment interest simple or compound?**

A: Federal post-judgment interest under 28 U.S.C. 1961 uses simple interest, not compound interest. Most state courts also use simple interest, but there are exceptions. Some states (like New York for certain judgments) may allow or require compound interest. Check your state's specific statute. This calculator lets you choose between simple and compound methods.

**Q: When does post-judgment interest start accruing?**

A: Post-judgment interest begins accruing on the date the judgment is entered by the court, not the date of the trial verdict or the date of the underlying incident. It continues accruing until the judgment is paid in full. If an appeal is filed, interest generally continues to accrue during the appeal unless a supersedeas bond is posted.

**Q: Can post-judgment interest be waived?**

A: Post-judgment interest is typically automatic and does not need to be requested by the winning party. However, it can be waived as part of a settlement agreement. Sometimes defendants offer to pay the judgment quickly in exchange for a waiver of accrued interest. The parties can negotiate whether interest is included in the final payment amount.

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Source: https://vastcalc.com/calculators/finance/post-judgment-interest
Category: Finance
Last updated: 2026-04-08