How to Calculate Savings Account Interest

Savings accounts are a great way to save money and earn interest over time. The interest rate on a savings account is the percentage of interest that you will earn on your balance each year. Interest rates vary from bank to bank, so it is important to compare rates before opening a savings account.

Formula

To calculate the interest you will earn on your savings account balance, you can use the following formula:

Interest earned = Principal balance * Interest rate * Time period

Where:

The principal balance is the amount of money in your savings account

The interest rate is the annual interest rate on your savings account, expressed as a percentage

Period is the amount of time that your money is in your savings account, expressed in years.

For example, if you have a savings account balance of $1,000 and the interest rate is 2.5% per year, you will earn $25 in interest over the course of one year.

You can also simply use bank interest calculators. It’s a tool that calculates the interest on loans or savings without compounding. You may calculate the simple interest on the principal amount on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis.

Compound Interest

Many savings accounts offer compound interest. Compound interest is interest that is earned on your interest earnings. This means that your interest earnings grow over time, even if you don’t make any additional deposits to your account.

To calculate the interest you will earn with compound interest, you can use the following formula:

Interest earned = Principal balance * (1 + Interest rate / Compounding frequency) ^ (Compounding frequency * Time period)

Where:

Compounding frequency is the number of times per year that interest is compounded. Most savings accounts compound interest monthly or quarterly.

For example, if you have a savings account balance of $1,000 and the interest rate is 2.5% per year, compounded monthly, you will earn $25.31 in interest over the course of one year.

Savings Calculator

There are many online savings calculators that can help you calculate the interest you will earn on your savings account balance. These calculators can be helpful for comparing different savings accounts and determining how much interest you will earn over time.

How to Calculate Savings Account Interest Tips 

Here are a few tips for maximizing your interest earnings on your savings account:

Choose a savings account with a high interest rate. Interest rates vary from bank to bank, so it is important to compare rates before opening a savings account.

Keep your money in your savings account for as long as possible. The longer your money is in your savings account, the more interest you will earn.

Avoid making withdrawals from your savings account. Every time you make a withdrawal, you will reset the interest clock and start earning interest from scratch.

Consider opening a high-yield savings account. High-yield savings accounts offer higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts. However, they may have other restrictions, such as minimum balance requirements or monthly fees.

By following these tips, you can maximize your interest earnings on your savings account and reach your financial goals faster.