Post-Judgment Interest Calculator
Calculate the interest that accrues on a court judgment from the date of judgment until payment. This calculator uses federal post-judgment interest rates and can also calculate custom state rates.
Judgment Details
Interest Calculation
Post-Judgment Interest
Total Amount Due
Interest Accrual Schedule
| Period | Start Date | End Date | Days | Interest Accrued | Cumulative Interest | Running Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click "Calculate" to see interest schedule | ||||||
Recent Federal Post-Judgment Interest Rates
Federal rates are set weekly based on the 52-week Treasury bill rate.
| Effective Date | Interest Rate |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | 5.25% |
| October 1, 2025 | 5.00% |
| July 1, 2025 | 4.92% |
| April 1, 2025 | 4.85% |
| January 1, 2025 | 4.75% |
| October 1, 2024 | 4.97% |
| July 1, 2024 | 5.48% |
| April 1, 2024 | 5.35% |
| January 1, 2024 | 5.22% |
What is Post-Judgment Interest?
Post-judgment interest is the interest that accrues on a court judgment from the date the judgment is entered until it is fully paid. This interest compensates the winning party (judgment creditor) for the time value of money while waiting for the losing party (judgment debtor) to pay the awarded amount.
In the United States, post-judgment interest on federal court judgments is governed by 28 U.S.C. section 1961, which sets the rate equal to the weekly average one-year constant maturity Treasury yield. State courts may have different rates established by statute.
- Interest begins accruing from the date of judgment entry
- Federal courts use Treasury bill-based rates
- State courts have varying statutory rates (typically 5-12%)
- Interest is usually calculated as simple interest, not compound
- The rate is generally fixed at the time of judgment
How to Calculate Post-Judgment Interest
Post-judgment interest is typically calculated using simple interest, though some jurisdictions may allow compounding. The basic formula is:
Interest = Principal × Rate × Time
Where:
Principal = Judgment amount
Rate = Annual interest rate (as decimal)
Time = Years elapsed (days / 365)
Example Calculation
Let's calculate post-judgment interest on a $50,000 federal judgment entered on January 15, 2024, with a 5.22% interest rate, calculated through January 15, 2025 (365 days):
Interest = $50,000 × 0.0522 × 1
Interest = $2,610.00
Total Due = $50,000 + $2,610 = $52,610.00
Federal Post-Judgment Interest
Under 28 U.S.C. section 1961, federal post-judgment interest:
- Equals the weekly average 1-year constant maturity Treasury yield
- Is computed as simple interest (not compounded)
- Is calculated from the date of entry of judgment
- Applies to money judgments in civil cases
- Rate is determined at the time the judgment is entered
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes these rates quarterly, but the rate applicable to a specific judgment is the rate in effect during the week the judgment was entered.
State Post-Judgment Interest Rates
Each state sets its own statutory interest rate for judgments in state courts. These rates vary significantly:
Types of Legal Interest
Pre-Judgment Interest
Pre-judgment interest accrues from when the cause of action arose (e.g., breach of contract, injury date) until the judgment is entered. Not all jurisdictions allow pre-judgment interest, and the rules vary significantly by case type and jurisdiction.
Post-Judgment Interest
Post-judgment interest accrues from when the judgment is entered until it's paid. This is mandatory in federal cases and most state cases, though rates and calculation methods vary.
Statutory Interest
Statutory interest is the interest rate set by law for various purposes. Post-judgment interest is one type of statutory interest. Other examples include interest on unpaid wages or late insurance payments.
- Pre-judgment: Before the court decides (may or may not apply)
- Post-judgment: After the court decides (almost always applies)
- Contractual: Agreed upon by parties in a contract
- Statutory: Set by law, not negotiable
Timeline of a Judgment
Pre-judgment interest may begin accruing (varies by jurisdiction)
Complaint filed with the court
Court awards judgment - Post-judgment interest begins accruing
Court order allowing collection efforts
Judgment is paid in full including all accrued interest
Collecting Post-Judgment Interest
Once you have a judgment, collecting it (including interest) requires enforcement actions:
- Wage Garnishment: Court order directing employer to withhold wages
- Bank Levy: Seizing funds from the debtor's bank accounts
- Property Liens: Placing a lien on real property
- Asset Seizure: Sheriff seizes and sells debtor's property
Partial Payments
When a judgment debtor makes partial payments, interest is typically first applied to accrued interest, then to principal. This means:
- Calculate interest accrued to the date of payment
- Apply payment first to interest, then to principal
- Continue calculating interest on the remaining principal
Tips for Using This Calculator
- For federal judgments, use the federal rate in effect when the judgment was entered
- For state judgments, check your state's current statutory rate
- Federal judgments use simple interest by default
- Interest continues to accrue until the judgment is fully satisfied
- Consider consulting an attorney for complex situations involving multiple rates or partial payments