Debt, budgeting and life insurance
Estimate the monthly payment, total interest, cash you receive after fees and true APR for a personal or auto loan that charges an origination fee.
This calculator estimates your monthly payment, the total interest you will pay and the cash you actually receive after the lender takes out an origination fee. It also works out the loan's true APR, which counts that fee as part of the cost, the way the Truth in Lending Act defines APR.
Many personal lenders advertise a low interest rate and then take an origination fee, often 1% to 8%, out of the loan when it is funded. You repay the full amount but get less cash, so the true APR is higher than the stated rate.
APR counts upfront fees as well as interest. Under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z), a prepaid finance charge such as an origination fee has to be spread over the loan term. A $20,000 48-month loan at 9.50% with a 3.0% ($600) origination fee has a true APR of 11.11%.
Usually not. Most reputable online banks, credit unions and fintech lenders charge $0 in prepayment penalties, so you can pay the loan off early and save interest. Check your loan agreement before you sign.
Calculate your monthly student loan payment and total interest, and see how many months and dollars an extra monthly payment saves.
Work out your front-end and back-end debt-to-income ratio and see how it compares with conventional (28/36), FHA (31/43) and Qualified Mortgage limits.
See how many months it takes to pay off your card at a given payment and APR, and how much interest it costs. Raise the payment to compare.
Estimate how much life insurance you need with the DIME method: debts, income replacement, mortgage and education, minus savings and existing coverage.
Enter your monthly take-home pay and see how the 50/30/20 rule splits it into needs, wants and savings or debt payoff.
Estimate your 2026 federal, FICA, state and local income tax, plus your marginal bracket and effective tax rate.