Post Judgment Interest Calculator

Post judgment interest accrues on a monetary court award from the date the judgment is entered until it is fully paid. The calculation relies on the principal judgment amount, the statutory interest rate, and the exact number of days between the start date and end date. The core formula used is:

Accrued Interest = Judgment Amount × (Annual Interest Rate / Days in Year) × Day Count

Where Day Count represents the total number of calendar days (EndDate minus BegDate) during which the interest has accrued. The annual divisor (Days in Year) typically follows 365 or 366 days depending on the specific legal jurisdiction or leap year rules.

Imagine a plaintiff is awarded a judgment amount of $50,000 with an annual post judgment interest rate of 6% starting on January 1, 2025. The debt is settled and paid off on March 2, 2025, which gives a total day count of 60 days (assuming a non-leap year with 365 days).

1. Identify variables: Judgment Amount = $50,000; Interest Rate = 0.06; Day Count = 60 days; Days in Year = 365.
2. Calculate daily interest rate: 0.06 / 365 = 0.00016438 per day.
3. Multiply by the judgment amount: $50,000 × 0.00016438 = $8.22 per day.
4. Multiply by the day count: $8.22 × 60 = $493.20.
The total post judgment interest accrued is $493.20, making the final payout $50,493.20.

Always verify local state or federal statutory rates, as post judgment interest rates can fluctuate based on economic benchmarks like the US Treasury yield. Ensure you accurately count the calendar days between the judgment entry date and the payment date, keeping in mind whether your jurisdiction includes or excludes the final day of payment. Regularly update your calculations if partial payments are made, as payments typically apply first to accrued interest before reducing the principal balance.