{
    "name": "Finance Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/finance-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/finance-calculator.md",
    "category": "Finance",
    "description": "A time-value-of-money solver like a financial calculator: leave one of N, I/Y, PV, PMT or FV blank and it solves for it, with start or end payments.",
    "summary": "Every loan, savings plan and annuity links five numbers: periods, rate, present value, payment and future value. Enter any four and leave the fifth blank to solve for it.",
    "also_called": [
        "TVM calculator",
        "Time value of money calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "n",
            "label": "N (number of periods)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "360"
        },
        {
            "name": "rate",
            "label": "I/Y (annual interest rate)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "6",
            "unit": "%"
        },
        {
            "name": "pv",
            "label": "PV (present value)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "100000"
        },
        {
            "name": "pmt",
            "label": "PMT (payment per period)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": ""
        },
        {
            "name": "fv",
            "label": "FV (future value)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0"
        },
        {
            "name": "ppy",
            "label": "Periods per year",
            "type": "select",
            "default": "12",
            "options": {
                "1": "1 (yearly)",
                "2": "2",
                "4": "4 (quarterly)",
                "12": "12 (monthly)",
                "26": "26",
                "52": "52 (weekly)",
                "365": "365 (daily)"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "timing",
            "label": "Payments at",
            "type": "segmented",
            "default": "end",
            "options": {
                "end": "End of period",
                "begin": "Beginning"
            }
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "answer",
            "label": "Solved value",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "solved_for",
            "label": "Solved for",
            "format": "text"
        },
        {
            "key": "n",
            "label": "N",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "rate",
            "label": "I/Y",
            "format": "percent"
        },
        {
            "key": "pv",
            "label": "PV",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "pmt",
            "label": "PMT",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "fv",
            "label": "FV",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "effective_rate",
            "label": "Effective annual rate",
            "format": "percent"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "PV(1+i)^N + PMT(1 + i·t)((1+i)^N − 1)/i + FV = 0, with i = I/Y ÷ periods per year and t = 1 for payments at the beginning, 0 at the end. I/Y is found numerically.",
        "variables": {
            "N": "number of periods",
            "i": "interest rate per period",
            "PV, PMT, FV": "cash flows: positive when received, negative when paid"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "n": "360",
            "rate": "6",
            "pv": "100000",
            "pmt": "",
            "fv": "0",
            "ppy": "12",
            "timing": "end"
        },
        "steps": [
            "i = 6% ÷ 12 = 0.5% per period; (1.005)^360 = 6.022575.",
            "PMT = −(FV + PV × 6.022575) ÷ ((6.022575 − 1) ÷ 0.005) = −602,257.52 ÷ 1,004.515 = −599.55."
        ],
        "result": "Borrowing 100,000 (received, positive) at 6% over 360 months means paying 599.55 a month (negative)."
    },
    "interpretation": "Signs carry meaning: a loan is a positive PV (cash in) with negative payments (cash out); a savings plan is negative deposits that build a positive FV. If no answer exists, check that the signs make sense.",
    "assumptions": [
        "Interest compounds once per period, at the same rate throughout.",
        "All payments are equal and evenly spaced."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "For irregular cash flows use an NPV or IRR method instead."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "Why is my payment negative?",
            "answer": "It is money you pay out. Financial calculators use a sign convention so that the five values balance to zero."
        },
        {
            "question": "Is this the same as a BA II Plus or HP 12C?",
            "answer": "It uses the same equation, with periods per year acting like P/Y = C/Y on those calculators."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Loan Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/loan-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Investment Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/investment-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Interest Rate Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/interest-rate-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Compound Interest Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/compound-interest-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": "This calculator gives estimates for planning. It is not financial advice, and lenders’ actual terms, fees and rounding may differ.",
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}