Post Judgment Interest Calculator
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The Post Judgment Interest Calculator helps attorneys, judgment creditors, court clerks, and debtors calculate interest accruing on civil court judgments from the date of judgment entry to full satisfaction. Calculate statutory simple interest and compound per-diem interest across state and federal court standards.
The Post-Judgment Interest Formula
In most jurisdictions (including 28 U.S.C. § 1961 for federal courts), post-judgment interest accrues at the statutory interest rate using simple per diem interest calculations:
Daily Interest Rate (Per Diem) = ( Principal Judgment Amount × Statutory APR ) / 365
Total Accrued Interest = Daily Interest Rate × Number of Elapsed Days
Total Judgment Payoff = Principal Judgment Amount + Total Accrued Interest + Awarded Costs
Where key legal inputs include:
- Principal Judgment Amount: Total damages awarded by court order (excluding un-assessed costs).
- Statutory Interest Rate (APR): State-mandated rate or federal rate (weekly average 1-year constant maturity Treasury yield + statutory margin).
- Elapsed Days: Exact calendar days between judgment entry date and payoff date.
Post-Judgment Interest Rates by Jurisdiction Benchmark
Compare post-judgment interest charges on a $100,000 court judgment after 365 elapsed days across statutory rate benchmarks:
| Jurisdiction Benchmark | Statutory APR Rule | Per Diem Daily Interest | 1-Year Accrued Interest | Total Payoff Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Court (28 U.S.C. 1961) | Weekly Treasury Rate (e.g., 4.75%) | $13.01 / day | $4,750.00 | $104,750.00 |
| California Civil (CCP 685.010) | 10.00% Fixed Statutory | $27.40 / day | $10,000.00 | $110,000.00 |
| New York Civil (CPLR 5004) | 9.00% Fixed Statutory | $24.66 / day | $9,000.00 | $109,000.00 |
| Florida Civil (F.S. 55.03) | Quarterly Set Rate (e.g., 8.25%) | $22.60 / day | $8,250.00 | $108,250.00 |
Step-by-Step Post-Judgment Interest Calculation Example
Here is an example calculating total payoff for a $50,000 court judgment carrying a 9.00% statutory interest rate after 250 elapsed days:
- Identify Judgment Parameters: Principal = $50,000, Statutory APR = 9.00%, Days = 250.
- Calculate Daily Per Diem Interest:
($50,000 × 0.09) / 365 = $12.3288 per day. - Calculate Total Accrued Interest:
$12.3288 × 250 days = $3,082.19. - Add Court Costs: $450 filing and service costs awarded by court.
- Calculate Total Judgment Satisfaction Payoff:
$50,000 + $3,082.19 + $450.00 = $53,532.19.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does post-judgment interest begin accruing?
Post-judgment interest begins accruing on the exact calendar date the final court judgment is entered into the docket, continuing until the judgment is satisfied in full.
Does post-judgment interest compound daily or annually?
Federal court judgments compound annually under 28 U.S.C. § 1961. Most state court civil statutes calculate post-judgment interest as simple non-compounding per diem interest.
What is the difference between pre-judgment interest and post-judgment interest?
Pre-judgment interest covers damages from the date of injury or contract breach until judgment entry. Post-judgment interest accrues from judgment entry until final debt collection satisfaction.
Do partial payments lower post-judgment per diem interest?
Yes. Under standard legal accounting (the U.S. Rule), partial payments are applied first to accrued interest and court costs, with any remaining funds reducing principal, thereby lowering future daily per diem interest.