Monthly Interest Formula:
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Monthly interest calculated from AER (Annual Equivalent Rate) represents the actual interest earned each month on an investment or savings account, taking into account the effect of compounding over a year.
The calculator uses the monthly interest formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula converts the annual equivalent rate to an effective monthly rate by taking the 12th root of (1 + AER), then applies this rate to the principal amount to calculate monthly interest.
Details: Calculating monthly interest from AER helps investors and savers understand their actual monthly earnings, plan cash flows, and compare different investment options with varying compounding frequencies.
Tips: Enter the principal amount in dollars and the AER as a percentage. Both values must be valid (principal > 0, AER ≥ 0). The calculator will compute the monthly interest earned.
Q1: What is the difference between AER and APR?
A: AER (Annual Equivalent Rate) shows the interest you'll earn on savings/investments, while APR (Annual Percentage Rate) shows the cost of borrowing including fees and interest.
Q2: Why use AER instead of nominal interest rate?
A: AER accounts for compounding effects throughout the year, providing a more accurate representation of actual annual returns compared to nominal rates.
Q3: How often is interest typically compounded?
A: Most savings accounts compound interest daily or monthly, but AER standardizes this to allow easy comparison between different compounding frequencies.
Q4: Does this calculation work for all compounding frequencies?
A: This specific formula assumes monthly compounding. For daily or quarterly compounding, different conversion formulas would be needed.
Q5: Can I use this for loan calculations?
A: While the mathematical principle is similar, loan calculations typically use APR rather than AER and may include additional fees and charges.