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Interest rates are about what you pay when you borrow money and what you receive when you loan or deposit money.
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To understand how interest rates work, you first need to look at the two ways in which they affect you. There’s the rate you pay when you borrow money from a lender, and the interest rate you receive when you deposit money at a bank or credit union.
Interest rates set by lenders cover a variety of loans, such as credit card interest, student loan interest, and mortgage interest. You earn interest when you open a savings account or a certificate of deposit, or when you buy bonds.
Key Points
- The Federal Reserve sets the short-term interest rate, but banks set the rates on their loans and savings accounts.
- Conventional mortgages and auto loans generally have fixed rates, while rates on ARMs and credit cards tend to be variable.
- Compound interest makes borrowing more expensive, but adds extra juice to your savings.
Interest rates are calculated in two ways. Simple interest is tallied as a percentage of the principal over time, but compound interest (also called compounding interest) includes accrued interest along with the principal. Most loans and savings deposits use compound interest.
Interest on your interest. Returns on your investment returns.
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Good to know
Compounding has been called the eighth wonder of the world. Here’s why.
How interest rates affect loans
Interest rate calculators can help you understand a loan’s total cost using a compound interest formula. Five figures determine compound interest:
- The accrued amount of your principal plus interest
- Your principal (the original loan size or amount of money deposited)
- The interest rate
- Compounding periods (monthly, quarterly, or annually)
- The length of the loan or deposit
Interest rate calculators can give borrowers a true cost estimate of a loan over time, since they calculate the total amount paid—both principal and interest—for the life of the loan.
Another key term to know is the annual percentage rate (APR), which is how banks and credit card companies advertise loans. APR is the total cost of the loan and can include interest rates and other fees.
Fixed vs. variable rates
Banks may charge a fixed or variable rate. A fixed rate will stay the same over the life of the loan. Conventional mortgages, auto loans, and many student loans are fixed.
Variable rate loans are tied to a benchmark, such as a bank’s prime lending rate—the lowest rate banks lend to their most creditworthy customers. Any changes to that prime rate will change the loan’s interest rate. Banks typically change their prime rate when the Federal Reserve adjusts the fed funds rate. Loans tied to variable rates include adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) and credit card debt.
With a fixed rate:
- The amount you pay doesn’t change over the life of the loan, regardless of market conditions.
- Making a monthly budget is simpler because the loan cost is stable.
- If interest rates fall, you might be able to refinance the loan.
With a variable rate:
- Loan rates usually drop if the Federal Reserve lowers the fed funds rate.
- In normal market conditions, the rate is typically lower than that of a comparable fixed-rate loan, making them well-suited for short terms.
- A rapid rise in interest rates can wreak havoc on your budget.
How interest rates benefit you
You earn interest on money deposited in a savings account, money market account, or certificate of deposit. This interest is described as the annual percentage yield (APY).
Another way to earn interest is to “become a lender” yourself. Municipalities, the federal government, and corporations issue bonds and other fixed-income securities to raise money. When you buy a bond, you’re lending money to the issuer, and they pay you a fixed rate (monthly, quarterly, or annually) over a set time period. At the end of the loan period (at “maturity”), you get back your original investment (the principal).
Many retirees use the fixed payments they receive from bonds as a steady paycheck in retirement.
The power of compound interest
Compounding gets to the core of borrowing and saving. Compound interest is sometimes referred to as “interest on interest” because it accumulates every pay period and grows exponentially over longer time periods. Compound interest benefits savers, but it makes the true cost of a loan more expensive for borrowers.
Here’s an example of how compound interest works from a savings perspective:
- Deposit $1,000 in a savings account that earns 5% paid annually.
- After the first year you earn $50, bringing your total amount to $1,050.
- In the second year, you earn 5% on the new total, so $52.50. You now have $1,102.50.
- In year three, you earn 5% on $1,102.50, or $55.23, for $1,157.63.
Compound interest can electrify your savings. But if you’re borrowing money, compounding can really be a headwind. Loan rates, particularly those on credit cards and other loans not backed by collateral, are usually substantially higher than savings rates.
The bottom line
Interest rates have a lot of moving parts, and the terminology can be confusing. If you’re a borrower and interest rates are high, your monthly payments will also be high. In other words, if you’re borrowing money to buy something, higher rates make the item—a house, a car, a vacation—more expensive.
Instead of depositing and withdrawing money whenever you wish, a CD is a “timed” account.
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It’s worth shopping around to compare interest rates—whether you’re seeking a loan or a place to park your savings.
And remember to monitor your interest as you would tend a garden. A loan is a weed, so cut it down as soon as possible. Your savings are flowers, so let them bloom.
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