How to Calculate Finance Charges on a Car Loan

If you're in the market for a new car, you'll need to know how to calculate finance charges on a car loan. This math is vital information to have, as it can help you avoid overpaying for your vehicle in the long run. You can apply finance charges to any borrowed money, including credit cards, financing of appliances and car loans. When purchasing a new or used car, your financing terms will include a finance charge and should spell out what cost will be associated with your finance charges. This is a very common type of loan; the Federal Reserve states that auto loans are the third-largest type of debt in the United States.

The finance charge on a car loan is the cost of borrowing money. You can calculate it by multiplying the annual percentage rate (APR) by the average daily balance of the loan. You can find all of these figures in your loan details. Learning how to calculate finance charges on a car loan through examples can help you better understand the process of calculating charges.

The finance charge on a car loan is simply the cost of borrowing money to purchase a vehicle. Knowing how to calculate finance charges on a car loan is important so that you can budget for your purchase and avoid overpaying in the long run. The finance charge on a car loan is calculated by multiplying the APR by the average daily balance of the loan. You'll need to find the loan amount, the APR, the length of the loan in months and your daily balance, which you can find in your loan statement. You can find all of these figures in your loan details.

For example, let's say you're financing a ​$15,000​ car with a ​60-month​ term and an ​APR of 12 percent​. Your monthly payments would be approximately ​$335​, and the finance charge would be about ​$1,300​. It's important to figure out these details before purchasing so that you can be fully aware of all costs associated with buying the car.

When trying to figure out how much car you can afford, it's essential to consider the total cost of ownership, which includes the purchase price and things like insurance, gas and maintenance, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In addition, you'll need to factor in the finance charges associated with your loan. The best way to do this math is by using an online calculator or budgeting worksheet that accounts for all these factors. This will help you determine how much car you can afford based on your current financial situation.

In addition, you'll need to factor in the finance charges associated with your loan. A finance charge is simply the cost of borrowing money and is applied to any type of loan, including credit cards, financing for appliances and car loans. You use an online calculator like one from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that will help you determine your budget.

Since the lender generally provides the money at a specific APR, you'll be paying back the principal and a certain amount of interest or finance charges. The finance charge on a car loan is calculated by multiplying the APR by the average daily balance of the loan. To perform a finance charge calculation, you'll need to know the loan amount, APR, length of the loan in months and your daily balance. Once you have all of this information, you can use the following finance charge formula:

​Finance Charge = (Loan Amount * APR) / (Length of Loan in Months * Average Daily Balance)​

You can quickly figure out these figures before signing on the dotted line for that auto loan. You'll want to make sure you're shopping around for the best financing options when purchasing a new or used car.