Michael Benninger is the lead editor of banking at Forbes Advisor, with more than 10 years of experience in the personal finance space. His writing has been published by the Los Angeles Times, ...

When you plan a personal loan, understanding how interest works is just as important as knowing the loan amount. Many people ...

On the surface, an interest rate is just a number. How that number applies to debt or equity opens up a world of possibilities. The first consideration is always whether it’s simple interest vs.

Simple interest is paid only on the principal, e.g., a $10,000 investment at 5% yields $500 annually. Compound interest accumulates on both principal and past interest, increasing total returns over ...

If you’re an investor looking to understand the benefits of compound interest, consider the example set by the legendary Warren Buffett. The 93-year-old’s net worth has grown to $137 billion over the ...

Simple interest calculates earnings or payments based solely on the initial principal, while compound interest grows by calculating interest on both the principal and the accumulated interest over ...

A simple interest loan calculates the interest based only on the principal you owe. It stands in contrast to a compound interest loan, which calculates interest based on principal and any outstanding ...

Liliana Hall was a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. David McMillin writes about credit ...

Capital at risk. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Compounding is a process where interest is credited, not only to the original ‘principal’ ...