- Current balance
- The principal still owed after the payments made so far, also called the remaining balance or payoff principal. The calculator finds it from the amortization schedule, assuming every payment was made on time at the original rate. A lender’s payoff quote may differ slightly because it adds accrued interest and any fees.
- Amortization
- Paying off a loan through equal periodic payments that cover the interest due first and then reduce principal. Because interest is charged on the remaining balance, early payments are mostly interest and later ones mostly principal. This calculator uses the standard amortization formula to locate your balance after a given number of payments.
- Original loan amount
- The principal borrowed when the loan began, before any payments. Together with the interest rate and original term it fixes the monthly payment for the life of a fixed-rate loan. Use the amount actually financed, including any fees rolled into the loan, for the closest match to your statement.
- Interest rate
- The annual percentage the lender charges on the unpaid balance, not including fees. This calculator divides it by 12 to get the monthly rate used for each payment. It assumes the rate never changes, so for an adjustable-rate loan the results are only an approximation.
- Original term
- The full repayment period set when the loan was taken out, in years. With the rate and amount, it determines the fixed monthly payment. The payments remaining are the original term in months minus the payments already made, assuming no extra payments or modifications along the way.
- Monthly payment
- The fixed principal and interest payment due each month, computed from the original amount, rate and term. It stays the same for the life of a fixed-rate loan, while the split between interest and principal shifts toward principal over time. Escrow, insurance and fees are not included.
- Principal paid so far
- The part of the payments made to date that reduced the balance, equal to the original loan amount minus the current balance. On a long loan this is often much smaller than total payments made, because early payments go mostly to interest.
- Interest remaining
- The interest still to be paid if the loan runs to the end of its original term with regular payments: remaining payments times the monthly payment, minus the current balance. Paying extra toward principal or refinancing would change this figure.
