Achieve your financial goals with monthly compound interest

Reaching your financial goals can be easier with the power of monthly compound interest. By earning interest on both your initial savings and the interest that accumulates each month, the funds in your savings account can grow significantly over time.

From meeting your financial goals to earning a higher than average interest on a savings account, there is a world of possibilities waiting for you to explore. When it comes to savings, there are various investment avenues that you can explore. Most of these avenues generate compounding returns which help your financial corpus grow.

Let’s understand what compound interest is all about.

What is monthly compound interest?
 

Compound interest is the sum of interest on savings calculated on principal amount (initial) and the accumulated interest from previous periods. Under this model, the interest accumulates after each calculation and subsequent calculation is done on the accumulated interest as well as the principal. In short, you earn interest on interest.

Here’s a simple example to understand –

Say you invest Rs 10,000, on which you earn a compound interest of 5% per annum. After the first year, your investment would fetch an interest of Rs 500. In the second year, Rs 500 would be added to Rs 10,000 to calculate the interest for that year. So, in the second year, you will earn 5% on Rs 10,500, which comes to Rs 525.

In the third year, Rs 525 would be added to Rs 10,500 to calculate returns, and the process would continue. This is how compounding of returns works.

Benefits of monthly compound interest on financial goals

1. Accelerated growth:

Monthly compounding accelerates the growth of your investments and savings. By calculating interest more frequently, you earn interest on interest more often, leading to a higher accumulated amount over time.

2. Higher returns:

Compared to annual compounding, monthly compounding provides higher returns. This is because interest is added to the principal twelve times a year, helping your funds to grow quicker.

3. Shorter time to reach financial goals:

With higher and more frequent interest accruals, you can reach your financial goals faster. Whether it’s saving for a home, retirement, or education, monthly compounding can shorten the time needed to accumulate the desired amount.

4. Effective inflation hedge:

Monthly compounded interest helps combat inflation more effectively than simple interest. As your investment grows at a faster rate, it helps maintain your purchasing power against the rising cost of living.

5. Enhanced financial planning:

Understanding and utilising monthly compound interest allows for better financial planning. You can accurately predict the growth of your savings or investments, aiding in more precise goal setting and achievement.

What is the monthly compound interest formula?

There’s a simple formula for calculating compound interest. It is as follows –

M = P {(1 + R/T) ^ N * T}

In the formula, the values are expressed as follows –

M = maturity amount

P = invested amount or principal

R = rate of interest

T = compounding frequency

N = investment tenure

So, if you deposit Rs 50,000 for 5 years at an interest rate of 6% per annum, compounded annually, the maturity value would be calculated as follows –

M = Rs 50,000 {(1 + 0.06/1) ^ 5 * 1}

= Rs 66,911

Compound interest = Rs 66,911 – Rs 50,000 = Rs 16,911

Examples of using the monthly compound interest formula

While compounding gives increasing returns every year, compounding frequency plays an important aspect in growth. The higher the compounding frequency, the higher would be the returns that you get.

Here’s an example to understand –

Increased compounding frequency = increased returns = increased corpus

Unlocking monthly compound interest 

While monthly compounding can yield a higher corpus, how do you get it? The answer is simple – through an investment avenue that allows monthly compounding.

IDFC FIRST Bank Savings Account gives you just that. A rewarding savings account, IDFC FIRST Bank Savings Account allows interest up to 7.25% per annum with the benefit of monthly interest credit to help you grow your Savings Account balance for your financial goals.

How to calculate compound interest on your savings and investments?
 

To calculate the compound interest on your investments or savings, follow these steps:

1. Identify the initial amount of money you plan to invest or save.
2. Find out the annual interest rate offered by your investment or savings account.
3. Determine how often the interest is compounded (monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.).
4. Decide the length of time you plan to keep your money invested or saved.
5. Apply the monthly compound interest formula to calculate the future value of your investment or savings.

You can follow the above-mentioned steps for manual calculation or use the IDFC FIRST Bank savings account interest calculator that provides precise returns over a certain period. The online tool also gives a comparison of interest earnings from a normal savings account and monthly interest credit savings account.

Also read - All you need to know under 3 minutes about IDFC FIRST Bank Saving Account

The bottom line
 

Discover the benefit of monthly compound interest and understand how it can help you plan for your goals. Make a financial plan listing down your goals, their time horizon and the estimated corpus required for them. Save for your goals in a high-interest savings account which offers a monthly compounding feature, like IDFC FIRST Bank Savings Account. Get monthly interest credits and build up your corpus one credit at a time.