Question

You have graduated from college but unfortunately have $39,000 in outstanding loans. The loans require payments of $3,435 per year, which covers interest and principal repayment (that is, the loan has the same basic features as a mortgage). If the interest rate is 4 percent, how long will it take you to repay the debt

Answer 1

Answer:

15.44 years

Explanation:

Using both excel rate function and financial calculator, the time taken to repay the debt can be computed thus:

Excel rate function:

=nper(rate,pmt,-pv,fv)

rate= interest rate=4%

pmt=yearly payment=c

pv=loan oustanding=-39000

fv=the balance after all payments should be zero=0

=nper(4%,3435,-39000,0)= 15.44 years

Financial calculate

PMT= 3435

RATE=4

PV=-39000

FV=0

CPT N=15.44 years

This means a payment of $3,435 per year for 15 years  and $ 1,511.40  ($3,435*0.44) in the sixteenth year