Prejudgment & Post-Judgment Interest Calculator for California
Estimate how interest may affect the value of a legal claim or judgment under California law.
Let's Get Started →How Interest Can Change What a Claim Is Worth
Interest can dramatically affect the value of a claim. California law sometimes allows interest before judgment, called prejudgment interest, and after judgment until payment, called post-judgment interest.
The rules depend on claim type, contract terms, dates, and sometimes court discretion. This tool walks you through the questions needed to generate an educational estimate.
- How interest applies to your claim. The right interest calculation depends on your claim type, contract terms, and California statutes.
- What questions to consider. You need answers about dates, amounts, and whether the damages were certain. This tool walks you through them.
- How timing affects the total. By understanding when interest starts and stops, you can better evaluate the full value of a claim.
Prejudgment Interest vs Post-Judgment Interest
Interest in California lawsuits can accrue during two phases.
Prejudgment interest may apply before a judgment is entered, when the law allows it.
Post-judgment interest generally accrues after a money judgment is entered and continues until the judgment is paid.
Because the rules depend on claim type, dates, and sometimes court discretion, this tool uses a guided decision tree and only calculates where a mathematical estimate is reasonably appropriate.
Now let's collect some basic information.
Before You Begin
Complete the fields below to continue to the calculator.
Where should we send your results? *
The figures you enter into the calculator stay in your browser and are never sent. If you choose to leave your email above, that goes to McLellan Law Group LLP so the firm can follow up.
What Type of Interest Do You Want to Estimate?
Choose prejudgment interest if you have a claim or lawsuit that has not yet resulted in a court judgment, for example unpaid invoices, breach of contract, or a pending personal injury case.
Choose post-judgment interest if a court has already entered a money judgment and you want to estimate how much interest has accrued since the judgment date.
Prejudgment interest is more complex than post-judgment interest. Whether it applies depends on claim type, whether damages were certain, whether a contract sets an interest rate, and whether the court has discretion. This tool calculates only in narrower situations where a mathematical estimate is appropriate. See Cal. Civ. Code sections 3287 through 3289 and Cal. Code Civ. Proc. section 998(d).
What type of claim is involved?
Prejudgment interest rules vary by claim type. See Cal. Civ. Code section 3287 for liquidated claims and Cal. Civ. Code section 3288 for unliquidated claims.