Small claims court · after judgment
How much interest has your judgment earned?
Pick your state, enter the judgment amount and the date it was entered, and see how much interest has accrued while the defendant hasn't paid — at that state's own statutory rate.
How California's rate is set, and where it comes from
Uses simple interest at the rate you enter — pre-filled with each state's standard statutory rate, editable since some states publish a new rate quarterly or annually. Some states apply a different rate to specific debt types (noted above where it applies) or when a contract specifies its own rate. Informational only, not legal advice; confirm the current rate and any exceptions with your court clerk before relying on this figure.
How this is calculated
Last reviewed: October 2026
Simple interest, at each state's statutory rate
Interest = principal × rate × (days since judgment ÷ 365) — simple interest on the original judgment amount, not compounding. Every state we cover sets a standard annual rate for a money judgment by statute or a court-published schedule, cited under the result once you pick a state. A handful of states cut that rate for specific debt types (California for personal debt, New York for consumer debt) or set it on a schedule that moves (Florida quarterly, New Jersey yearly) rather than a fixed number — both are called out in that state's result, and the rate field is editable so you can swap in the current published figure.
States that compound
Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas and the federal courts compound judgment interest annually, and Oklahoma re-rates accrued interest each January, which compounds in effect. This calculator still uses simple interest for them, because that is exact for the first year and the compounding is flagged in the result; for an older judgment the true total is slightly higher than shown. Each state's page on the post-judgment interest table works the compound figure.
What this doesn't cover
- A contract that sets its own rate. Several states let a judgment based on a written contract carry that contract's interest rate forward instead of the statutory one — this calculator always uses the statutory rate.
- Partial payment. The total assumes the judgment is still completely unpaid; if the defendant has paid part of it, interest only accrues on what's still owed.
- Collection costs. Filing an abstract of judgment, a wage garnishment, or a bank levy to actually collect isn't part of this figure.
Jurisdictions covered
All 50 states except Mississippi, plus the District of Columbia and the federal courts: 51 in all, each cited to its statute or publishing office on the post-judgment interest rate by state table, which is rebuilt from those sources monthly. Mississippi has no default rate; its judges set one in each case.
Frequently asked questions
Does interest start the day I win, or the day I file?
The day the judgment is entered — not the day you filed the case or the day of the hearing. That's the date on your judgment paperwork, and it's what this calculator asks for.
Why is the interest rate editable instead of fixed?
Because it isn't fixed in every state. Florida resets its rate every quarter and New Jersey every year, so the rate that applied when a state's page was last reviewed here can be out of date by the time you use it. The field is pre-filled with the standard rate as of this tool's last review, but you should confirm the current one before relying on the total — links to each state's source are right above the field.
Is this compound interest?
No, simple interest, calculated once on the original judgment amount for the full period, which is how most states calculate it. Seven jurisdictions compound annually (Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma by mechanism, and the federal courts); the result flags them, and for a judgment older than a year the true total runs a little above the figure shown.
Will the defendant actually owe this amount?
Only if they haven't paid. The moment they pay in full, interest stops accruing — this calculator assumes the judgment is still fully unpaid as of today. It also doesn't know about a partial payment; if the defendant has paid some of it, the real interest owed is lower than what's shown here.
Related tools
The post-judgment interest rate in every state, DC and federal court, how each is set, and the statute behind it. Rebuilt from the publishers monthly.
Open tool →Total Cost to Sue CalculatorThe full out-of-pocket cost to sue in small claims court — filing fee plus service of process, added together and cited to each court's own fee schedule.
Open tool →Wage Garnishment CalculatorSee how much of a paycheck a small claims judgment creditor can actually garnish, by state — cited to each state's own wage-garnishment statute.
Open tool →Judgment Renewal CalculatorSee when your small claims judgment expires and what it costs to renew it, by state — cited to each state's own judgment-renewal statute.
Open tool →Judgment Collection Cost CalculatorSee what it costs to have a bank levy served to collect an unpaid small claims judgment, by state — cited to each state's own fee schedule and sheriff/marshal fee statute.
Open tool →Small Claims Court Costs by StateFiling fees, claim limits, and service costs for every covered state, side by side.
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