Post-judgment interest by state · Kentucky
Kentucky · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in Kentucky
An unpaid Kentucky money judgment earns 6% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $300.00 in the first year, about $0.82 a day.
How the rate is set
Fixed in the statute at 6% a year, compounded annually, for judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017. It changes only when the legislature acts.
- Statute or rule
- KRS 360.040
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- only when the legislature amends the statute
When a different rate applies
- Child support judgments bear 12% compounded annually.
- A contract or note rate governs.
- The court may set a rate below 6% on unliquidated damages after a hearing.
Work out your own judgment
Kentucky is prefilled at 6%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; Kentucky compounds annually, so a judgment older than a year has earned a little more than this shows.
How Kentucky'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.
The formula, worked
Last reviewed: October 2026
Interest = principal × rate × days ÷ 365. For $5,000.00 at 6%: $5,000.00 × 0.06000 × 365 ÷ 365 = $300.00 after one year, and $0.82 for each further day. Because Kentucky compounds annually, year two accrues on $5,300.00: $318.00.
What this page does not know
- The rate written on your judgment. If the court stated a rate, that one applies, whatever the default is today.
- Partial payments. Interest accrues only on what is still unpaid.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the statute or the office that publishes it; confirm the current rate with the court clerk before relying on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the post-judgment interest rate in Kentucky right now?
6% a year for an ordinary money judgment, fixed in the statute, under KRS 360.040.
How is the Kentucky rate set?
Fixed in the statute at 6% a year, compounded annually, for judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017. It changes only when the legislature acts.
Is it simple or compound interest?
Compound, added to the balance once a year, so the second year's interest is calculated on principal plus the first year's interest.
Can my Kentucky judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. Child support judgments bear 12% compounded annually. A contract or note rate governs. The court may set a rate below 6% on unliquidated damages after a hearing. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
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