Post-judgment interest by state · Wisconsin
Wisconsin · after judgment
Post-judgment interest in Wisconsin
An unpaid Wisconsin money judgment earns 7.75% a year unless the judgment or a contract says otherwise. On a $5,000.00 judgment that is $387.50 in the first year, about $1.06 a day.
How the rate is set
1% plus the prime rate published by the Federal Reserve in effect on January 1 (for judgments entered through June 30) or July 1 (for judgments entered after). No state office posts the figure; it is computed here from H.15.
- Statute or rule
- Wis. Stat. §815.05(8)
- Figure read on 2026-10-23
- prime 6.75% on 2026-07-01 + 1
- Statute re-checked
- 2026-10-23
- Changes
- judgments entered July 1 to December 31, 2026
When a different rate applies
- Judgments under §807.01(4), after an offer of settlement, are excluded.
Work out your own judgment
Wisconsin is prefilled at 7.75%. Enter the amount and the date the judgment was entered. The calculator uses simple interest; that is how this rate accrues.
How Wisconsin'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 7.75%: $5,000.00 × 0.07750 × 365 ÷ 365 = $387.50 after one year, and $1.06 for each further day.
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.
- Nothing about older judgments: Wisconsin fixes the rate when the judgment is entered, so a judgment from an earlier period keeps that period's rate, not the one shown.
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 Wisconsin right now?
7.75% a year for an ordinary money judgment, for judgments entered July 1 to December 31, 2026, under Wis. Stat. §815.05(8).
How is the Wisconsin rate set?
1% plus the prime rate published by the Federal Reserve in effect on January 1 (for judgments entered through June 30) or July 1 (for judgments entered after). No state office posts the figure; it is computed here from H.15.
Is it simple or compound interest?
The statute does not say. Courts generally treat an unstated judgment rate as simple interest, calculated on the principal only.
Can my Wisconsin judgment carry a different rate?
Yes. Judgments under §807.01(4), after an offer of settlement, are excluded. The judgment itself may also state a rate, and that controls.
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