Auto loan
Auto Loan Calculator
Most car-loan calculators ignore the line items the dealer slips in. This one bakes sales tax, trade-in, and fees into the real monthly payment — drag a slider to see the impact.
How an auto loan payment is built
Your loan amount isn't just the sticker price minus your down payment. It's sticker − down payment − trade-in + sales tax + dealer/doc/registration fees. That bundle gets amortized over the term you choose, at the APR you qualify for. Use the sliders above to model each piece.
Tax on trade-ins (most US states)
In most states, sales tax is calculated on the price after your trade-in is credited — a real perk if you're trading in a paid-off car. This calculator follows that convention. A handful of states (CA, MI, MD, KY, VA, HI, DC) tax the full price; if you're in one of those, set trade-in to 0 and add its value to your down payment.
60 vs 72 vs 84 months
Stretching the term is the easiest way to lower the monthly payment — and the most expensive way to buy a car. An 84-month loan can add 30–40% to total interest vs a 60. Worse, you'll be underwater (owing more than the car is worth) for years. Drag the term slider to see exactly how much that extra time costs you.