How to Calculate Finance Charges for Overdue Invoices (2024)

How to Calculate Finance Charges for Overdue Invoices (1)

Getting your money is one of the most essential functions of a small business owner, and often one of the more unpleasant ones. One way to deter your customers from paying their bills late is to add finance charges to the overdue invoices. These finance charges continue to add up until the customer pays, but they also offer you the opportunity to look like you're doing them a favor if you decide to waive the additional fees.

How to Calculate Finance Charges for Overdue Invoices (2)

Set the Terms

Before you can charge your customers a late fee, you must first spell out the terms of the finance charge in writing. When you send the first invoice, include a due date. This can be as simple as "net 30 days" or a specific due date at the bottom of the invoice. Also, include the finance charges by saying past-due bills will be charged a late fee. Include the percentage amount, such as a 15-percent fee.

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Calculate the Finance Charges

Most accounting software calculates the finance charges for you, but knowing the process is helpful when you're setting your late fee amount. The finance percentage should be set based on a full month. First, find the daily percentage rate. If you charge 2 percent per month, multiply that by 0.03, which gives you 1/30th of 2. This gives you a daily rate of 0.06 percent. Multiply the amount due by the daily rate.

For example, if the customer owes $200, multiply 200 by 0.06 to get a daily finance charge of $1.20. If the customer pays 20 days late, charge $1.20 for 20 days, so the total would be $200 plus $24 in finance charges. This option gives you the flexibility to send out invoices as often as you like, with each invoice showing a higher finance charge.

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Keep It Simple

Instead of worrying about a daily finance charge percentage, keep it simple by setting a flat monthly percentage amount. For example, say all overdue invoices will be charged a 10 percent late fee. At the end of the month, multiply the amount owed by 10 percent, or 0.10. If the customer owes $200, add $20 to the total as the finance charge. This option works best if you send out invoices once a month, since you aren't calculating the finance charge daily.

Waiving the Fees

Although the finance charges are meant in part to deter customers from paying late, you don't have to follow through with the threat. Your customers are likely to remember a kindness you offer them, and waiving the finance charge is one way to show your customers you can work with them. What you really want is the money they owe you.

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If they pay it a month or two late, the finance charges aren't likely high enough to make much of a difference on your bottom line. Keeping your customer happy is often worth losing the finance charges. In your accounting books, mark the uncollected finance charges as write-offs. This allows you to account for them without collecting them.

References

How to Calculate Finance Charges for Overdue Invoices (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate the finance charge on an invoice? ›

Finance charge amount = RATE * 12 * balance * (Overdue days / 365).

What is the finance charge on a past due invoice? ›

It's typically 1% to 2% of the past-due invoice amount. If you offer customer financing, you've likely found yourself in a situation that no business owner wants to deal with—a past-due invoice.

What is the formula for finance charges? ›

Credit card companies calculate finance charges in different ways that many consumers may find confusing. A common method is the average daily balance method, which is calculated as (average daily balance × annual percentage rate × number of days in the billing cycle) ÷ 365.

How to calculate interest charges on past due invoices? ›

To calculate the interest due on a late payment, the amount of the debt should be multiplied by the number of days for which the payment is late, multiplied by daily late payment interest rate in operation on the date the payment became overdue.

What is finance charge calculation method? ›

The Finance Charge formula is: Average Daily Balance x Annual Percentage Rate (APR) x Number of Days in Billing Cycle ÷ 365. To determine your Average Daily Balance: Add up the end-of-the-day balances for every day of the billing cycle. You can find the dates of the billing cycle on your monthly Visa Statement.

What is the total finance charge calculator? ›

A Finance Charge Calculator is a financial tool used to determine the cost of borrowing or the amount that a borrower will have to pay as interest on a loan, credit card, mortgage, or any other type of financing.

What is the average finance charge for late payments? ›

Key Takeaways

A late fee is a charge you face if you fail to make a payment by the due date. All late fees must be explicitly outlined to borrowers. Late fees generally range from $25 to $50, though some may be lower. Late fees can increase account balances and can hurt your credit history.

Can you legally charge interest on overdue invoices? ›

As a vendor, it's entirely legal for you to charge interest on unpaid invoices. However, the real question is whether your clients are legally obligated to pay it. A vendor should include these details in a contract or statement of work agreement before any work begins.

How do you calculate a 5% late fee? ›

For example, if you set a 5% late fee every 30 days and you've contracted $5,000 of work, the fee would be $250 each month. Graduated. Increase your flat or percentage rate for every set amount of time the invoice goes unpaid. For instance, every 30 days, the payment could go up $5 or increase an additional 2%.

How is finance cost calculated? ›

It is computed by multiplying the interest expense (step 1) and one minus the tax rate (step 2). Step 5: Finally, the formula for the cost of debt can be derived by dividing the tax-adjusted interest expense (step 4) by the outstanding debt (step 3), as shown below.

What are the normal finance charges? ›

The most common type of finance charge is the amount of interest charged on the amount of money borrowed. However, finance charges also include any other fees related to borrowing, such as late fees, account maintenance fees, or the annual fee charged for holding a credit card.

How do I calculate finance charges in Quickbooks? ›

Go to the Edit menu, then select Preferences. Select Finance Charge, then go to the Company Preferences tab. Fill in the Annual Interest Rate (%), Minimum Finance Charge, and Grace Period (days) fields. From the Finance Charge Account drop-down, select the account you use to track income from finance charges.

How do you calculate overdue payments? ›

Calculation: Overdue amount = Total amount due post the completion of payment period. Total amount required to be paid by the customer based on the billing date. Calculation: Net Overdue amount = [(Total debit balance(overdue)as on date) - Total credit balance as on date)].

How much can I charge for late invoice payment? ›

Generally, though, if you charge less than 10% interest per year, you won't have any legal issues with your late fee policies. A common approach to late fees among freelancers and service-based, small business owners is to charge 1.5% interest per month on unpaid invoices.

Should I charge interest on overdue invoices? ›

Late payments create cash flow problems and can increase the risk that you will not be paid at all. Using your legal right to claim interest from late-paying customers can encourage customers to pay on time. The statutory right to interest and compensation applies to all contracts.

How do you calculate finance cost percentage? ›

Cost of Debt = (Total Interest / Total Debt)*100

To find total interest, add up all the interest expenses paid over the past year, including on loans, lines of credit, and any other form of debt financing. You can find total interest expenses on your income statement or tax return.

What is the formula for financing payments? ›

Monthly Payment = (P × r) ∕ n

Again, “P” represents your principal amount, and “r” is your APR. However, “n” in this equation is the number of payments you'll make over a year. Now for an example. Let's say you get an interest-only personal loan for $10,000 with an APR of 3.5% and a 60-month repayment term.

What is included in the finance charge? ›

A finance charge is the total amount of interest and loan charges you would pay over the entire life of the mortgage loan. This assumes that you keep the loan through the full term until it matures (when the last payment needs to be paid) and includes all pre-paid loan charges. Loan charges include: Origination charges.

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