In: Finance
Would you rather have a savings account that pays 5% compounded annually, or an account that pays 5% compounded monthly? Be sure to explain your position here.
A savings account that pays 5% compounded monthly will be preferred. The higher the compounding frequency, the higher interest amount we will get.
For example. we deposit $1,000 is 2 savings account. one pays 5% compounded annually and other pays 5% compounded monthly. in the first savings accounts compounding frequency is once in a year where as in the second savings accounts frequency is 12 times in a year.
Value after one year of savings accounts paying 5% compounded annually = saving amount*(1 + interest rate/n)n*t
n is no. of frequency and t is the time period.
Value after one year of savings accounts paying 5% compounded annually = $1,000*(1+0.05/1)1*1 = $1,000*1.05 = $1,050
Value after one year of savings accounts paying 5% compounded monthly = $1,000*(1+0.05/12)12*1 = $1,000*(1+0.00417)12 = $1,000*1.0041712 = $1,000*1.0512 = $1,051.2
So, we can see from above calculation that savings accounts that pays 5% compounded monthly has higher value after one year.