The 'time value of money' refers to the fact that a dollar in hand today is worth more than a dollar promised at some future time. Would you rather have this money repaid to you right away in one payment or spread out over a year in four installment payments? How would you feel if you had to wait to get the full payment instead of getting it all at once? Wouldn't you feel that the delay in the payment cost you something?Īccording to a concept that economists call the 'time value of money,' you will probably want all the money right away because it can immediately be deployed for many different uses: spent on the lavish dream vacation, invested to earn interest, or used to pay off all or part of a loan.
Periodic Payment (PMT) can be included but is not a required element. In basic finance courses, lots of time is spent on the computation of the time value of money, which can involve 4 or 5 different elements, including Present Value (PV), Future Value (FV), Interest Rate (I/Y), and Number of Periods (N). Related Loan Calculator | Interest Calculator | Investment Calculator
