PVIFA Calculator
Calculate the present value interest factor of annuity using our PVIFA calculator.
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Andrew holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado and specializes in finance, real estate, and life insurance.
Laura started her career in Finance a decade ago and provides strategic financial management consulting. She has an MBA in Finance and a Bachelor's in Economics.
How to Calculate the Present Value Interest Factor of an Annuity
When determining how much a non-speculative investment, such as an annuity, is actually worth, one of the first things you will need to figure out is that investment’s present value. And to do this, you’ll need to know the present value interest factor of an annuity (PVIFA).
The present value of an investment accounts for the time value of money, which recognizes that having any amount of money today will be more valuable than having that exact same amount of money in the future.
Naturally, any investor would prefer to have $100 today compared to $100 ten years in the future—that’s a fairly easy assessment. However, is it worth more to have $100 today or $150 in the future? What about $200?
Answering these questions is not always easy. While the present value of $100 will naturally be worth more than the future value of $100, accounting for the time value of money means you will need to consider whether it is better financially to have a smaller sum of cash right now or a larger sum of cash in the future.
Taking the time to think about this important concept will make it easier to determine whether you should invest in an annuity or any other comparable investment vehicle.
What is the Present Value Interest Factor of an Annuity?
An annuity is an investment vehicle that typically promises to give the annuity holder a consistent stream of annual payouts for the rest of their life.
The present value interest factor of an annuity is the discount rate used to determine how much an annuity is worth today. This is an adjusted rate to account for future risk.
Remember, annuities (typically) are perpetual payments that begin at a predetermined point in time after the initial investor has made a lump sum payment.
The present value of an investment represents how much that particular investment is worth right now. You need the discount rate, or PVIFA, to calculate it.
Understanding the present value can help you understand how much an annuity’s future payments will be worth today or how much you should be willing to pay today to receive a future sum of money.
The discount rate is the rate at which your current investment will grow. Usually, higher-risk investments will have a higher discount rate. Annuities, which are generally considered low-risk investments, will have a lower discount rate.
Suppose you could receive $1,000 at the end of every year, beginning next year. How much would you want to pay for that source of cash flow? To find out, you’ll need to calculate the present value interest factor.
PVIFA Formula
To determine the present value interest factor of an annuity, use this simple formula:
Where:
PVIFA = present value interest factor of annuity
r = rate per period
n = number of periods
For example, let’s say you’re considering investing in an annuity that pays 5% interest for 10 years, what is the PVIFA?
So, the present value interest factor of this annuity is equal to 7.722. This means that every dollar received in future payments would be worth $7.722 today.
While there are many factors you will want to keep in mind when deciding whether to invest in an annuity, the present value interest factor of an annuity formula and calculator make it easy for you to decide whether investing in an annuity is right for you.
Then, you can use an annuity payout calculator to make it easier to determine what an annuity will be worth in the future.
By taking a moment to calculate the PVIFA, you will be able to decide whether investing in an annuity is better or worse than investing in other future income options.
And, by taking the time to calculate the future value of an annuity, you can accurately predict just how valuable investing in an annuity might be.