ISA Calculator

Try our free ISA calculator

Our free ISA calculator offers a fast, straightforward way to compare how different Barclays Cash ISAs compare with each other and ISAs offered by other providers.

The calculator lets you see how much interest you might earn depending on how much you deposit, the interest rate you are offered and how long you save for.

This can help you when deciding how to best use your tax-free ISA allowance, which for the 2017/18 tax year is £20,000 (or £4,128 for a Junior ISA).

Cash ISA Calculator

A cash Individual Savings Calculator is a program, mostly online, that helps you determine how much interest you could gain as interest on an ISA investment. While these tools only give a projection of the amount, they give valuable insight as to whether a certain interest rate is favorable and how much should be invested into the ISA regularly to give the best interest gains. A cash ISA calculator should not be used as the final determinant or decision maker when it comes to committing to a cash ISA. This is because it operates on assumptions to calculate a possible outcome on investment. That investment may gain more or less than estimated and is not an accurate measure.

Assumptions made on calculation

One of the assumptions made is that the individual will deposit money into the account on a regular basis. Cash ISAs give a lot of leeway when it comes to withdrawals and deposits. For that reason, it is not always necessary that an individual deposit money into the account on a regular basis in as long as the final tally on deposits does not exceed the cash ISA allowance limit.

Another assumption is that the market will be steady and the rates will be productive. Capital markets fluctuate all the time throughout the tax year. The market may grow or stunt considerably affecting the economical rates on conversion for the currency. Due to such changes therefore, the interest gained tends to fluctuate.

Another assumption made is that there shall be fixed tax rules throughout the duration of the tax year. The current tax allowance for ISAs exempts them from having to be taxed on interest made. However, the rules might change and in such a scenario, the tax rate could affect the projected figures.

It is also an assumption that there shall be no withdrawals made on the account. Most of the calculators work under the premise of compound interest. A withdrawal, which in reality will happen at one point or the other, has significant impact on interest.

Benefits of a cash ISA calculator

One of the benefits of using a cash ISA calculator is that it helps you predict your annual growth on a certain interest rate. From this prediction, you can then determine whether the interest rate offered is sufficient for your goals or whether you need to find a different rate elsewhere.

An ISA calculator also helps in determining how much money you should deposit on a regular basis, and at what time interval, to make it to the allowance limit, without having to compromise your financial situation.