Example 1
- Start: 50,000
- Years: 3
- Rate: 18%
Residual ≈ 27,568.40
Short lease, higher rate.
Residual value calculator
Type starting value, horizon in years, and the annual decline rate. 50,000 after 3 years at 18% leaves about 27,568. That is an expected end amount at a constant rate, not a balloon from a lease contract.
Residual is end value, not a “loss” line. Constant-rate estimate. Loss as a process lives on car depreciation. A payment that does not subtract residual is on leasing installment.
Result
Starting / list value, Horizon (years) and Annual decline rate (%). The result shows up here.
How results are calculated
Residual = start × (1 − rate/100) to the power of years. 50,000 × 0.82³ ≈ 27,568.40. 120,000 after 4 years at 12% is about 71,963.44. 30,000 after 5 years at 15% is about 13,311.16. 85,000 after 3 years at 15% is 52,200.625.
The calculator also shows percent retained and the decline amount. At 50,000 and 27,568 about 55.1% remains and the drop is about 22,432. 42,000 after 2 years at 20% is 26,880. 28,000 after 6 years at 10% is about 14,880.35. 62,000 after 5 years at 18% is about 22,985.87.
Fields are starting value, horizon in years, and annual decline rate. Currency comes from the header and does not enter the exponent. A comma and a period in 18 and 12.5 both parse. Typed zero years leaves the start unchanged, because a power of zero is one.
Car depreciation uses the same math and asks about loss. The leasing installment page next door does not subtract this residual. Leasing vs loan hard-codes 15% in its own formula, whatever number you compute here.
A blank start does not fill 50,000 from the example. Zero start gives zero at the end. A minus is rejected. The market (mileage, condition, demand) can miss this curve.
Type 50,000, 3 and 18, click Calculate, and match about 27,568. That is an estimate from three fields, not a figure from a contract annex.
How to use
- Type starting value, for example 50,000, in the header currency.
- Type horizon in years, for example 3, and the annual decline rate, for example 18.
- Click Calculate. 50,000 × 0.82³ ≈ 27,568. 120,000 × 0.88⁴ ≈ 71,963.
- Read percent retained and the decline amount beside the end value.
- Compare with car depreciation if you are asking about loss, not a balloon.
Residual as expected end value
Start × (1 − rate)^years. 50000 after 3 years at 18% leaves about 27568. Not a balloon from a lease contract.
- Residual
- End value at a constant rate. 50000 × 0.82^3 ≈ 27568. 120000 over 4 years at 12% ≈ 71963.
- decline
- The annual decline rate field. 18% for 3 years on 50000 leaves about 55% of start. 15% for 5 years on 30000 ≈ 13311.
Usage examples
Example 2
- Start: 120,000
- Years: 4
- Rate: 12%
Residual ≈ 71,963.44
Higher list price, moderate rate.
Example 3
- Start: 30,000
- Years: 5
- Rate: 15%
Residual ≈ 13,311.16
Five-year horizon.
Related calculators
FAQ
How much remains from 50,000 after 3 years at 18%?
About 27,568.40. From 120,000 after 4 years at 12%, about 71,963.44. From 30,000 after 5 years at 15%, about 13,311.16.
How is residual different from depreciation?
Same power. Here the question is how much remains. On depreciation the question is how much dropped.
Is this the contractual lease residual?
No. A contract has its own balloon. Here you type a constant rate.
How much remains from 85,000 after 3 years at 15%?
52,200.625. 42,000 after 2 years at 20% is 26,880. 110,000 after 4 years at 12% is about 65,966.49.
Does the lease installment subtract this result?
No. The sibling payment divides value plus markup by months and skips residual.
What if starting value is blank?
The calculator does not compute and does not fill 50,000 from the example. It needs start, years, and rate.
Is zero years allowed?
Yes: a power of zero leaves the start. A zero rate also leaves the start, because the factor is 1.
Why does this miss a listing price?
A constant rate does not know mileage, condition, or demand. A listing is a different number.
Does a comma in 12.5% work?
Yes. 12,5 and 12.5 are the same rate. A comma and a period mean the same value.
Where is the fixed 15% residual?
On leasing vs loan, inside the payment formula. Here you type your own rate and horizon.
Knowledge sources
Use, cost or emissions come from your numbers. Below are FuelEconomy.gov, EPA and SI terms.
Page updated in 2026.