How to Calculate Blended Interest Rates on Loans

A blended rate is an averaged interest rate on consumer and personal loans that combines the interest rates of multiple existing loans and any new loans obtained through refinancing. Here’s when it could make sense for you to get a blended rate and when it may not.

If you have questions about refinancing a loan, a financial advisor can walk you through the pros and cons.

What Is a Blended Rate?

A blended rate refers to an interest rate that combines the rates from different loans or financial products. It’s often used when borrowers refinance existing loans with varying interest rates. The blended rate takes into account both the original rates and the new rates to calculate an average interest rate that reflects the overall cost of the combined loans.

This can apply to various types of loans, including corporate debt and consumer loans like mortgages. The calculation involves determining a weighted average of the individual interest rates to arrive at the blended rate, which provides a clearer picture of the borrower’s overall cost of borrowing.

Blended rates are also used to calculate the pooled cost of funds, which is the average cost that financial institutions, including banks and lending organizations, incur when borrowing money to finance lending activities.

This cost is a crucial metric for financial institutions, as it directly affects their profitability. The lower the pooled cost of funds, the more efficiently the institution can lend money at higher interest rates, thus increasing its profit margin.

How to Calculate the Blended Rate

Lenders calculate blended rates by considering the interest rates of multiple loans or financial products that are being combined through refinancing or consolidation.

The blended rate is essentially a weighted average of these individual interest rates. To do this, they must:

Identify loan amounts and rates: Determine the outstanding balances and corresponding interest rates of each loan being refinanced or consolidated. This may include both existing loans and any new loans being acquired.
Calculate weighted proportions: Calculate the proportion of each loan’s outstanding balance relative to the total amount being refinanced. This proportion represents the weight of each loan in the overall calculation.
Calculate weighted interest: Multiply each loan’s outstanding balance by its corresponding interest rate to obtain the weighted interest for that loan. This reflects the portion of the total interest expense contributed by each loan.
Sum of weighted interests: Sum up the weighted interest values calculated for each loan.
Sum of outstanding balances: Sum up the outstanding balances of all the loans being refinanced.

Calculate blended rate: Divide the sum of weighted interests by the sum of outstanding balances. This yields the blended rate, which is the average interest rate that considers the proportions of each loan.

When to Consider a Blended Rate on a Personal Loan

Considering a blended rate on a personal loan can be beneficial in specific situations. Here are some scenarios when it might be a good idea:

Multiple loans with varying rates: If you have several existing loans, such as credit card debt, personal loans, or student loans, with different interest rates, a blended rate can simplify your financial management by consolidating these loans into a single, easy-to-understand rate.
Refinancing opportunity: When you’re looking to refinance your personal loans, especially if you’re obtaining a new loan to pay off existing ones, a blended rate can help you evaluate the overall cost of the new loan compared to your previous loans.
Simplifying debt management: If you find it challenging to keep track of multiple loans and payments, a blended rate can help streamline your finances by reducing the number of loans you need to manage.
Interest savings: If you’re able to refinance at a lower blended rate compared to the average of your existing loans, you could potentially save on interest costs over the life of the loan.
Transparent comparison: A blended rate makes it easier to compare the new loan offer with your current loans. This transparency helps you assess whether the refinancing option aligns with your financial goals.
Fixed rate stability: If your existing loans have variable interest rates that are expected to rise, consolidating into a fixed blended rate can provide stability by locking in a predictable interest rate.

However, here are three common situations when a blended rate might not be ideal for you:

Significantly higher rates: If one or more of your existing loans have substantially higher interest rates than the others, a blended rate might dilute the impact of those high rates.
Focused repayment: If you’re aiming to aggressively pay down higher-interest loans first, calculating individual rates might be more beneficial, as it allows you to prioritize your repayment strategy.
Customization: If you have the opportunity to negotiate different rates for specific loans during refinancing, you might prefer to tailor your interest rates to your financial objectives.

Bottom Line

Blended rates incentivize borrowers by simplifying their loan structure, potentially lowering their interest costs and providing them with a clearer understanding of their financial commitments. However, borrowers should always carefully assess the terms and compare them to their current loans before making a decision.

Tips for Refinancing a Mortgage

A financial advisor can walk you through the steps of refinancing a mortgage. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Refinancing makes sense when that new loan carries significantly better rates and terms. So make sure that you’re saving in the long run, factor in all fees and calculate the property taxes for your area.