How can you avoid compounding interest on loans?

• A. Make payments at least enough to cover the interest charged each month
• B. Pay only the minimum payment
• C. Skip payments when cash is tight
• D. Pay the principal only without interest

Answer: (A)

To avoid compounding interest on a loan, you prevent the loan balance from growing due to unpaid interest. When interest isn’t fully paid, it is added to the outstanding balance, and future interest accrues on this larger amount. By making payments that are at least equal to the interest charged each month, you stop the balance from increasing, so there’s nothing left to compound. If you pay less than the interest, the unpaid portion is capitalized onto the loan, growing the total owed. Skipping payments also lets interest accumulate and can lead to capitalization, increasing what you owe. Paying only the principal without covering interest isn’t workable for most loans because interest still accrues each period and must be paid. So the key is to ensure each payment at least covers the monthly interest.