# NPER

## Content

This function returns the number of periods for an investment based on a present value, future value, periodic payments, and a specified interest rate.

## Syntax

`NPER(rate, paymt, pval, [fval], [type])`

## Arguments

This function has these arguments:

| Argument | Description |
| -------- | ----------- |
| *rate* | [Required] Interest rate expressed as percentage (per period) |
| *paymt* | [Required] Payment made each period; cannot change over life of the annuity |
| *pval* | [Required] Present value |
| *fval* | [Optional] Future value; if omitted, the calculation uses zero (0) |
| *type* | [Optional] Indicates when payments are due; at the end (0) or beginning (1) of the period; if omitted, the calculation uses the end (0) |

For the arguments, money paid out (such as deposits in an investment) is represented by negative numbers; money you receive (such as dividend checks) is represented by positive numbers.

## Remarks

Be sure to express the interest rate as per period. For example, if you make monthly payments on a loan at 8 percent interest, use 0.08/12 for the rate argument.
See the [PV](/document-solutions/dot-net-excel-api/docs/online/formula-reference/financial-functions/pv) function for the equations for calculating financial values.

## Examples

`NPER(A1/12,50,1000,0,1)`
`NPER(R1C1/12,50,1000,0,1)`
`NPER(0.005,-790,90000,0,1)` gives the result 167.7227522114