What Is A Sinking Fund: A Comprehensive Guide
Feb 05, 2023 By Rick Novak

You all must have saved money for upcoming hefty expenses but need to know what it is called in the finance world. Well, we are in your shoes and understand that understanding the corporate finance field is a bit difficult but interesting if someone guides you. You landed at the right spot.

The sinking fund is the money to cover your mega expense annually or monthly. The money is saved for a specific purpose, based on a specific approach differentiating it from other saving accounts.

This article will briefly discuss how you can repay the upcoming expense. You will learn what a sinking fund is and how it is set up. The sinking fund saves money like other savings accounts, but how does it differ from other savings? Keep joining to find the answers.

Understanding The Sinking Fund

The sinking fund is a strategic way of saving money for upcoming hectic expenses. It helps you repay the debt you cannot get over from your regular expenses. You set aside the money from your regular expenses and use it for the major expense at the last of the year or month you are already aware of.

The sinking fund avoids the owner from getting into debt, which ultimately helps to stabilize your financial status. A sinking fund is the same as other saving accounts. However, it means to spend, not to save. That is why it is something different from other saving accounts.

Generally, monthly or annual expenses pop up, which you cannot pay from your regular pay. A sinking fund saves you from these anxieties, so you can pay them when they arrive on the spot. However, sinking funds are saved to give you debt-free financial status. Some of the common examples of sinking funds are;

  1. Annually house renewal funds
  2. Car maintenance funds
  3. Vacation funds
  4. Attending a big event
  5. Buying personal assets monthly or annually
  6. Or the funds that any company restores to pay the debt annually or monthly

In short, a sinking fund keeps you away from extra debt while paying for the major asset expenses.

Why is it called a sinking fund?

Many are curious to know why the word 'sinking' refers to the money saved to pay the upcoming expense. Well, it has different meanings that depend on the purposes for which you saved the money. But By all means, the term refers to the money reserved to save you from a hectic financial downfall. Therefore, it refers to something negative means it saves you from financial breakdown.

However, The main reason for setting up a sinking fund is to buy a known asset or repair a known damage that ultimately helps you avoid getting into debt. So, The main reason for the sinking fund is described by its name.

How Is a Sinking Fund Different From Other Saving Accounts?

A sinking fund is the same as other accounts that it saves money, but how it is different from other saving accounts. It is money kept aside to pay future expenses, but it differs from saving accounts.

The savings accounts are set up to save money for a long time without considering when you will spend that money. In contrast, sinking funds are set up for a known purpose while following a money set-up approach to deal with the cost.

Sinking funds are also different from emergency accounts, as emergency accounts are used to spend money on emergency events. In case you got into an accident and did not have money from regular expenses to cover the damage.

In comparison to emergency funds, sinking funds are set aside for specific grounds or motifs, like buying any asset or paying any familiar compensation.

What are the benefits of sinking funds?

Sinking funds are used for several purposes. There are many benefits of sinking funds that you should look into;

Stable financial status

Sinking funds help you pay the expenses you can 'not afford from your regular expenses. You can pay them from the sinking funds. So, in short, it keeps you in getting stable financial status.

Debt-free finance

After setting up a sinking account, you have enough money to spend on upcoming events. In short, a debt-free financial status awaits you if you set money aside to hold your costs without taking anyone's assistance.

  • Moreover, sinking funds help to attract business people to invest in accounting. Investors trust the owner and show interest in investing, ultimately helping to grow the business. So, setting up a sinking account is not a bad deal. But how to set it up? Not discovered yet? Let's find out!

How to set up a sinking fund?

Starting a sinking fund is not a big deal, but it follows a certain pattern of setting up the account. Here are some steps to consider;

Determining what you need in the future

The first step involves getting ideas about your past experiences and needs. What do you need to get in the future? If you are in search of buying some assets but need help paying for them. Setting up the sinking fund you need the most.

Follow a financial approach to set the money aside

The next step asks you to set an approach that helps to set money aside without disturbing the regular expense. Setting money aside annually or monthly does not make enough difference to your regular expenses but adds much.

Sinking fund formula

You have found much about sinking funds, but how to find the sinking fund quickly? A formula can help you find it exactly.

Sinking Fund Amount = (A(r/n)) / (((1 + r/n)^nt) – 1)

Here;

  • A = Target amount, i.e., the amount that you need to pay
  • n = payment frequency, i.e., number of payments per year
  • t = number of years over which payment will be made
  • r = annual interest rate

Conclusion

A sinking fund is easy to set up but requires consistency and determination while achieving the set amount. Some people need more interest in getting the required amount done. However, you can achieve it while focusing on the guide mentioned above. Cheers up! If you have read 'what is a sinking fund,' you can find it incredibly amazing to handle mega tariffs.