Massachusetts Judgment Interest Rate
United States Interest on Massachusetts tort and contract judgments.
Current rate
12% per year — current statutory rate (official text verified July 10, 2026) Set by statute
Massachusetts adds interest at 12% per year to damages in tort actions (M.G.L. c.231 §6B, from commencement of the action) and contract actions (§6C, from breach or demand) — among the highest statutory rates in the U.S. In contract cases an established contract rate displaces the 12% default, and judgments against the commonwealth instead bear interest at a Treasury-linked rate capped at 10%.
→ Calculate interest at this rate
→ See Massachusetts’s prejudgment interest rate (interest before judgment — different rules)
Statutory basis & carve-outs. 12% per annum under both M.G.L. c.231 §6B (tort; from commencement of the action) and §6C (contract; from breach/demand, or commencement if not established). Applied as simple interest in MA practice. Carve-outs: an established contract rate displaces the §6C default; judgments against the commonwealth bear interest per §6I (weekly-average 1-yr Treasury CMT, capped at 10%). The official statute pages show no amendment history; the 12% figure has been stable since the early 1980s. Date shown is when the current text was verified (2026-07-08). Verify against the statute; not legal advice.
Effective-date history
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2026 | 12% | Statute |
Source & provenance
Latest value retrieved July 10, 2026 (02:55 UTC) from the official source:
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleII/Chapter231/Section6B
Reference data only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Always confirm the controlling value
against the official source and, where applicable, the governing statute or court before relying on it.