Fair Market Value Lease Buyout Calculator

Enter the original value, residual percent and purchase fee to find your buyout cost.

How it is calculated

Two steps: residual = original value × residual% ÷ 100, then buyout = residual + purchase fee. The original value is the starting figure the lessor uses (often the capitalized cost of the equipment), the residual percent is the share of it still assumed to be left at lease end, and the purchase fee is a flat amount in the same currency. If you leave the fee empty it is treated as zero. The tool rejects negative values and needs both the original value and the residual percent. It shows the buyout, the residual part and the fee separately. It does not add sales tax, title or registration charges, or discount for time value, so add those yourself if your contract has them.

Worked example

Equipment originally valued at 85,000 has a residual of 22%, and the lessor charges a 495 purchase fee. Residual: 85,000 × 22 ÷ 100 = 18,700. Buyout: 18,700 + 495 = $19,195.00. Of that, $18,700.00 is the residual value and $495.00 is the fee. Compare this with what a similar used machine sells for before deciding to buy.

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Common mistakes

  • Typing the residual as a decimal (0.22) instead of a percent (22); the result would be about one hundredth of the right value.
  • Using the monthly payment or the current market value as the original value; the field expects the starting or capitalized figure the residual percent applies to.
  • Forgetting that taxes, title and registration costs are not included, so the real cash needed at closing is higher.
  • Assuming the residual percent is a guaranteed price: on a fair market value lease the actual price is set near lease end and can differ from the contract estimate.

About this calculator

The fair market value lease buyout calculator estimates what it costs to purchase a leased vehicle or piece of equipment at the end of an FMV lease, where the buyout price isn't fixed in advance but is instead based on the asset's residual value — typically expressed as a percentage of its original value or capitalized cost — plus a purchase or transfer fee charged by the leasing company.

This differs from a “$1 buyout” or fixed-price capital lease: with FMV leases, common for commercial equipment and some vehicle leases, the lessor keeps ownership risk and the buyout reflects what the asset is actually estimated to be worth at lease end, which can run higher or lower than expected depending on market conditions and how the equipment held up. Business owners and fleet or equipment managers use this calculator to compare the buyout cost against the market price of an equivalent used asset before deciding whether to purchase, return, or re-lease at the lease's expiration.

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