Debt Payoff Planner
Enter your debts, choose a strategy, and see exactly when you'll be debt-free — and how much interest you'll save along the way.
How much total can you put toward all debts each month? Must be at least equal to your combined minimum payments — more is better.
Paying down revolving card balances directly improves your credit utilization ratio — which is 30% of your FICO score. Getting each card below 30%, then below 10%, can add 20–60+ points.
The Utilization-First strategy targets the fastest score improvement. The Avalanche saves the most money. Choose based on your goal.
All three strategies start the same way: pay the minimum on every debt, then apply any extra money to one target debt at a time. The difference is which debt gets the extra money.
❄️ Avalanche Method
Extra money always goes to the debt with the highest APR (interest rate) first. Once that's paid, the snowballed payment attacks the next highest rate. This method minimizes total interest paid — always. The math is unambiguous.
Downside: your first win may take a while if your high-rate debt has a large balance.
⛄ Snowball Method
Extra money goes to the debt with the smallest balance first, regardless of rate. You get your first paid-off account quickly, which builds momentum. Studies show people who start with Snowball are more likely to stick with the plan.
Downside: you may pay more in total interest than Avalanche, especially with large rate gaps.
💳 Utilization-First
Extra money targets credit cards closest to their limit first (highest utilization). This drops your per-card utilization ratios the fastest, which can raise your credit score in as little as 30 days when the new balance reports to bureaus.
Best when you need a score boost for a mortgage, car loan, or rental in the near term.
Know Your Stage Before You Plan
Not sure which strategy fits your situation? Take the 60-second quiz and get a personalized plan.