Know the exact month your debt dies.
Enter your balance, APR, and monthly payment to see the payoff timeline, total interest, and how brutally expensive slow payments really are.
Debt payoff timeline calculator
Model one debt at a time. Results update instantly as you test higher payments or lower APRs.
The minimum-payment trap
Credit card minimums are designed to keep the account alive, not to make you free. If your payment barely beats monthly interest, the payoff timeline stretches for years.
Avalanche beats vibes
The math-first move is usually paying the highest APR first while making minimums everywhere else. It is less emotionally cute than snowballing, but it saves more cash.
Refinance when the APR is stupid
- 19%+ APR: attack aggressively
- Balance transfer: watch the fee and promo end date
- Consolidation only helps if you stop adding new debt
- Automate payments so momentum does not require motivation
How to use this debt payoff calculator
Start with the exact current balance from your lender, not a rounded guess from last month. Enter the APR shown on the statement and the real payment you can make every month without relying on wishful thinking.
The calculator follows the source ProfitToolsLab formula exactly: monthly rate equals APR divided by 12; if the payment does not beat monthly interest, payoff never happens; otherwise months equals negative log of one minus balance times monthly rate divided by payment, divided by log of one plus monthly rate.
Use the interest-as-percent-of-balance result as the pain meter. If interest is more than 50% of the original balance, the debt is charging rent in your life. Test a lower APR, a higher monthly payment, or a one-time lump sum.
Run the calculator three times: current payment, current payment plus $50, and current payment plus $100. That quick comparison usually makes the best next move embarrassingly obvious — in a good way.
This calculator is built for one debt at a time. For multiple debts, calculate each balance separately, then prioritize extra payments toward the highest APR debt unless you need the psychological win of clearing a small account first.
Lower the APR before it eats your lunch
Balance-transfer cards, consolidation loans, and credit monitoring tools can help reduce interest or protect your credit while you pay debt down. Do the math before signing anything.