Debt Payoff Planner
List out every debt, add whatever extra you can scrape together each month, and watch the two proven payoff strategies go head to head — smallest-balance-first for momentum, highest-rate-first for the math.
Total debt
$34,500
Debt-free in (avalanche)
6 yr 2 mo
Avalanche saves vs snowball
$0
Avalanche — highest APR first (max math)
6 yr 2 mo · $6,401 interest
Order: Credit card → Car loan → Student loan
Snowball — smallest balance first (max motivation)
6 yr 2 mo · $6,401 interest
Order: Credit card → Car loan → Student loan
🐻 Either method beats minimums by years. Pick avalanche if the math motivates you, snowball if crossed-off debts do.
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How this is calculated
Both methods pay the minimum on every debt each month, then throw your entire extra amount at one target debt. When a debt dies, its minimum payment rolls into the attack — that's the snowball effect, and it's why the last debts fall fastest.
Snowball targets the smallest balance first (quick wins, maximum motivation). Avalanche targets the highest APR first (minimum total interest — mathematically optimal). The calculator simulates both month by month, including each debt's interest accrual.
The difference between them is usually hundreds to a few thousand dollars; the difference between either and paying minimums is usually tens of thousands. Choosing a method matters far less than starting one.
Common questions
Which is better — snowball or avalanche?
Avalanche always wins on paper. But studies of real payoff behavior show people who see quick wins stick with the plan longer — and a finished snowball beats an abandoned avalanche. Run both above and check whether the difference is worth the motivation trade for you.
Should I include my mortgage?
Usually not — mortgage rates are typically your cheapest debt and the balance distorts the plan. Focus the method on consumer debt: cards, auto, personal, and student loans. (Extra mortgage payments have their own calculator.)
What if I can't find any extra money?
Even $50 changes the math meaningfully — try the calculator. The deeper fix is the budget side: the 50/30/20 calculator finds the leak, and freed subscriptions or one negotiated bill often fund the first extra payment.
Go deeper
Debt demolition — the exact payoff order
This math is taught step-by-step in Module 3 of the Bear Bankroll Wealth System — with interactive worksheets that run the numbers on YOUR situation.
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Educational tool only — estimates, not financial advice. Your numbers stay in your browser and are never sent to our servers.