To Zero — debt payoff calculator

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Heads up
To Zero is an educational calculator, not a financial advisor. The numbers and strategies shown are based on the information you enter and standard debt payoff math. They are not meant to replace personalized advice from a licensed financial professional. If you'd like to speak with a free or low-cost advisor, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling can help.
How it works

You enter your debts and one number: how much you can put toward debt each month in total. We figure out the smartest way to split it.

1

Minimums first

Every debt gets its minimum payment before anything else. When your budget can't cover them all, mortgages come first, then anything past due, then the rest.

If your monthly commitment doesn't cover all the minimums, we'll tell you how much more you need.

2

Surplus goes to your priority debt

Whatever's left after minimums gets directed to one debt at a time. This is where your strategy choice matters.

Avalanche

Puts it toward your highest interest rate first. Mathematically optimal, saves the most money.

Snowball

Puts it toward your smallest balance first. Faster early wins, easier to stay motivated.

Avalanche saves more money. Snowball gets you quick wins.

3

Paid-off payments roll forward

When a debt is gone, its payment doesn't disappear. It gets added to the next debt. Same monthly total, fewer debts. This is why payoff speeds up toward the end.


Other things to know

Extra payments

Your monthly commitment is your baseline. Extra payments go on top: a bonus, a tax refund, a good month. That money hits your priority debt immediately and doesn't change your regular commitment.

Why your numbers might differ slightly

We make a few simplifications to keep the math straightforward. Treat this as a close estimate, not a guarantee.

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Everything stays on your device. Your plan lives in the URL. That's how sharing works and that's all we keep.