Cash Flow Buffer Calculator
Find the monthly margin available for a checking buffer and goals.
Debt Payoff Calculator
Compare avalanche and snowball debt payoff schedules using up to three balances, their minimums and one total monthly budget.
Avalanche and snowball comparison
Compare both payoff orders under exactly the same monthly budget and minimum-payment obligations.
Enter your figures, then press “Compare both payoff orders” to calculate your result.
No result yetComplete the fields and use the calculation button.
What the multi-debt payoff calculator compares
This calculator runs the same monthly debt budget through two orders. Avalanche targets the highest annual rate after paying every minimum. Snowball targets the smallest balance. Each cleared minimum remains inside the shared budget and rolls toward the next account.
- The budget must cover all entered minimums and monthly interest.
- The model rolls a cleared minimum into the next target.
- Confirm rates, fees and exact settlement amounts with each institution.
How each payoff schedule works
At the start of each modeled month, interest is added to every open balance using one-twelfth of its annual rate. Required minimums are paid next, limited to the amount still owed. Any money left in the shared budget goes to the method's current target. Avalanche sorts open accounts by annual rate, while snowball sorts them by balance.
When one account reaches zero, the model keeps the total monthly budget unchanged. That automatically rolls the former minimum and extra payment into the remaining debts. The schedule stops when all balances reach zero or when the safety limit detects a budget that cannot create progress.
Check whether the budget is valid before comparing methods
The total budget must cover the entered minimums. It must also be large enough for balances to decline after interest. If it is not, the calculator stops instead of displaying a misleading payoff date. Bring priority obligations current and contact the institution through an official channel when required payments do not fit.
Use current statement balances, effective rates and minimums. Promotional rates, fees, daily-balance calculations, late charges and rate changes can make actual statements differ. Request an exact settlement figure before the final payment on each account.
- Current balance
- Effective annual rate
- Required minimum
- Promotional expiry if any
- Whether the financing is secured
- Consequence of missing a payment
The first test happens before the payoff date
The shared budget must cover required minimums and opening interest before either payoff order means anything.
Minimums are covered
Every entered account remains current under the model.
One target gets the extra
Avalanche uses rate while snowball uses balance.
Cleared payments roll forward
The same total budget accelerates the next account.
Choose between cost and the first visible win
Avalanche normally produces lower modeled interest because each extra dollar attacks the most expensive balance. Snowball can close a small account earlier and release its required minimum sooner. The result shows total interest, final payoff time and the first account cleared for both methods so the tradeoff is explicit.
If the interest difference is small but one order is much easier to maintain, adherence may decide the practical choice. If the difference is large, write down the price of choosing the motivational order. A controlled hybrid can clear one very small balance first and then switch permanently to avalanche, but it should be defined before payments begin.
Prevent the payoff plan from creating new debt
Keep a modest operating buffer and sinking funds for predictable costs. A payoff schedule is not progress if groceries, annual bills or repairs return to another card. Review new charges beside principal reduced each month.
After a balance clears, preserve the planned total payment unless a higher-priority household need changes. Decide separately whether to close, retain or restrict the cleared facility. Fees, temptation, available credit and recordkeeping matter, but account management should not interrupt the payoff order by accident.
Common questions about this calculator
Why does the calculator say the shared budget is too low?
The budget must cover every entered minimum and allow principal to decline after modeled interest. Confirm the figures and contact the institutions or AKPK when required payments do not fit.
Will my statement match the estimate exactly?
Not always. Creditors may use daily balances, different compounding rules, fees and statement timing. Request a current payoff amount before the final payment.