💳 Silent Killers
Carrying $10k of credit card debt = the most expensive habit there is.
At 23% APR, a $10k balance costs $2,300 a year just in interest. That's pure money torched — no compound growth, no asset, nothing. Move the sliders. Watch your FI Age change.
What is the interest alone actually costing you?
Common scenarios
Monthly interest you're paying right now
Your age today
This is costing you
7.7 yrs
of financial freedom
$88.8K
37 yrs
$384.8K
by age 65
That interest payment costs you 7.7 yrs of freedom — or $384.8K of future net worth. 💳
See how many YEARS this is costing YOUShare this on social
My credit card interest payments cost me
7.7 yrs
of freedom
Lifetime Spend
$88.8K
If Invested
$384.8K
$200/mo · from age 28 to 65 · invested at 7%
Most people get this wrong. Check yours →
PeakWorth — educational projections only. Not financial, tax, or legal advice. See peakworth.com/disclosures.
Credit card interest is the only expense with negative compound returns
Every dollar of credit card interest is a dollar that didn't grow at 7% in your portfolio AND a dollar you had to earn (and pay tax on) to spend on nothing.
Worse: minimum payments are calibrated to keep you in debt for 20+ years. A $5,000 balance paid at minimums takes ~22 years and costs ~$8,000 in interest. The card company designed it that way.
Eliminating credit card debt is the single highest-ROI financial move possible — a guaranteed 23% return, tax-free, with zero risk. There's no investment that comes close.
Frequently asked questions
Should I invest or pay off cards first?
Cards. Always. A 23% guaranteed return beats every investment available. The only exception is capturing employer 401(k) match (which is a 100% return).
What about a balance transfer?
Often a smart move. A 0% APR transfer card buys you 12–18 months to attack principal interest-free. Watch the transfer fee (3–5%) and aggressive payoff is mandatory before the rate jumps.
Why does the calculator only show interest cost?
Because that's the bleeding. The principal you eventually pay off becomes 'spent' rather than 'invested' — also a real cost — but interest is the recurring part you can stop today.
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