Net Worth
$385KTop 42%PeakWorth
$4.2M+$182KNet Worth
$385KTop 42%PeakWorth
$4.2M+$182KFI Age
50y 1m-11moThere's a 'right' order to pay off debts. PeakWorth models avalanche vs snowball against your actual balances and rates — getting it wrong by $200/mo can cost an extra $15K in interest and add 18 months — then rolls your debt-free date into your FI Age.
Modeled avalanche vs snowball savings
$2K–$10K typical
Avg credit card APR (2026)
~22.9%
Avg auto loan rate
~7.5%
Federal student loan rate
~6.5%
Avalanche (highest rate first) saves the most money mathematically. Snowball (smallest balance first) builds momentum and is statistically more likely to be completed. If your highest-rate debt is also small, you get both. Otherwise, pick based on whether you need momentum or pure savings.
If you have credit card debt and good credit, a balance-transfer card (0% for 15–18 mo) or a personal loan (8–12%) can cut interest dramatically. Just make sure you have a payoff plan — many people transfer balances and run them up again.
If your mortgage is 4% and your 401(k) match is 100% on the first 6%, the match wins. Always match first, then high-rate debt, then low-rate debt last (or invest instead).
PeakWorth takes your actual debts — balances, rates, and minimums — and models avalanche and snowball as separate scenarios, each against your baseline, applying any extra monthly payment to compute a real debt-free date and total interest paid for each.
It then carries that freed-up cash flow forward through the year-by-year deterministic simulation to age 95, so your payoff strategy shows up as a shift in your FI Age and PeakWorth (highest projected lifetime net worth) — and it flags when capturing the 401(k) match should come before extra payments on low-rate debt.
Enter your own numbers below to see a result instantly — no signup required. Then model the full picture against your real income, expenses, and goals in PeakWorth™.
Payoff time
4y 1m
Total interest
$4,158
Total paid
$12,158
Effective APR
24.36%
| Year | Payments | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,000 | $1,373 | $1,627 | $6,627 |
| 2 | $3,000 | $1,707 | $1,293 | $4,920 |
| 3 | $3,000 | $2,123 | $877 | $2,796 |
| 4 | $3,000 | $2,641 | $359 | $156 |
| 5 | $158 | $156 | $3 | $0 |
Estimates only. Excludes fees, escrow changes, and tax effects. For educational purposes — not financial advice.
Generic articles can only go so far. PeakWorth runs every scenario against your real income, expenses, and goals — so you see the dollar-and-year impact of every decision before you make it.
Avalanche saves more money. Snowball gets completed more often. Pick what you'll actually finish.
Above 7% rate — pay off. Below 5% — invest. Between — split or capture 401(k) match first.
Stop using the card, transfer to 0% APR if possible, attack with avalanche while making minimums on others.
Mathematically yes — paying the highest rate first minimizes interest, typically saving $2K–$10K. But snowball's quick wins get finished more often. PeakWorth runs both on your actual debts so you can weigh the dollar savings against the behavioral momentum.
Often years — every dollar that stops going to 20% interest can compound at ~7% instead. PeakWorth rolls your debt-free date into the projection and shows the exact FI-Age improvement, not just the interest saved.
Calculators, true-cost pages, and audience playbooks across the PeakWorth network.
Calculator
Personal loan calculator
Compare APRs and see the lifetime wealth impact.
Calculator
Mortgage payment & amortization
Your real PITI + refinance break-even + 30-year wealth cost.
Cost of
Your daily coffee, in retirement years
$5/day. 30 years. The FI Age cost of a daily latte.
Cost of
The true cost of avocado toast
Settle the meme. With math. And your own salary.
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PeakWorth for FIRE pursuers
Coast, barista, full FIRE — modeled in real time.
Built for
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Set the foundation in your 20s, retire 10 years earlier.
Income
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Foundation
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Investing
Which Investing Decisions Actually Move Your Retirement?
Spending
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Spending
Should You Open a HELOC?
Spending
Should You Finance a Boat, RV, or Motorcycle?
PeakWorth is the financial decision engine for households — your Personal Financial Strategy OS, a real-time engine that calculates every decision's impact on your future. The Decision Hub, an AI advisor, and a live projection that show you exactly how each move shapes your wealth and your FI Age.
