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Interactive guide · Loans & Credit

How to Calculate Credit Card Payoff

How long minimum payments really take, and what a fixed payment does instead.

Open as a plain tool
The formula

How this number is built

each month: balance = balance + balance × APR/12 − payment
Step by step

Calculating it yourself

Step 1

Enter the statement balance, not the credit limit.

Step 2

Use the purchase APR from the statement; promotional rates expire.

Step 3

Set a fixed monthly payment you can sustain, above the minimum.

Step 4

Stop new spending on the card while paying it down.

Step 5

Compare the interest saved against a balance transfer offer before deciding.

Questions

What people ask next

Why do minimum payments take so long?

The minimum falls as the balance falls, so the payoff stretches out indefinitely while interest keeps accruing.

Snowball or avalanche?

Avalanche — highest rate first — costs less. Snowball clears small balances faster and some people stick with it better.

Search intent

Searches this page answers

Related searchGoes to
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Estimates, not advice. Every figure here is produced from the inputs you enter and the formula printed on the page. Rules differ by state, carrier, lender and contract, so use these numbers to prepare for a conversation with a qualified professional rather than to replace one. See our full disclaimer.