Enter your student loans to see your payoff date, total interest, and how much extra payments save. Works for both federal and private loans.
Strategy
Strategy comparison
| ❄ Snowball | 📉 Avalanche | |
|---|---|---|
| Payoff date | Mar 2032 | Feb 2032 |
| Total interest | $6,387 | $6,376 |
| Months to payoff | 69 | 68 |
| You save | — | $12 |
Overwhelmed by the timeline? See your options: → Debt relief options | Compare 0% cards →
Balance over time
Payment schedule
| Month | Debt | Payment | Principal | Interest | Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo 1 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $309 | $101 | $18,191 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $81 | $74 | $13,419 | |
| Mo 2 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $311 | $99 | $17,880 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $82 | $73 | $13,337 | |
| Mo 3 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $313 | $97 | $17,567 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $82 | $73 | $13,254 | |
| Mo 4 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $314 | $96 | $17,253 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $83 | $72 | $13,172 | |
| Mo 5 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $316 | $94 | $16,937 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $83 | $72 | $13,088 | |
| Mo 6 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $318 | $92 | $16,619 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $84 | $71 | $13,005 | |
| Mo 7 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $319 | $91 | $16,300 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $84 | $71 | $12,921 | |
| Mo 8 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $321 | $89 | $15,979 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $85 | $70 | $12,836 | |
| Mo 9 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $323 | $87 | $15,656 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $85 | $70 | $12,751 | |
| Mo 10 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $325 | $85 | $15,331 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $86 | $69 | $12,665 | |
| Mo 11 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $326 | $84 | $15,005 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $86 | $69 | $12,580 | |
| Mo 12 | Federal Loan (Subsidized) | $410 | $328 | $82 | $14,677 |
| Federal Loan (Unsubsidized) | $155 | $86 | $69 | $12,493 |
Strategy
Federal loans have IDR, PSLF, and forbearance options. Private loans have none. Never mix strategies: treat each loan type by its own rules. For most borrowers, attack private loans aggressively and manage federal loans based on whether forgiveness applies to you.
PSLF forgives your remaining federal balance after 120 qualifying payments on an IDR plan. If you're on track for forgiveness, extra payments reduce the balance that will be forgiven — effectively giving free money to the government. Pay only required minimums.
If forgiveness doesn't apply, treat student loans like any other debt: avalanche order (highest rate first), automate minimums on all loans, direct every extra dollar to the highest-rate loan. Private loans almost always come first since rates are typically higher.
Refinancing federal loans into private debt gets you a lower rate but eliminates all federal protections. Only refinance if: stable income, no plans to use IDR or forgiveness, and you can get at least 1.5–2% rate reduction. Run the calculator to see how much a rate drop saves.
FAQ