How long will it take to pay off your debt? (2024)

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MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money

By Joshua Rodriguez

Edited By Angelica Leicht

/ CBS News

How long will it take to pay off your debt? (2)

If you have experience withcredit card debt, you may know that it can get frustrating quickly. That's because in most cases, minimum payments are calculated as 1% of your balance plus interest. So, the vast majority of your minimum payment might be absorbed by interest— with a very small percentage of your payment going toward paying your debt off.

This can make it feel like you may never get out of debt, especially considering that interest rates on credit cards are variable, so they can change over time. So, how can you determine the time it will take to pay off your debt? Well, it depends on a few factors, but in some cases, the answer can be surprising.

Find out what debt relief is all about now.

How long will it take to pay off your debt?

When it comes to loans with fixed payments, like most auto loans and mortgages, you are given a timeline for how long it will take to pay off your debt on the day you take out the loan. That said, you can speed up the repayment process by making extra payments.

However, it can be far more difficult to determine how long it will take to pay off credit card debt.

"Interest rates on credit cards average 18 to 20%, which makes it hard to have an impact on bringing the balance down," says Krissten Petersmarck, investment advisor representative at Bridgeriver Advisors.

So, how long will it take to pay off credit card debtif you're making only minimum payments? Here are a few potential scenarios to illustrate, assuming minimum payments are calculated as 1% of the balance plus interest:

  • $5,000 with a 20% APR: Your minimum payment would be $133.33 per month and it would take 277 months to pay off $5,000 at 20% interest. Over that time, you would pay $7,723.49 in interest.
  • $10,000 with a 20% APR: Your minimum payment would be $266.67 per month and it would take 346 months to pay off $10,000 at 20% interest. You would pay $16,056.59 in interest over that time.
  • $25,000 at 20%: Your minimum payment would be $666.67 per month and it would take 437 months to pay off $25,000 at 20% interest. You would pay $41,056.85 in interest over the life of the debt.

Don't take any longer than you have to. Get the debt relief you deserve today.

Tips for paying off credit card debt

The good news is that "there are ways to address credit card debt," says Petersmarck. "The first step is to speak with a financial professional who specializes in debt."

Here are a few options to consider:

Take advantage of debt relief solutions

Debt relief companies can help get you out of debt, and there are two common forms of debt relief solutions. The first is debt consolidation, which typically involves the debt professionals negotiating new interest rates and payment terms with your lenders. You then send one monthly payment to the debt consolidation company and they pay the lenders as agreed. This process can save you thousands of dollars in interest — and years of payments — if you have large credit card balances.

Another option to consider is debt settlement. With these types of programs, debt relief experts negotiate the total amount of money you owe to your creditors. This can lead to significant savings but usually has a detrimental effect on consumer credit scores.

Use the debt snowball or the debt avalanche payment method

The debt snowball or debt avalanche payment methods could save you thousands of dollars in interest payments and get you out of debt far faster than making just the minimum payments. Here's how these strategies work:

  • Debt snowball: Make minimum payments to all of your creditors except the one you owe the least money to. Divert all of your extra funds to the card with the smallest debt to pay it off quickly. Once that's paid off, you then address your next smallest debt. Paying off debts quickly can offer a psychological pick-me-up that keeps you on track to meet your debt relief goals.
  • Debt avalanche: The debt avalanche method works like the debt snowball method. The difference is that instead of focusing on your smallest debt, you'll focus on the debt with the highest interest rate. This helps by prioritizing the debts that cost you the most money over time, reducing the overall amount of money and time you spend paying your debt back.

Apply for a debt consolidation loan

Debt consolidation loans are personal loans designed to be used specifically to pay off high-interest debt. These loans typically come with lower interest rates than credit cards — helping you get out of debt faster than you would by making minimum payments across multiple credit card accounts.

The bottom line

Debt can take quite some time to pay off, especially when it's high-interest credit card debt. But you don't have to feel overwhelmed by your debts forever. Consider taking advantage of one of the options above to pay your debts off as fast as possible.

Joshua Rodriguez

Joshua Rodriguez is a personal finance and investing writer with a passion for his craft. When he's not working, he enjoys time with his wife, two kids and two dogs.

How long will it take to pay off your debt? (2024)

FAQs

How long will it take to pay off $30,000 in credit card debt? ›

If you only make the minimum payment each month, it will take about 460 months, or about 38 years, to pay off that $30,000 balance.

How long should it take to pay off debt? ›

Calculate the Time to Pay Off Debt

A good rule of thumb is to try to pay off any card balance in 36 months, but you might want to see what it will take to pay off the balance in shorter or longer increments of time. Your actual rate, payment, and costs could be higher.

How long would it take to pay off $25,000? ›

$25,000 at 20%: Your minimum payment would be $666.67 per month and it would take 437 months to pay off $25,000 at 20% interest. You would pay $41,056.85 in interest over the life of the debt.

How long does it take to pay off a $5000 credit card? ›

1% of the balance plus interest: You would pay off $5,000 in 285 months. That means it would take nearly 24 years to eliminate your $5,000 balance if you only make minimum payments. During that time, you'll pay a total of $9,332.25 in interest for a total payoff cost of $14,332.25.

Is 30k in debt a lot? ›

If you are over $30k in credit card debt, it may be more than you can handle through do-it-yourself efforts. If you're not making progress on your own, it may be time to contact a professional debt settlement company such as ClearOne Advantage.

Is $15000 debt a lot? ›

$15,000 can be an intimidating total when you see it on credit card statements, but you don't have to be in debt forever. If you're struggling to make your minimum payments every month and you don't see light at the end of the tunnel, sign up for a debt management program to get out of debt fast.

Will unpaid debt go away? ›

Although the unpaid debt will go on your credit report and have a negative impact on your score, the good news is that it won't last forever. After seven years, unpaid credit card debt falls off your credit report. The debt doesn't vanish completely, but it'll no longer impact your credit score.

Does bad debt go away after 7 years? ›

In general, most debt will fall off of your credit report after seven years, but some types of debt can stay for up to 10 years or even indefinitely. Certain types of debt or derogatory marks, such as tax liens and paid medical debt collections, will not typically show up on your credit report.

Does debt go after 7 years? ›

Debts you're not responsible for

You might not have to pay a debt if: it's been six years or more since you made a payment or were in contact with the creditor. there was a problem when you signed the agreement, for example if you were pressured into signing it or the agreement wasn't clear.

Why does it take 30 years to pay off $150,000? ›

Answer and Explanation: The interest rate on a loan directly affects the duration of a loan. Note: The interest rate is calculated using the hit and trial method. Therefore, it takes 30 years to complete the loan of $150,000 with $1,000 per monthly installment at a 0.585% monthly interest rate.

Should you pay off 100% of your credit card? ›

If you regularly use your credit card to make purchases but repay it in full, your credit score will most likely be better than if you carry the balance month to month.

How long does it take to pay off a $30,000 dollar loan? ›

It will take 41 months to pay off $30,000 with payments of $1,000 per month, assuming the average credit card APR of around 18%. The time it takes to repay a balance depends on how often you make payments, how big your payments are and what the interest rate charged by the lender is.

How fast can I pay off 10k in credit card debt? ›

1% of the balance plus interest: It would take 29.5 years or 354 months to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt making only minimum payments. You would pay a total of $19,332.21 in interest over that period.

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