Mortgage Calculator
See your true monthly payment including PMI when credit score affects your loan rate.
Emergency Fund First
Why building savings before paying off debt is often the smarter play.
Debt vs Invest
When to pay off debt aggressively, and when to let the market beat your interest rate.
Debt Payoff Budget
Use the 50/30/20 calculator's savings bucket to accelerate debt payoff.
How a Credit Score Is Calculated (FICO)
- 35% Payment history — did you pay every bill on time?
- 30% Credit utilization — how much of your available credit are you using? Keep under 30%, ideally under 10%.
- 15% Length of credit history — the longer the better. Don't close old cards.
- 10% Credit mix — cards, loans, mortgage. Don't force new debt for this.
- 10% New credit — too many recent applications hurt.
Credit Score Ranges
| Range | Category | What It Gets You |
|---|---|---|
| 800-850 | Exceptional | Best rates on everything |
| 740-799 | Very Good | Great mortgage rates, premium cards |
| 670-739 | Good | Approved for most things at decent rates |
| 580-669 | Fair | Approved but pay higher rates |
| <580 | Poor | Limited options, secured cards, high rates |
How to Improve Your Credit Score in 90 Days
- Pay every bill on time, every time. One 30-day late payment can drop you 60-100 points.
- Pay down balances below 30% of each card's limit. Under 10% is even better.
- Don't close old cards. Keep them open with occasional small purchases.
- Ask for credit limit increases every 6-12 months — more limit, same usage = lower utilization.
- Dispute errors on your credit report at annualcreditreport.com (free, not a scam).
- Add utility/rent reporting via Experian Boost or RentTrack.
- Don't apply for new credit right before a big purchase (mortgage, car).
The Best Credit Card Types for 2026
Cash-back cards (best for most people)
Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5-5%), Citi Double Cash (2%), Capital One Quicksilver (1.5%). Simple, flat rewards with no annual fee.
Travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual), Capital One Venture X ($395 annual, $300 travel credit), Amex Gold ($250). Worth it if you actually travel 3+ times a year.
Rotating category cards
Chase Freedom Flex, Discover It. 5% back on quarterly rotating categories. Good as part of a two-card strategy with a flat cash-back card.
Business cards (if you have any 1099 income)
Chase Ink Business Cash, Amex Business Platinum. Separate from personal credit limits, often enormous sign-up bonuses.
Debt Payoff Strategies
Debt Avalanche (mathematically optimal)
List all debts by interest rate, highest first. Pay minimums on everything, throw every extra dollar at the highest-rate debt. Continue until all cleared. You pay the least total interest.
Debt Snowball (psychologically optimal)
List all debts by balance, smallest first. Kill the smallest first for the dopamine win, roll that payment into the next. Costs slightly more in interest, but the momentum keeps many people going when math alone doesn't.
0% Balance Transfer
If you have good credit (680+), transfer high-rate debt to a 0% APR card for 15-21 months. Pay a 3-5% transfer fee, then aggressively pay down the balance during the promo. Must pay off before promo ends or you pay deferred interest retroactively on some cards.
Personal loan consolidation
Consolidate multiple 20%+ credit cards into a single 8-12% personal loan. Fixed payments, fixed payoff date. SoFi, LightStream, Marcus all offer these.
When Debt Is Actually Dangerous
- Credit card debt over 10% of your gross income
- Minimum payments eat more than 20% of your take-home pay
- You're carrying balance month-to-month (paying interest)
- You're paying late fees or going over limit
- Collection calls have started
If any of these are true, pause investing (except 401k match), cut all discretionary spending, and attack the debt. This is a financial emergency.