Preview build. Tools are illustrative and your debt numbers stay in this browser. Requests from the match screen are stored for testing and aren't passed to any provider.
DebtCheckUSADebt Check

Can I afford my minimums?

Budget calculator: can you afford your minimum payments?

Add your take-home pay, bills and minimum payments to see whether they fit, and what to do first if they don't.

Loading your saved numbers…

How this works

  • Everything is monthly and uses take-home pay: what's left after taxes and other deductions.
  • Minimum payments start from your debts list, and you can change them here.
  • What's left is take-home pay minus bills, minimums and other spending.
  • The 50-30-20 split is one rule of thumb from the CFPB's budgeting lesson: 50% needs, 30% wants and 20% savings, which includes paying down debt. The CFPB notes that not everyone can follow it.

Sources

  1. CFPB Building Blocks: learning about budgets
  2. FTC: how to get out of debt

Awaiting expert reviewPreview build. Estimates only; not financial, tax or legal advice.

Common questions

Should I use take-home pay or my salary?

Take-home pay: the money that reaches you after taxes and other deductions. That's what bills and minimum payments actually come out of.

What is the 50-30-20 rule?

One rule of thumb: 50% of take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings, which includes paying down debt. The CFPB notes that not everyone can follow it.

What if my minimum payments don't fit?

Start with the gentlest options: ask your card company about a hardship program, or talk with a nonprofit credit counselor, which is often free or low-cost. The Debt Check shows which options fit your debts.

Is the information I enter saved or sent anywhere?

No sign-up is needed. Your numbers are saved only in this browser, and the other tools on the site reuse them.