Highest Payment Method
Eliminate your biggest required payment first for instant relief.
How it works
This straightforward method pays off the debt with the largest required monthly payment first, while keeping minimums on the rest.
Knocking out a big minimum payment unlocks the most monthly breathing room in a single move. That large freed payment then cascades onto the next debt, accelerating everything after it.
It is a blunt but effective cash-flow strategy — especially when one debt has a disproportionately large minimum payment.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Unlocks the biggest cash-flow relief fastest
- Very simple to understand and follow
- Powerful when one payment dominates your budget
Cons
- Ignores both balance size and interest rate
- Rarely the cheapest in total interest
Who it's best for
The Highest Payment is best for people feeling squeezed by one large monthly payment they want gone as soon as possible.
The only way to know if this is the fastest, cheapest plan for your debts is to run the numbers. The calculator compares this method against five others on your actual balances and rates.
Compare other methods
Debt Snowball
Pay the smallest balance first to build unstoppable momentum.
Debt Avalanche
Pay the highest interest rate first to pay the least total interest.
Smart Cascade
Free up cash flow fastest by blending payoff speed with interest.
Cash Flow Index
Clear the debts that tie up the most cash per dollar owed.
Interest Cost
Stop the biggest dollar leak first (balance × APR).