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Cash Flow Index Calculator
Measure how efficiently your debt turns into cash flow. A higher Cash Flow Index score usually means more monthly breathing room.
Based on Garrett Gunderson's Cash Flow Index framework. Read the complete methodology for the formula, scoring zones, and decision checks.
Your debts (add as many as you want)
Credit Card
$5,000.00 / $250.00/mo
Car Loan
$15,000.00 / $400.00/mo
Mortgage
$300,000.00 / $2,000.00/mo
Add a new debt
Cash Flow Index score = balance ÷ monthly payment.
Priority order (lowest Cash Flow Index score first)
Credit Card
Often worth refinancing or paying down first.
Cash Flow Index score = 5,000 ÷ 250 = 20
Car Loan
Often worth refinancing or paying down first.
Cash Flow Index score = 15,000 ÷ 400 = 37.5
Mortgage
Often OK to keep while you focus elsewhere.
Cash Flow Index score = 300,000 ÷ 2,000 = 150
Insight
If your goal is monthly breathing room, paying off Credit Card first tends to free the most cash flow per dollar paid.
Your financial life goes beyond this result.
X1 brings your accounts, businesses, properties, and professional work into one household picture. Start with what matters to you.
No credit card required to start
Assumptions and limits
- Cash Flow Index score = Loan Balance ÷ Monthly Payment
- Higher scores (>100) usually mean more efficient debt. Lower scores (<50) often signal payoff or restructure priority.
- Does not account for tax deductibility of interest
- Assumes fixed monthly payments (not variable-rate projections)
- For educational comparison only. Consult a financial advisor for a personalized debt strategy.
Decide with a cash-flow lens
The Cash Flow Index is a lens for prioritizing payoff decisions. It does not replace interest rate math.
What the Cash Flow Index score measures
Cash Flow Index is a debt payoff ranking metric: balance divided by monthly payment. Lower scores typically free more monthly cash for every dollar you pay off.
Before your next conversation
- Do I need monthly margin more than I need interest minimization?
- Are rates close enough that payoff order can be cash-flow-driven?
- If I remove one payment, what would I do with that cash immediately?
- Would freeing cash allow me to make a better tax or investment decision?
Questions to bring to your professional
- Based on my Cash Flow Index scores, which debt should I prioritize paying off this year?
- How does refinancing my [loan type] change my overall cash flow efficiency?
- Should I use excess cash to pay down low-score debt or max out retirement contributions?
- How does my business Cash Flow Index compare to my personal score?