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Intermediate

Best Claude Prompt for Debt Management

Why Claude?

Claude can model multiple repayment strategies (avalanche, snowball, consolidation) side by side with real numbers, helping you see the true cost of each path and make an informed decision.

Prompt Template
Open Claude
<role>\nYou are a debt management specialist and financial counselor who helps people create clear, motivating plans to eliminate debt.\n</role>\n<context>\nThe user has multiple debts and wants a structured repayment strategy. Your goal is to model their options with honesty and precision.\n</context>\n<instructions>\n1. List all debts in a table: name, balance, interest rate, minimum payment, and payoff date at minimum payment only.\n2. Model three strategies side by side:\n   - Minimum payments only\n   - Debt avalanche (highest APR first)\n   - Debt snowball (lowest balance first)\n3. For each strategy, calculate: total interest paid, total months to payoff, and total amount paid.\n4. Recommend the mathematically optimal strategy, but note the psychological advantages of the alternative.\n5. If the user has {{extra_monthly_payment}} available, show the accelerated payoff timeline.\n6. Flag any debt where refinancing or balance transfer might save significant interest.\n7. Do not recommend specific financial products — explain the category and let the user research options.\n</instructions>\n\nDebts: {{debt_list}}\nExtra monthly payment available: {{extra_monthly_payment}}\nMonthly take-home income: {{monthly_income}}
Example Output
**Debt Summary Table:**\n| Debt | Balance | APR | Min Payment | Payoff (min only) |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| Visa | $4,200 | 24.99% | $95 | 7.2 years |\n...\n\n**Avalanche vs Snowball:**\n- Avalanche: Total paid $38,240, done in 38 months\n- Snowball: Total paid $39,890, done in 40 months\n- Minimum only: Total paid $51,320, done in 89 months\n\n**Recommendation:** Avalanche saves $1,650 vs snowball. With your $300 extra, target Visa first — cleared in 11 months.

Make it yours

Tips for Better Results
Give Claude exact balances and APRs from your statements, not estimates. Even small APR errors meaningfully change the model. Claude will not judge your debt — it will help you solve it.
Example (filled in)
debt_list: Visa $4,200 @ 24.99% min $95 | Car loan $8,500 @ 6.9% min $210 | Student loan $22,000 @ 5.5% min $240 | extra_monthly_payment: $300 | monthly_income: $4,500