The Goals & Debts page tracks two different shapes of financial progress. They're kept separate because the math, the messaging, and the right decision-making framework are different.
Goals
A goal is something you're building toward:
- Emergency fund — typically 3–6 months of expenses in cash.
- House down payment, vacation, new car, baby fund, big surgery.
- Sinking funds for known annual expenses (insurance renewal, holiday gifts).
You set a target dollar amount and an optional target date. Compound divides the gap by the months remaining to show you the implied monthly contribution — and folds that into your Safe to Spend so the dashboard reflects the commitment.
Debts
A debt is something you're paying down:
- Credit cards, auto loans, student loans, personal loans, medical debt.
You enter the current balance, APR, and minimum payment. Compound calculates payoff timelines under avalanche (highest APR first — mathematically optimal) and snowball (smallest balance first — psychologically easier) so you can pick the approach that fits.
The grey area
A 0% APR balance transfer that needs to be paid off before the promo expires can sit in either column. Use it as a debt if you want the payoff tracking; use it as a goal if you want it to count against your Safe to Spend as a monthly commitment. Both work — the difference is mostly how it feels to look at.