diff --git a/conservancy_beancount/plugin/meta_approval.py b/conservancy_beancount/plugin/meta_approval.py
index ce1dbc1ef9f432fdc0d888e7270016cd56980dac..d9704eb7990c2ea6c73931f356b88b8247561b1f 100644
--- a/conservancy_beancount/plugin/meta_approval.py
+++ b/conservancy_beancount/plugin/meta_approval.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class MetaApproval(core._RequireLinksPostingMetadataHook):
     CHECKED_METADATA = ['approval']
 
     def __init__(self, config: configmod.Config) -> None:
-        self.payment_threshold = config.payment_threshold()
+        self.payment_threshold = -config.payment_threshold()
 
     def _run_on_txn(self, txn: Transaction) -> bool:
         if not super()._run_on_txn(txn):
@@ -36,14 +36,12 @@ class MetaApproval(core._RequireLinksPostingMetadataHook):
         # approval is required when funds leave a cash equivalent asset,
         # UNLESS that transaction is a transfer to another asset,
         # or paying off a credit card.
-        # debits_sum keeps a running tally of how much is moving in each
-        # direction, and we'll return True if it ends up over the payment
-        # threshold.
-        debits_sum = decimal.Decimal(0)
-        for post in data.iter_postings(txn):
-            if post.account.is_cash_equivalent() or post.account.is_credit_card():
-                debits_sum -= post.units.number or 0
-        return debits_sum > self.payment_threshold
+        balance = data.balance_of(
+            txn,
+            data.Account.is_cash_equivalent,
+            data.Account.is_credit_card,
+        )
+        return balance is None or balance < self.payment_threshold
 
     def _run_on_post(self, txn: Transaction, post: data.Posting) -> bool:
         return post.account.is_cash_equivalent() and not post.is_credit(0)