re: mortgages additional payments or lump sums?

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See wickowick's comment re: interest rates. If after the tax break on interest payments your effective rate is below inflation, you are better off not prepaying at all.

For example, if your rate is 4.4% and you're in the 25% tax bracket, your post-tax rate is really 3.3%. If you think inflation over the next 30 years will be greater than this, don't prepay.

If you prepay anyway (whether you should or not) then again it depends on the rate. If you shouldn't be prepaying by the above calculation, delay the payment for as long as possible by doing a lump sum at the end of the year. If you should be prepaying, do the lump sum at the start of the year or at least as much of it as you can as early as you can.

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with rates as low as they are now, its probably smarter to not pay extra. But, there are emotional reasons to want to pay off early and they are valid.

I would say you shouldn't pay down your mortgage until you max out roth, 401k and have a solid 6-9 month cushion. But after that, its up to the individual.

I do the pay every 2 weeks deal but I max out my retirement options.