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Should I payoff my mortgage?
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:06 pm
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:06 pm
To get down to the nuts and bolts, my wife and I refinanced a year or so ago to get down to 3.5%. We just fished with probating my in-law's estate, and once the property was sold, creditors paid off, and the residual balance was divvied out, we inherited a fair sum of money (< $400,000.00).
Other than miscellaneous credit card debt ($1,800) and a few medical/dental bills ($2,000), we have no debt other than our mortgage -- $240,000.
Obviously, we are going to pay off the credit cards and dental bills. Should we pay off the mortgage in full? I like the sound of not having a monthly mortgage payment/debt. However, the interest rate is so low, and I enjoy that deduction on my taxes. I also hate to fork over everything all at once. It certainly is a good problem to have.
What do you think? Pros/Cons?
Other than miscellaneous credit card debt ($1,800) and a few medical/dental bills ($2,000), we have no debt other than our mortgage -- $240,000.
Obviously, we are going to pay off the credit cards and dental bills. Should we pay off the mortgage in full? I like the sound of not having a monthly mortgage payment/debt. However, the interest rate is so low, and I enjoy that deduction on my taxes. I also hate to fork over everything all at once. It certainly is a good problem to have.
What do you think? Pros/Cons?
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:11 pm
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:11 pm to GentleJackJones
Need more info. Age? Desired retirement age? Retirement assets? Kids? Kids ages? Etc.
Would likely be best to see a fee only financial adviser as well
Would likely be best to see a fee only financial adviser as well
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:13 pm to GentleJackJones
I personally am in love with the idea of no house note. My wife’s parent’s paid cash for their house back in the 1970s and never had a house note. What they were able to do with all of that extra cash flow each month since then is very impressive. I wish I could be in that situation. I know you can make more money off of investing it instead of paying off your low interest mortgage but there’s a certain priceless component of having a paid off house.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:17 pm to Brobocop
Married; both in late 30s; 1 kid (8y/o); Sep account; 401k
Desired retirement age - tough to say, I don't really have many plans to retire till 70, I would like to "slow down" at 60. Wife would most like to retire now , but that won't happen. Let's say mid to late 50s for her
Desired retirement age - tough to say, I don't really have many plans to retire till 70, I would like to "slow down" at 60. Wife would most like to retire now , but that won't happen. Let's say mid to late 50s for her
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:20 pm
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:21 pm to TDsngumbo
quote:
I know you can make more money off of investing it instead of paying off your low interest mortgage but there’s a certain priceless component of having a paid off house.
That's where I'm at. If I was at an 8% rate, I would, but it currently is so low. I don't know if it would hurt me in the long-term with the IRS deduction by paying it off @ a sub-4% interest.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:21 pm to GentleJackJones
What's your total net income each month and how much is your mortgage?
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:23 pm to TDsngumbo
quote:but rates were also 8-10%
My wife’s parent’s paid cash for their house back in the 1970s and never had a house note.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:25 pm to GentleJackJones
If you get 7% in the market, that ~390,000 is worth a million bucks before you turn 55.
ETA: But I am partly of the belief that you aren't guaranteed tomorrow. If being debt free, will bring you peace and less stress and provide a better quality of life for your family, then do it. Put the remainder to work for you, or set something up for your kid.
ETA: But I am partly of the belief that you aren't guaranteed tomorrow. If being debt free, will bring you peace and less stress and provide a better quality of life for your family, then do it. Put the remainder to work for you, or set something up for your kid.
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:35 pm
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:28 pm to GentleJackJones
quote:first poster nailed it in his last sentence.
Married; both in late 30s; 1 kid (8y/o); Sep account; 401k
Desired retirement age - tough to say, I don't really have many plans to retire till 70, I would like to "slow down" at 60. Wife would most like to retire now , but that won't happen. Let's say mid to late 50s for her
Invest some of that money by paying a professional a flat fee. That way you can lay out all your money/assets/long term goals for a more tailored advice.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:37 pm to GentleJackJones
You keep mentioning the deduction, but based on the information you've provided us, I don't really think you're getting the deduction you think you are. Maybe up until last year you did, but I'm thinking it's not very likely you're getting this anymore as your standard deduction is 24k. To take the mortgage interest deduction, quick math tells me you're maxing at $8,400 for that, you'd need a helluva lot of other deductions to make it better than your standard deduction... That said, it's possible.
Here's a calculator you can use Mortgage deduction calculator
And an article on the topic Itemizing after tax reform
But the easy way to check is to just look at your tax return for 2018 and see if you're itemizing or taking the standard deduction.
If this is a hold-up, it may be a non-issue.
eta. and if you are, you can do an apples to apples comparison at this point to see how much $$$ it is different
Here's a calculator you can use Mortgage deduction calculator
And an article on the topic Itemizing after tax reform
But the easy way to check is to just look at your tax return for 2018 and see if you're itemizing or taking the standard deduction.
If this is a hold-up, it may be a non-issue.
eta. and if you are, you can do an apples to apples comparison at this point to see how much $$$ it is different
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:39 pm
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:38 pm to UpstairsComputer
I was questioning this as well after the increase in the S.D.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:52 pm to GentleJackJones
quote:
Wife would most like to retire now , but that won't happen.
So let's slow down a minute: is this your wife's inheritance, or did her parents leave it to the both of you? If so, you need to recognize that the $400K you are counting belongs to her, at least in Louisiana. Inheritance is separate property, even between married people. Your conversations with her about this money MUST acknowledge this, and you should be paying attention to what she wants to do with this cash.
Perhaps creating a large college fund for a kid is more important to her than not having a house note. Perhaps she would prefer to invest it all, and work fewer hours a week knowing that her investment portfolio is working on her behalf.
Repeat after me: it's not my money. it's not my money. (Apologies if you indeed were specifically named in the will and it is half yours.)
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:08 pm to hungryone
"Repeat after me: it's not my money. it's not my money."
Until it's comingled, then its community property.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:36 pm to Brobocop
I saved more money in my 50’s than at any time in my life due to having paid off my mortgage early. Best move I ever made.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:50 pm to GentleJackJones
I would payoff the house but I personally place a high value on disposable income and financial flexibility.
When you own a house outright, you can pretty much do whatever you want for a job. Your absolute minimum income requirements go down drastically.
When you own a house outright, you can pretty much do whatever you want for a job. Your absolute minimum income requirements go down drastically.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:54 pm to GentleJackJones
When you cut to the chase....
Can you get better than 3.5% from the market/other investments?
I surely think you can.
Can you get better than 3.5% from the market/other investments?
I surely think you can.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:18 pm to GentleJackJones
Take half and invest. The other half stick in savings/money market/ultra short bond earning 2% or more.
Over the next 30 years that investment should be 7 figures. The other half is giving you ~4k interest per year that you can put towards principal.
While having a paid off house is nice, having a very large emergency fund is even nicer imho. Keep it liquid and you always have options. You never know what life may throw at you.
Alot of people say that they will tap the equity in their house in an emergency. During and after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, banks were closing/reducing HELOCs without warning.
Over the next 30 years that investment should be 7 figures. The other half is giving you ~4k interest per year that you can put towards principal.
While having a paid off house is nice, having a very large emergency fund is even nicer imho. Keep it liquid and you always have options. You never know what life may throw at you.
Alot of people say that they will tap the equity in their house in an emergency. During and after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, banks were closing/reducing HELOCs without warning.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:20 pm to gpburdell
Stop overthinking this and pay off your mortgage. being debt free before 40s will lead to a stress free life that will create wealth. Just pay it off.
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:31 pm to gpburdell
quote:
Alot of people say that they will tap the equity in their house in an emergency. During and after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, banks were closing/reducing HELOCs without warning.
A lot of money markets were frozen and you couldn't get your money from there either. Just sayin'
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