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Should I payoff my mortgage?

Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:06 pm
Posted by GentleJackJones
Member since Mar 2019
4163 posts
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?
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:11 pm
Posted by eng08
Member since Jan 2013
5997 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:11 pm to
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
Posted by TDsngumbo
Alpha Silverfox
Member since Oct 2011
41622 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:13 pm to
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 by Brobocop
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2018
1905 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:13 pm to
quote:

Need more info
Posted by GentleJackJones
Member since Mar 2019
4163 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:17 pm to
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
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:20 pm
Posted by GentleJackJones
Member since Mar 2019
4163 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:21 pm to
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 by Brobocop
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2018
1905 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:21 pm to
What's your total net income each month and how much is your mortgage?
Posted by castorinho
13623 posts
Member since Nov 2010
82032 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:23 pm to
quote:

My wife’s parent’s paid cash for their house back in the 1970s and never had a house note.
but rates were also 8-10%
Posted by Brobocop
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2018
1905 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:25 pm to
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.
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:35 pm
Posted by castorinho
13623 posts
Member since Nov 2010
82032 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:28 pm to
quote:

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
first poster nailed it in his last sentence.
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 by UpstairsComputer
Prairieville
Member since Jan 2017
1576 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:37 pm to
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
This post was edited on 8/21/19 at 2:39 pm
Posted by Brobocop
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2018
1905 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:38 pm to
I was questioning this as well after the increase in the S.D.
Posted by hungryone
river parishes
Member since Sep 2010
11987 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 2:52 pm to
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 by ItzMe1972
Member since Dec 2013
9802 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:08 pm to

"Repeat after me: it's not my money. it's not my money."

Until it's comingled, then its community property.

Posted by Popths
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2016
3966 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:36 pm to
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 by notsince98
KC, MO
Member since Oct 2012
18005 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:50 pm to
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.
Posted by ItzMe1972
Member since Dec 2013
9802 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 3:54 pm to
When you cut to the chase....

Can you get better than 3.5% from the market/other investments?

I surely think you can.
Posted by gpburdell
ATL
Member since Jun 2015
1423 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:18 pm to
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.




Posted by Sharp85
Member since Jan 2019
846 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:20 pm to
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 by UpstairsComputer
Prairieville
Member since Jan 2017
1576 posts
Posted on 8/21/19 at 4:31 pm to
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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