Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse

The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. Pay it off or invest?

Pay it off or invest?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion
28 Posts 12 Posters 218 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    D3 has some medical debt, but also has only a little $ socked away in an IRA.

    She's switching jobs, and she's owed 7 days of PTO. She's not taking any time off between jobs.

    So, what to do with this extra cash?

    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • JollyJ Offline
      JollyJ Offline
      Jolly
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Personally, I'd get rid of the debt.

      “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

      Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

      George KG 1 Reply Last reply
      • JollyJ Jolly

        Personally, I'd get rid of the debt.

        George KG Offline
        George KG Offline
        George K
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        @jolly said in Pay it off or invest?:

        Personally, I'd get rid of the debt.

        That's what I told her.

        "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

        The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • LuFins DadL Offline
          LuFins DadL Offline
          LuFins Dad
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I know that’s supposed to be the answer but compounded interest? At her age? I would put at least half into the IRA.

          The Brad

          1 Reply Last reply
          • MikM Away
            MikM Away
            Mik
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Is there interest on the medical debt?

            “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

            1 Reply Last reply
            • RenaudaR Offline
              RenaudaR Offline
              Renauda
              wrote on last edited by Renauda
              #6

              Pay off debt.

              Elbows up!

              AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
              • Doctor PhibesD Offline
                Doctor PhibesD Offline
                Doctor Phibes
                wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
                #7

                I'd get rid of the debt, too, and then maybe invest the money she's currently using to pay off the debt each month. That way, she doesn't feel any difference, but she's investing rather than paying off.

                Doctor PhibesD 1 Reply Last reply
                • Doctor PhibesD Doctor Phibes

                  I'd get rid of the debt, too, and then maybe invest the money she's currently using to pay off the debt each month. That way, she doesn't feel any difference, but she's investing rather than paying off.

                  Doctor PhibesD Offline
                  Doctor PhibesD Offline
                  Doctor Phibes
                  wrote on last edited by Doctor Phibes
                  #8
                  This post is deleted!
                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • George KG Offline
                    George KG Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    She's also getting about a 10% increase in salary, so that's another good thing.

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    Doctor PhibesD JollyJ 2 Replies Last reply
                    • George KG George K

                      She's also getting about a 10% increase in salary, so that's another good thing.

                      Doctor PhibesD Offline
                      Doctor PhibesD Offline
                      Doctor Phibes
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      @george-k said in Pay it off or invest?:

                      She's also getting about a 10% increase in salary, so that's another good thing.

                      Cha-ching! Nice going.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • HoraceH Offline
                        HoraceH Offline
                        Horace
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        It’s easy to justify investing if the return is higher than the loan interest. But people fine debt stressful so it becomes a quality of life issue. Minimizing stress doesn’t always maximize expected money.

                        Education is extremely important.

                        89th8 1 Reply Last reply
                        • George KG George K

                          She's also getting about a 10% increase in salary, so that's another good thing.

                          JollyJ Offline
                          JollyJ Offline
                          Jolly
                          wrote on last edited by Jolly
                          #12

                          @george-k said in Pay it off or invest?:

                          She's also getting about a 10% increase in salary, so that's another good thing.

                          Is she able to pay her bills on what she is currently making? If so, use all or part of the raise for investing/savings. If she doesn't have three months take home salary in a readily accessible account, save. If she has it saved, invest.

                          “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                          Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • KlausK Offline
                            KlausK Offline
                            Klaus
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            We owe money for our house, but the interest rate is so low that I rather invest surplus money on the stock market.

                            89th8 1 Reply Last reply
                            • RenaudaR Renauda

                              Pay off debt.

                              AxtremusA Offline
                              AxtremusA Offline
                              Axtremus
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              @renauda said in Pay it off or invest?:

                              Pay off debt.

                              +1, assuming the interest rate is greater than zero.

                              RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                              • KlausK Klaus

                                We owe money for our house, but the interest rate is so low that I rather invest surplus money on the stock market.

                                89th8 Offline
                                89th8 Offline
                                89th
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                @klaus said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                We owe money for our house, but the interest rate is so low that I rather invest surplus money on the stock market.

                                Same here. We're at 2.75%, so we could pay more off but are deciding only to add a little to each mortgage payment.

                                KlausK 1 Reply Last reply
                                • HoraceH Horace

                                  It’s easy to justify investing if the return is higher than the loan interest. But people fine debt stressful so it becomes a quality of life issue. Minimizing stress doesn’t always maximize expected money.

                                  89th8 Offline
                                  89th8 Offline
                                  89th
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  @horace said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                  It’s easy to justify investing if the return is higher than the loan interest. But people fine debt stressful so it becomes a quality of life issue. Minimizing stress doesn’t always maximize expected money.

                                  Agreed, aside from our mortgage (mentioned above) we avoid any other debt lasting longer than 30 days (e.g., pay of credit card each month). Something about not having the debt, like you said, that is good....even if it's not a perfect financial move.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • 89th8 89th

                                    @klaus said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                    We owe money for our house, but the interest rate is so low that I rather invest surplus money on the stock market.

                                    Same here. We're at 2.75%, so we could pay more off but are deciding only to add a little to each mortgage payment.

                                    KlausK Offline
                                    KlausK Offline
                                    Klaus
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    @89th said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                    @klaus said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                    We owe money for our house, but the interest rate is so low that I rather invest surplus money on the stock market.

                                    Same here. We're at 2.75%, so we could pay more off but are deciding only to add a little to each mortgage payment.

                                    We pay 1% interest.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • CopperC Offline
                                      CopperC Offline
                                      Copper
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      IRA all of it, tax free growth

                                      Save until it hurts

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • AxtremusA Axtremus

                                        @renauda said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                        Pay off debt.

                                        +1, assuming the interest rate is greater than zero.

                                        RenaudaR Offline
                                        RenaudaR Offline
                                        Renauda
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        @axtremus said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                        @renauda said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                        Pay off debt.

                                        +1, assuming the interest rate is greater than zero.

                                        I am not familiar with any consumer debt that accumulates 0% interest over time. On the other hand, can people in the US write off medical expense debt and interest from their personal income taxes? If so, that could possibly make investing the money more attractive in the long run.

                                        Elbows up!

                                        George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • RenaudaR Renauda

                                          @axtremus said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                          @renauda said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                          Pay off debt.

                                          +1, assuming the interest rate is greater than zero.

                                          I am not familiar with any consumer debt that accumulates 0% interest over time. On the other hand, can people in the US write off medical expense debt and interest from their personal income taxes? If so, that could possibly make investing the money more attractive in the long run.

                                          George KG Offline
                                          George KG Offline
                                          George K
                                          wrote on last edited by George K
                                          #20

                                          @renauda said in Pay it off or invest?:

                                          can people in the US write off medical expense debt and interest from their personal income taxes?

                                          Only if it exceeds 7.5% of the adjusted gross income. And then, only the portion above that threshold is deductible.
                                          =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                                          For tax returns filed in 2021, taxpayers can deduct qualified, unreimbursed medical expenses that are more than 7.5% of their 2020 adjusted gross income. So if your adjusted gross income is $40,000, anything beyond the first $3,000 of medical bills — or 7.5% of your AGI — could be deductible.

                                          That means if you had $10,000 in medical bills, $7,000 of them could be deductible.

                                          The 7.5% threshold used to be 10%, but legislative changes at the end of 2019 lowered it.

                                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                          RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups