554: Should I Pay Off My Mortgage or Invest? (We Did the Math)

Aug 13, 2024

Mindy, a savvy investor who made a six-figure profit by not paying off her mortgage, argues in favor of investing. Scott, who recently purchased his home outright, advocates for early mortgage payoff as a path to financial independence. They delve into the pros and cons of each strategy, exploring how individuals approaching retirement can significantly reduce their FIRE numbers. With insights on opportunity costs and tailored financial strategies, this discussion is packed with valuable advice for those navigating their financial futures.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Mortgage vs. Investment: Strategic Choices

01:40 • 8min

Mortgage vs. Market: Strategic Financial Decisions

09:15 • 5min

Mortgage vs. Investment: A Financial Dilemma

14:29 • 8min

Mortgage vs. Investment: A Financial Dilemma

22:58 • 9min

Mortgage vs. Investing: Finding Your Path

32:21 • 4min

Navigating Personal Finance: Trends and Community Engagement

36:10 • 3min

Pay off your mortgage or invest? If you’re on the path to FIRE, you’ve probably asked yourself this question. Without a mortgage payment, you could put thousands more in your pocket every month, and your FIRE number would decrease significantly. On the other hand, investing all the money you could have spent on paying off your mortgage may allow you to build considerably more wealth and reach Fat FIRE with more assets to your name. So, which move do you make?

Mindy and Scott are coming on to debate this common investing question. On team “Don’t pay it off!” is Mindy, who just recently made a six-figure profit by NOT paying off her mortgage. How did she do it? Stick around to find out. Scott, who just bought his recent home in cash, is pro-paying off the mortgage (for some), as it may lead you to FIRE much faster than you thought.

In this episode, Scott and Mindy discuss WHO should pay off their mortgage early, the pros and cons of investing vs. going debt-free, and why one move may be MUCH better for those closer to FIRE. Want more money for your future retirement? Sick of your job and want to quit quickly and retire on your terms? We’ve got options for BOTH!

In This Episode We Cover

Whether you should pay off your mortgage early or invest instead

How Mindy made a six-figure stock profit by NOT paying off her home

Why paying off your low-interest rate mortgage may make sense EVEN in 2024

How those close to retirement can shave off a BIG portion of their FIRE number and retire now

Whether you should keep cash in a high-yield savings account instead of paying down a low-rate mortgage

Other BIG cost-saving benefits of paying off your mortgage early

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

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Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums

Finance Review Guest Onboarding