#242 - You Asked: Should I Pay Off My House Before I Retire?

Debt is not a new invention, it has been around for thousands of years. But the modern idea of debt really came into being during the baby boomer generation. The availability of credit has made it so easy for anyone and everyone to get into debt. It comes as no surprise then, that debt among the 65 and over crowd is on the rise. The age-old question of whether you should pay off your house before retirement remains. On this episode, I attempt to answer this question to the best of my ability. If you have been wondering whether you should pay off your house, then you will definitely need to listen to this episode of Retirement Answer Man.

“If you have been wondering whether you should pay off your house, then you will definitely need to listen to this episode of #RetirementAnswerMan.”

Debt has become the new norm

The availability of credit skyrocketed during the baby boomer generation. Suddenly everyone could buy anything they wanted on credit. People began to finance houses, cars, electronics, and education. Once you reach your 60’s your timeline of earning potential decreases and it is important to become intentional on how you use debt. Managing debt wisely can have a huge impact on your life. You don’t want to become one of the rising population of 60+ that has filed for bankruptcy. Listen to this episode to hear how to become intentional about debt.

Should I pay off my house?

Paying off the mortgage is a dream for many, but why? Many people have finally paid off all of their debts when they reach retirement age, so this leaves them with the question: should I pay off my house? On the one hand, there is one less payment to make each month. On the other hand, paying off the house takes away your savings. If there is a catastrophic event, then you may have to go back into debt to pay for it. Why do you want to pay off your house? Can you really afford it? Where will the money come from? Listen to this episode to hear what you should consider if you are thinking of paying off your house.

“Listen to this episode of #RetirementAnswerMan to hear what you should consider if you are thinking of paying off your house.”

Should you pay down your mortgage and refinance?

Craig has come up with a strategy to pay down his mortgage and then refinance his home in the next 4 years. He is 62 years old and knows that there is no way he can pay off his house in the next 4 years, so he thinks that this could be a good plan. Some things he should consider are: what kind of house is it? Could he resize his house and maybe relocate? Does he have a decent amount in a tax-deferred account? He also needs to consider that he needs to refinance before he retires to make sure he has an income. Listen to this episode to help you develop your strategy for paying down your mortgage.

If an asset is tapped for providing an income stream, is it removed from your net worth statement?

Once an asset is tapped to provide an income stream it still has the potential to provide wealth. It should not be removed from your net worth statement. Part of agile retirement planning means that you should be tapping different assets to help you manage your pretax and post-tax assets. Another listener asked a great question about whether you should reinvest dividends, capital gains, and interest or leave them as cash in retirement. Listen to the answer to this question and more listener questions on this episode of Retirement Answer Man.

“Listen to the answers of more listener questions on this episode of #RetirementAnswerMan”

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

HOT TOPIC SEGMENT

[2:22] The availability of credit skyrocketed during the baby boomer generation

PRACTICAL PLANNING

[6:56] Paying off the mortgage is a dream for many, but why?
[9:40] Should Craig pay down his mortgage?
[14:17] If an asset is tapped for providing an income stream, is it removed from your net worth statement?
[16:03] A Texas teachers plan question
[18:02] Should you reinvest dividends, capital gains, and interest?