Monday, May 9, 2016

Should retirees still have mortgages?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/retirement/should-retirees-still-have-mortgages/ar-BBsKm5W?li=BBnbfcN

I really think that it truly depends on each individual situation, there are pros and cons to maintaining a mortgage and to pay it off completely. It depends on individual goals.   Here are a few key points from the article:

Whether the positives outweigh the negatives, or vice versa, depends in large part on the retiree's financial situation.

The biggest disadvantage to carrying a mortgage balance into retirement is it obligates a retiree to make monthly payments on that debt.

A retiree on a fixed income is especially susceptible to the dangers of owning an underwater home.

Mortgage interest is tax-deductible.

Strategic debt - keeping a mortgage balance at a low interest rate to free up funds to invest at a higher rate. The only caveat to strategic debt is not to get greedy and over-leverage.

Most experts recommend limiting debt to no more than 30% of total assets.

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