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Does It Make Sense to Pay Off Your Mortgage?
Townhall.com ^ | July 15, 2009 | Carrie Schwab Pomeroy

Posted on 07/15/2009 6:48:43 AM PDT by Kaslin

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To: Kaslin
Think about your peace of mind. For some folks, a strong desire to be debt-free overrides other considerations. There's an emotional security in owning your home free and clear

For some folks that's the only consideration. I own numerous properties, including a large residence, and not one with a mortgage. I'm the latest in a long line of penny pinchers. Debt stinks. A good night's sleep is one of my worst indulgences, and being debt-free makes for real good sleep!

61 posted on 07/15/2009 7:42:47 AM PDT by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast
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To: silverleaf

Way agreed, you can recoup your CD money in 4 years while it would take 5.5 years to pay off at 2K a month. As far as the tax savings, you will not realize 6K off your taxes just off your gross income so even if you pay a little higher taxes it shouldn’t equal 6K.

On a 100K income with no other itemized deductions there is no extra tax savings because you would take the standard deduction.


62 posted on 07/15/2009 7:44:42 AM PDT by tiki (True Christians will not deliberately slander or misrepresent others or their beliefs)
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To: Still Thinking

Yes and I was adding supportive comments to yours. Sorry if that was not clear.


63 posted on 07/15/2009 7:45:25 AM PDT by CSM (Business is too big too fail... Government is too big to succeed... I am too small to matter...)
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To: fso301

Yep. We finished paying ours last year. It sure feels good not to have that large check going out every month.


64 posted on 07/15/2009 7:47:56 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Jimmy Carter - now the second worst POTUS ever. BHO has #1 spot in his sights.)
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To: tiki
"On a 100K income with no other itemized deductions there is no extra tax savings because you would take the standard deduction."

agree, see post 58.
65 posted on 07/15/2009 7:49:49 AM PDT by jaydubya2
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To: CIB-173RDABN

Your post makes no sense at all.If I didn’t invest into gold I would had never received the benefit of 300%+ gain so what’s your point?I don’t argue with math maybe you want to so count me out on your silly theories.


66 posted on 07/15/2009 7:50:09 AM PDT by taxtruth
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To: Kaslin
Dear Carrie: I have over $600,000 in CDs at 3 percent interest.

3 percent interest??? The top rate my bank is currently paying is 2.5% for a 60 month CD. This guy had half a mil locked up for five years!

67 posted on 07/15/2009 7:51:47 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("I always longed for repose and quiet" - John Calvin)
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To: ctdonath2
Pay the dang mortgage. Borrowing money is only for when you need it but don't have it. You have it. Pay up already. While you're at it, invest enough to generate enough interest to pay property taxes indefinitely.

Proverbs 22:26-27 - Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Own your home outright. Insofar as you "rent" the property from the government via taxes, ensure you will always have enough to pay those taxes. Then it's yours, and short of eminent domain none can take it from you.

Best post I've read all year!

68 posted on 07/15/2009 7:53:36 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("I always longed for repose and quiet" - John Calvin)
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To: taxtruth

So you sold all your gold.

Good for you, you are a winner.


69 posted on 07/15/2009 7:54:40 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN
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To: monocle

I’m sorry if my post was confusing. In order for a tax deduction to occur, the mortgage must exist. If the home is paid for, therefore no mortgage interest to deduct, the home owner can still donate money to charity, instead of interest to a bank. That will give them a new deduction.

Why pay $10K to a bank to avoid paying $3K to the government?


70 posted on 07/15/2009 7:54:55 AM PDT by CSM (Business is too big too fail... Government is too big to succeed... I am too small to matter...)
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To: Kaslin

Mortgage just north of 5%? Pay it off? Depends, but I wouldn’t.

If people believe we are headed to much higher inflation due to Zero’s insane Spend and Borrow policies, it would make sense to keep the low interest mortgage, hold onto the cash, in expectation of getting nice fat juicy yields on CD or bonds later, rather than burning the cash now to invest at next to zero.

If inflation doesn’t go up, and rates stay as they are now, it would probably be better to pay it, and have the certainty of no debt.

If inflation kicks up, it would be really sweet having a 5% note, when you can get 10% or more on a CD. Furthermore, the mortgage balance will seem like peanuts if inflation is high for a few years.

I remember buying my first home in the early 80s, when mortgage and CD rates were north of 15%, and envying the old geezers with their tiny $20-40K mortgages that they were paying 4 or 5% on. I’ll bet when they bought the homes initially, a 50K mortgage seemed HUGE, but then inflation gradually ate away at the real size of the mortgage.


71 posted on 07/15/2009 7:55:23 AM PDT by dashing doofus (Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber)
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To: silverleaf
Where did you get your figures from? Her mortage is $100000 at about 5.25% so the interest portion of her payment is a little above $5000 per year or somewhat above $400 per month.

BTW How did you ascertain her marginal tax rate.

I reiterate time to stop digging.

72 posted on 07/15/2009 7:57:23 AM PDT by monocle
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To: CIB-173RDABN

Correct,I was the winner and it pays the bills and has allowed my family and I to move on to greater wealth.


73 posted on 07/15/2009 7:58:27 AM PDT by taxtruth
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To: CSM

There are times like now where cash is king. I hate and usually avoid cliches such as this, but this cliche couldn’t be more appropiate. One reason banks are reluctant to make mortages at the present time is to conserve their cash. Corporations are doing likewise in order to protect their viability.


74 posted on 07/15/2009 8:03:56 AM PDT by monocle
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To: monocle

her mortgage balance is $100K - we do not know her original mortgage amount or payment

all my examples were- as I stated and so state again- hypothetical


75 posted on 07/15/2009 8:06:24 AM PDT by silverleaf (If you can't be a good example, at least don't be a horrible lesson)
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To: taxtruth

As I said, good for you. You took a risk and it worked out.

Having said that, it does not mean gold is for everyone. Gold has as much risk as any investment.


76 posted on 07/15/2009 8:09:15 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN
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To: riverdawg

But what happens if/when the government changes deductions or IRS rules on mortgage interest? Tax deductions are a variable, not a constant. No mortgage, no worry about the government going nuts.

I’ll freely admit that I’m not a student of finance or economics, but I was raised in a family where every senior member owned EVERYTHING they had, including their homes, and they had plenty of nice things outside of them.


77 posted on 07/15/2009 8:11:35 AM PDT by rarestia ("One man with a gun can control 100 without one." - Lenin / MOLWN LABE!)
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To: Still Thinking

Yep. A few years back, our mortgage interested dropped below the threshold where it made sense to itemize. Now tax time is extremely easy for us since we just take the standard.


78 posted on 07/15/2009 8:13:56 AM PDT by whd23
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To: CIB-173RDABN

I believe that we should exempt food and shelter from all taxation.


79 posted on 07/15/2009 8:18:07 AM PDT by Woebama
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To: Kaslin

I only had a few more years left on my mortgage; only owed $8000, with limited income now that I am retired -—— so I paid off my mortgage. Not sorry.


80 posted on 07/15/2009 8:18:11 AM PDT by Salvation (With God all things are possible.)
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