Mindset

Pay off mortgage early

Is It Worth It To Pay Off Mortgage Early

Money Maroon

If you have a mortgage, you have asked if it is worth it to pay off mortgage early? This thought is normal. No one likes to be in debt for a day much less for 30 years.  We all would like to have the freedom to do as we like with our money, and paying a mortgage is not one of those things. But should you pay off your mortgage early? The answer, it is a personal decision.

The Financial Perspective

When you ask if you should pay off mortgage early, you will hear a number of important things to consider. These considerations include the stock market, the mortgage interest deduction, and the potential safety net of having money on hand. 

The stock market argument goes something like this: if you have a mortgage, by paying it off early you will essentially be getting the interest rate of the mortgage that you paid off as a return. As a simplistic example, if you pay off your mortgage that has a 3% interest rate 10 years early, you will have earned 3% per year for that 10 year period. Essentially, the 3% that you did not have to pay. You will then be told that if you had place the same amount of money that you used to pay off your mortgage in the stock market, you would have earned 8-10%. This 8-10% is in reference to the average stock market return over the past decades.

As such, the upshot of the stock market argument is that by paying off your mortgage early, you would be losing out on the difference between the average stock market return and your mortgage interest rate.

Further, you will be informed that your mortgage interest payments are tax deductible. But you would have already known this as your taxes are due yearly and you would have taken advantage of this deduction based on qualifications.

Next, if you pay off your mortgage early, if you ran into hard times, your money would be locked up in your home. The fact is, houses or the money held in your home is not as easily transferable as money in the bank. As such, if you lose your job, or run into financial difficulties, it would be a bit more difficult to unlock the money in your home than going to the bank and withdrawing what is needed. 

These are all considerations that must be contemplated. As such, from a purely financial perspective, the answer to the question of whether or not  to pay off mortgage early looks to be a no.

Pay off mortgage early? It's personal
It’s a personal decision

The Counter To Pay Off Mortgage Early

Why would you ever answer yes to whether or not it is worth it to pay off mortgage early? The answer, life is not as simple as a mathematical calculation. Further, the only thing certain in life is uncertainty.

While there is a historical increase in the stock market on average, we do not know what the future holds. Will the next 30 years see the growth of the last 30 years? It is uncertain. The stock market is risky and your mortgage payment is always due. This is to say that if you lose money in the market, your mortgage is still due. No matter what happens with the stock market, by paying off your mortgage early you have a guaranteed return. I am sure you have heard the saying “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.”

In view of the mortgage interest deduction, will this deduction continue? Will you continue to qualify for this deduction? This also is unknown. Change is a constant, we just do not known.

Peace Of Mind Is A Reason To Pay Off Mortgage Early

When assessing if it is worth it to pay off mortgage early, consider your peace of mind. Paying off your mortgage early may not make financial sense if you pay off your mortgage early and miss out on a significant stock market return. However, nothing beats being able to sit back in your home and know that it is paid for.  Peace of mind. 

By paying off your home early, you will not have a mortgage payment, therefore you can use that money to spend as you see fit and you will no longer need to worry much about foreclosures or repossessions. Pay your taxes and related utilities and keep on living. This is peace of mind.

What is your peace of mind worth? When assessing if it is worth it to pay off mortgage early, this is the real question. How much better would you sleep knowing that you have no mortgage payment.

In the end, it is your decision and it is about what you are comfortable with. In some ways, you can pay more on your monthly mortgage payment to pay off your mortgage earlier. You may find a middle ground and pay more on your monthly mortgage payment but also invest a portion. It is also your decision to not pay any extra at all toward your monthly mortgage payment. It is about your comfort level and what is good for you and your family.

Conclusion

If you have a mortgage, you have asked if it is worth it to pay off mortgage early? This thought is normal. No one likes to be in debt for a day much less for 30 years.  We all would like to have the freedom to do as we like with our money, and paying a mortgage is not one of those things. But should you pay off your mortgage early? The answer, it is a personal decision. On the journey to financial independence, sometimes, peace of mind is more important than financial returns.

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Never Give UP

Never Give Up

Money Maroon

As I get older, what I have learned time and time again is that it is not about how smart you are. It is really about persistence. Yes, the never give up mentality is one of the most rewarding attribute a person can have. Getting knocked down but getting up and continuing on is a hard lesson to learn. But once you master it, the world is yours.

Never Give Up

Learning To Never Give Up

There are certain things that we are each innately good at, and far more things that we are absolutely terrible at. Throughout our lives, we will discover these things on an almost daily basis. How we deal with these discoveries will have a profound impact on our lives.

Do you recall the first time you tried to ride a bike, or for that matter, attacked a difficult math problem? Our success in learning how to ride a bike or solving a math problem is somewhat based on our mentality, but also those around us who shaped that mentality. For example, if the first time you fell trying to ride a bike your parents rushed to you and gave in to your cries to never get on a bike again, it is highly likely that you will never learn to ride a bike. I know a few individuals where this is a reality. The issue here is much larger than learning to ride a bike, you may potentially develop the mentality of trying, failing and quitting. 

If on the other hand, you fell, and you decided to get up, or your parents or others around you encouraged you to get up and try again, it is highly likely that you eventually learned how to ride a bike. 

Again, this translates to other life events. Now let’s talk about the math problem. The same principle applies. If you are discouraged and give up once you notice that the math problem was difficult, you may never learn how to solve the problem. If you eventually do solve the math problem, you may develop a hatred of math and avoid math at all cost. I am sure you know many individuals who fall into this category.

On the other hand, if you are able to power through the math problem and never give up, not only will you solve the math problem but also appreciate the concept of effort and persistence. These seemingly basic events do have an impactful effect on our lives.

Practice Makes Perfect

Have you ever heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” This is only another way of saying never give up. Don’t forget, while Michael Jordan was good, he became great by practicing. For that matter, Usain Bolt lost a number of races before he came into his own and dominate his sport. 

Some call it being stubborn. For others, they are classified as having a short memory. It really does not matter what you call it, it is typically a manifestation of pride, self belief, and the never give up mindset.

To bring this close to home, I am certain that you know individuals who may not have been the best at an activity that came naturally to you. Unbeknownst to you, this individual wanted to get better. As it turns out, while you rested knowing that you were good, they practiced, put in the required work and became better than you. This occurs all the time.

Persistence Pays

I have known individuals who are amazingly smart. They are able to grasp new material ridiculously fast and never had to really study. Many of these individuals never achieved their full potential. They took their gift for granted. They thought everything would come easily. However, when they hit an obstacle, they were unprepared to deal with failure. They did not have the tools, mental strength or sadly, they did not have a support system around them.

On the other hand, I know a number of individuals who were not the best. You know these individuals as well. They were likely middle of the pack with regard to academics, but they worked hard, took the long route, persevered and ended up at the top. These were the individuals who did not make the team on the first try, they did not get accepted to their top choice for college, they were rejected from professional school, but instead of giving up, they went back to the drawing board, reapplied themselves and were able to move forward. 

The fact is, in life, you will hear a lot more no’s than yes. Get use to it. “No” is an opportunity. Rejection builds character. Never give up!

You Will Hear No Far More Times Than Yes

We have all come across individuals who have not heard “no” very often. These individuals cannot handle rejection and if anything, avoid the possibility of getting a rejection or simply flips out if they are rejected. We all know individuals like this. They are typically not fun to be around. An outburst for the simplest thing is typically just around the corner.

Rejection is apart of life, and if viewed in the right context, rejection can be a huge motivational factor in life. Rarely do we make it through life without being rejected. For many overachievers, rejection is their fuel. That person who other’s may say act as if they have a chip on their shoulder did not become driven by always winning. It is rejection that fuels their fire. The agony of defeat built them mentally to never give up.

For others, if the door was close on one path, they never give up, they simply found another way in. The never give up attitude is exemplified in the winners of life. The earlier we can see failure as an opportunity, the more likely it is for us to succeed. This is true in our financial life and otherwise.

Conclusion

As I get older, what I have learned time and time again is that it is not about how smart you are. It  is really about persistence. Yes, the never give up mentality is one of the most rewarding attribute a person can have. Getting knocked down but getting up and continuing on is a hard lesson to learn. But once you master it, the world is yours.

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Growth mindset

Adapt A Growth Mindset Today

Money Maroon

Every once in a while, you will come across something that is so impactful that it will stop you in your tracks. Recently, it was a quote from Nelson Mandela “I never lose, I either win or learn.” The quote is simple yet profound. In reality, it represents a different way of approaching life. This quote is the foundation of a growth mindset. 

Growth mindset and fixed mindset
Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset

The growth mindset is not necessarily natural. We all have fears and are prone to acting for short term gratification. We are also prone to feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming others. The growth mindset on the other hand relates to believing that your success depends on time and effort. Believing that you control your destiny. Believing that you can improve with effort and persistence. This mindset thus leads to embracing challenges, persisting through obstacles, learning from criticism and seeking inspiration in others’ success. Those having this mindset therefore believes that with time and practice, they can achieve. 

Change Your Mindset

We typically have a mix of a growth mindset and a fixed mindset (believing that certain qualities are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable). But it is up to us to take control of our lives and realize that we are in control of our actions and the resulting consequences.

It is up to us to learn from new things/experiences and to view errors as learning opportunities and only a stop on the path to achieving our full potential.

Nelson Mandela

We all know Nelson Mandela’s story. It is amazing and down right inspiring on it’s own. However, the words spoken by Nelson Mandela are truly profound. Nelson Mandela, an amazing optimist, a truly amazing man.

To view life in the context of “I never lose, I either win or learn” is the basis for continual growth.  This is the growth mindset. Viewing failure as an opportunity to learn internally pushes you to seek new experiences and challenges you to better yourself. When you believe that you can get better by challenging yourself and learning, it is easy to understand the correlation between hard work and success. Therefore, you will put in extra time and effort to gain higher achievement.

Growth Mindset In Life

Having a growth mindset in your life, generally, is a good thing. It is never a bad idea to seek knowledge and continue to learn and grow over time.  As this is a financial independence related blog, the following must be addressed. It is important to note that having a growth mindset, more specifically, in your financial life is a great attribute. 

The path to a financially secure life takes patience and the requisite need to learn from your experiences as well as others. Like anything else in life, the more you learn, the better you become. The more you learn about your financial situation, an emergency fund, saving, investing and other financial tools, the better you will become at creating a more financially secure life.

Conclusion

Every once in a while, you will come across something that is so impactful that it will stop you in your tracks. Recently, it was a quote from Nelson Mandela “I never lose, I either win or learn.” The quote is simple yet profound. In reality, it represents a different way of approaching life. This quote is the foundation of a growth mindset. Adapt a growth mindset and journey to financial independence.

Follow me on Twitter @JoToFI_com

Follow me on Instagram @JoToFI_com