Why you should never pay off your mortgage? Lots of people feel it’s great to pay off your mortgage early. However, that money could be leveraged to earn 10 times more if you know how.
What is a mortgage?
A mortgage is a contract between you and a lender that gives the lender the right to repossess your home if you fail to repay the loan plus interest.
Mortgage loans are used to finance the purchase of a home or to borrow money against the value of an existing home.
There are seven characteristics to look for in a mortgage.
- The loan’s total amount
- The interest rate and any points attached to it
- The loan’s closing costs, including the lender’s fees
- Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
- The interest rate’s type and ability to change (is it fixed or adjustable?)
- The length of time you have to repay the loan.
- Other risky features of the loan, such as a prepayment penalty, a balloon clause, an interest-only feature, or negative amortization
Why You Should NEVER Pay Off Your Mortgage
1. Mortgage interest rates are lowÂ
Because interest rates are so low, devoting extra funds to paying off your loan early yields a very low return on investment (ROI). You could fare far better financially if you prioritized paying off higher-interest debt first, such as credit card debt, personal loans, or even car loans.
2. You don’t have a full emergency fund
You don’t want to be short on cash, so make sure you have enough in an emergency fund before diverting extra funds elsewhere.
Investing the majority of your money in your home could put you in a tight spot in the future, if you need a large sum of money. You don’t want to take money out of your brokerage account or take out a higher-interest loan at a bad time in the market.
3. You have a low interest rate on your mortgage
It all depends on what you plan to do with the extra cash you’d put toward your mortgage. If your mortgage has a low interest rate, such as less than 4%, the money you’re considering putting toward it could be better spent elsewhere, such as in an investment account.
Furthermore, if your mortgage has a high interest rate, it may be more beneficial to consider a third option. Refinancing your mortgage when interest rates are low. Keep in mind that there will be additional costs associated with this process. Closing costs, which can range from 1.5 percent to 4% of the remaining mortgage balance.
4. You can write off your mortgage interest
You can deduct home mortgage interest if you itemize your deductions on your taxes. The tax benefit of having a mortgage may make it more advantageous to keep it.
We all want the highest rate of return at the end of the day. It’s also critical to pay less in taxes and save more money when it comes to taxes. So finding ways to reduce that tax burden over time could be extremely beneficial.