Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

I%26#039;m 37 years old and I just went through a divorce where I assumed 15k in credit card debt at 12% interest from my ex. I have 175k in a retirement account through Fidelity. Should I withdrawal 15k out of my retirement account and eliminate this debt or pay 1,500 a month until the debt is gone?



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

Do not take money out of your retirement account. You will pay a 10% penalty plus income tax, and probably in a higher tax bracket.



Transfer the credit card debt to a new account that offers 0% on balance transfers. Then pay $1500 until the debt is gone.



Or take out a 2nd mortgage, and pay off the credit card debt, since the 2nd mortage interest is tax deductable.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

Pay the 1500 a month. The penalty for the withdrawal will outweigh the 12% interest. What you should do is apply for a new credit card (or cards) that have a 0% introductory rate for balance transfers.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

Well it all depends on what other bills you have to pay and such. If you have the extra money, You should probably just pay it without taking the money out of Fidelity. I wouldn%26#039;t take the money out, but if thats what you want to do, then you won%26#039;t have that debt to worry about. It all depends... Just look at the big picture.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

if you can take a loan out against your retirement then pay yourself back with interest you might be better off borrowing from yourself and getting rid of the high interest debt



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

pay it off slowly if you can afford it. over the long haul your $15k in the account will potentially grow to be upwards of 50. if you remove that you could lose a lot of money in the long run that you would have had. but to be sure you should ask a financial advisor.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

I%26#039;m sorry about the divorce. The question is a %26quot;no brainer%26quot; because if you took the money out of your retirement account, you would have to pay the tax on in AND an additional ten (10%) per cent penality. Even if you had a ROTH, you could be nailed the ten (10%) per cent penality. Besides the taxfree growth that money will enjoy until you do retire will more than make up the interest expense.



If you need to slow down new deposits into your retirement account, that would be better than withdrawing from the retirement account. Be sure to restore the deposit rate as soon as you can. Pay the debt out of earnings. Get a second job if you must, but DO NOT use retirement money at Fidelity or anywhere else to pay the debt.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

At 15% interest you will be paying over $1,000 in interest, and it will take you a year to set rid of this debt. How much will you pay as a penalty for withdrawing from your retirement account? Choose whichever option is cheaper.



Divorces can ruin finances and credit. Be sure to meet with a financial advisor to ensure that there aren%26#039;t any nasty surprises waiting for you.



And cut up the credit card. :)



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

Don%26#039;t take the money out of your account - you%26#039;ll end up losing a lot more than 15k. You%26#039;ll pay hefty penalties and taxes for taking it out early, so you%26#039;ll lose quite a bit of money, not to mention the lost earning potential of that money. Don%26#039;t rob yourself of both principal and interest.



Instead, take the money from your paycheck that you would usually invest into your retirement, and use it to pay off your credit card debt instead.



Credit card debt vs retirement account.?

Hey Guys



Debt is a horrible thing, we all try not to get into it but sometimes lifes circumstances and choices wind us up in a pile of debt. Personally, there is a wealth of knowledge available, and with a little thinking and planning, you can systematically get rid of all your debt. I used to be in big debt, a few hundred thousand, however from about the past year or so I have been living debt free. Im not promoting anything here, I just want everyone to know that its possible. I write about my experiences in regards to Debt Consolidation, Car Loans, Credit Cards, Student Loans on my blog listed below so stop by if you get a chance and leave some comments.



http://credit-and-loans.blogspot.com/

No comments:

Post a Comment