PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE EARLY OR INVEST?
June 12, 2020
PAY DOWN YOUR MORTGAGE OR SAVE FOR RETIREMENT?


When to pay down your mortgage first?
- When interest rates are high it probably makes sense to pay your mortgage off early.
- It's often best to pay down your mortgage in retirement.
- Eliminating a monthly mortgage payment ahead of retirement can provide peace of mind when living on a fixed income.
- Keep in mind mortgage interest is not the same as other types of debt. It’s tax-deductible if you itemize deductions. You can deduct up to $750,000 of mortgage debt in 2020 (up to $1 million, if you bought the house before Dec. 15, 2017). If you need something to reduce the amount you owe the government, the mortgage might be worth keeping.
- If you have an adjustable-rate or other non-standard mortgage, paying down the mortgage can be an advantage. Building equity in a home that is financed by an adjustable-rate loan makes it easier to switch to a fixed-rate mortgage.
When to invest?
- Most of the time you're better off investing rather than paying down your mortgage early - it's better to earn 9% in the stock market than save 3.5% in mortgage interest.
- It's better to start saving early. Compound interest means earning money on your money. That's because the interest will be earning interest for a longer period of time. So each year you delay saving for retirement will hurt you. Investing for 40 years creates far more wealth than investing for only 30 years.
- As a general rule, the younger you are, the more you should prioritize your retirement savings over your mortgage.

Executive Summary The S&P 500 fell 0.3% to close the week at 6,259.75 We would rather own the German economy than Nvidia Consumer spending is weakening The consumer price index report will be released on Tuesday Economists believe that tariffs will cause prices to rise Economists believe that tariffs will slow the economy The jobs market is stable. The unemployment rate is low. Earnings estimates are falling more than is normal There are still good companies on sale The Stock Market

Executive Summary The S&P 500 rose 1.7% in a holiday-shortened week, finishing at 6,284.65 Volatility continues to fall from its elevated levels in early April The S&P is up 6.76% year-to-date. Industrials are leading the way, up 13.40% Price determines returns when buying an asset Diversify away from a concentrated U.S. large-cap stock portfolio Job growth has been holding steady for almost a year now Analysts have been raising earnings estimates recently 90-day tariff suspension ends on Wednesday The Stock Market The S&P 500 rose 1.7% in a holiday-shortened week. The Nasdaq rose 1.6%. Both indexes set new record highs with the S&P reaching 6,284.65 on Thursday afternoon. The jobs report out Thursday spurred the S&P higher. The index gapped up at the open, closing Thursday up 0.83% (see chart below). The S&P 500 is up 26% from the selloff low on April 8, while the Nasdaq has surged 34.9%.

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Executive Summary The S&P 500 fell 0.4% last week to finish at 5,976.97 Friday's sell-off due to Israel's attack on Iran The Volatility Index (VIX) is rising due to the war in the Middle East Higher volatility is usually associated with a down move in the market There is no chance of a Fed Funds Rate cut at this week’s meeting according to the CME FedWatch Tool The unemployment rate has been rising slowly The dollar continues to weaken The U.S. needs to reduce its spending to avoid a currency crisis The Stock Market

Executive Summary The S&P 500 rose 1.5% last week to finish at 6,000.36 The May payroll number came in above estimates The U.S. economy is slowing, despite the S&P 500 poking above 6,000 The Labor Force Participation Rate fell to 62.4% from 62.6% Inflation may have bottomed and is set to rise The services price paid index is pointing towards a higher CPI The declining dollar is a concern Tariffs are a tax The Q2 nowcast seems to be indicating that negative economic impacts from tariffs won’t affect Q2 International markets have far outperformed U.S. markets so far in 2025 The Stock Market The S&P 500 climbed 1.5% last week and closed at 6,000.36. The Dow rose 1.3% while the Nasdaq rose 2.0%. Interest rates rose as bond prices fell. A stronger-than-expected jobs report on Friday is getting the blame for rising yields. The jobs report was also responsible for the S&P’s gap-up open on Friday (chart below).

Executive Summary The S&P 500 rose 1.9% last week to finish at 5911.69 The S&P 500 rose 6%, the Dow rose 3.8% and the Nasdaq climbed nearly10% in May Could see another test of support around 5,800 this week Several longer-term negative divergences may be pointing to a tough summer Declining new highs during an advancing market is a negative Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been trending lower Earnings drive the stock market over the long run

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Executive Summary The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, to finish at 5,659.91 The Dow fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.5% The 200-day moving average is the next resistance U.S. nominal GDP growth expected to slow significantly Bank of America shifts investment focus Norwood Economics already has exposure to gold for most clients Norwood Economics is overweight international stocks The risk of both higher unemployment and higher inflation has increased The Federal Reserve declined to lower the fed funds rate last week The Stock Market