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Afford Anything · April 14, 2026 · 1h 12m

Q&A: The Case for NOT Paying Off Your Student Loans

This Q&A episode addresses three real-life financial dilemmas. KJ has $90,000 in student loans and an inheritance, and must decide between paying off debt or keeping cash amid changing repayment policies. A listener near retirement with $1.9 million saved explores whether part-time work can buffer against sequence of returns risk. Finally, a retiree who bought a second home to be near family and rent it part-time seeks guidance on tax and structural considerations.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

Liquidity over early loan payoff under policy uncertainty
When student loan policies are in flux, keeping cash available may be more prudent than aggressively paying down debt.
Part-time work as sequence-of-returns risk buffer
Earning income through part-time work near retirement can reduce the need to sell assets during a market downturn, protecting against sequence of returns risk.

Editorial

Tax considerations for a mixed-use second home
When a second home is used partly as a residence and partly as a rental, the allocation of expenses and income for tax purposes becomes complex.
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