I have ~$130,000 student loan at variable rate of 1.4% right now. I have been paying off pretty aggressively (at least $4000 per month) but I wonder if I should invest or save more instead. What are your thoughts?

More about me - a 3rd year biglaw associate making $220k base salary. I'm getting burned out and I don't know how long I will be able to stay. I have been maxing my 401k, Roth IRA, and HSA. I have ~$110,000 investment and ~$40k cash.

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I would not pay down a 1.4% loan - you can probably find money market accounts paying more than that and can definitely find high quality investment grade bond funds paying meaningfully higher rates

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This is 100% the right guidance, it would hurt my mental health more to know I was missing out on potentially “free” money more than having debt owed

I think the question is would you borrow $130k at a variable 1.4% today so that you could invest $110k and keep $20k in cash? If you wouldn’t do this, then payoff your student loans today. If you would do this, pay the required monthly payments on the student loans and divert the rest of the $4k to investments.

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It sucks but I would pay it off like you’ve been doing aggressively. It will also help your mental health and get that weight off your shoulders.

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They guy asked for suggestions, so what if personal feelings are involved

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People are going to disagree, but they're going to be wrong.

It makes more sense to invest as much as possible as early as possible earlier in your life because it will allow more time to compound and reinvest dividends. Especially during this time where the market isn't stable and we're in a recessionary environment, it would be a critical time for opportunities as they come up.

If the debt is taking an emotional toll on you, you can if my advice and continue focusing on the debt (but should still be investing some money as well).

The larger the investment fund, the faster it will grow exponentially and your money will be making good money for you sooner than you think.

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Love the answers being so dismissive about the emotional or psychological benefits of paying off this debt

As if humans are perfectly rational 🙄

Thanks, EY1. I like what you said at the end.

I think a fair mix right now is pay the loans off while accumulating a cash position in your investment accounts at the same time to take advantage of opportunities. This is assuming you are wary of current valuations and want to buy dips.

It would be great to define how exactly you would act - for example, I’ll apply 40% of savings to debt and 60% to investment cash. And if X index falls to price Y, then I’ll buy Z amount.

Decide what’s your strategy first, and then how you’ll implement it.

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