My wife is a physician and I’m an implantable device rep. Our household income is over 500k. We owe about 140k for graduate student loans and a mortgage (~300k) on our modest home but are otherwise debt free. We live in a low cost of living city.

What strategies would you recommend for us to take advantage of the current economic climate? I’m waiting for the real estate market to react to COVID to start buying rental properties, but any other suggestions?

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This is the most American stuff I’ve read, and any foreigner like me will know why I say this.

With such an income and those debts, you shouldn’t be thinking of investing. Get done with those debts!

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Where are you getting 11% from exactly?

I think it’s funny that OP asks for advice and the first 4 posts all say get rid of the debt but OP is like “naw I’m good.”

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@PwC I clearly made a mistake saying I’ve got some low interest student loan debt because it became the fixation of many.

I was soliciting some investment ideas mostly. In the future when soliciting advice here I definitely won’t include info on any debt positions.

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Pay off your student loans. They are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. What happens if you two are in an accident and can’t work anymore? You’ll still owe your student loans. Rental failure? Still owe payments on student loan. Your social security payments can be garnished to collect. JUST PAY THEM OFF.

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@BCG3- there’s no lying. This isn’t a LARP. Julia Dhar might have a TED talk worth watching for you.

Our household income is actually a bit higher. You can be incredulous, that’s fine. From my perspective, if you’re representative of your employer, I’ll never work with your firm for any sort of financial management. Overt hositlility is crap.

We net $30k/month after maxing tax advantaged accounts. We are under 40. We have a bit over ~$1mm in assets currently, about 400k in 401ks, 300k in cash and 300k in equities with more coming in as RSUs over the next 2 years. There’s a 457b from Cornell, a pension from a F100 and the ~100k equity in our home. Our goal is to retire before 50.

I’m not wildly sophisticated in this arena because - frankly - I’ve been focusing on professional success along with my wife. It seems like the market is shifting to present some good buying opportunities. I was hoping for some ideas to kickstart my research.

I appreciate that there’s no free lunch, but somewhere called “personal investing” that’s built to solicit ideas is exactly the sort of place to have these conversations and get feedback that isn’t passive aggressive. Some folks here have contributed and I appreciate their suggestions, but I’m somewhat surprised at how offended others get at even mild pushback.

Why do you have $140k in student loan debt with a $500k income?

You certainly shouldn’t be getting more debt.

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^strategy&: thats a false blanket statement. It highly depends on the type of debt, the interest rates, and the returns. Has nothing to do with risk and everything to do with finance fundamentals.

15 yr mortgage at low rate - wouldn't touch it. I have the same and don't plan to make any additional payments unless I happen to still be in it going into the last year or two then I might pay it off just to be done with it.

Loans on the other hand I would pay down. A guaranteed 4% return is nothing to sneeze at in this environment so I'd personally pay it down aggressively but also invest at the same time. Not pay it off, but maybe double the monthly payment. You have enough income to do both currently.

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The day Republicans allow a student loan forgiveness bill to make it through the Senate is the day hell freezes over. That’s just my opinion.

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Focus on getting rid of your two debts

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@ BCG1 we consolidated / refi’d the loans to a 5 year so, not much. House is on a 15 year at 2.75.

“Our modest home” 😂

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Some people buy palatial cash pits. I literally grew up in a trailer park so somewhere with floors that don’t squeak, a roof that doesn’t leak, and neighbors that aren’t always drunk is fantastic by me.

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Way to go OP...I think paying your debt is the best way to maximize at present. You probably missed the boat and using the market for a rapid gain; unless you catch it on a day where it drops 5% and then comes back in a week. I’m also assuming you are maxing out tax advantages accounts. You may also want to consider real estate rental property; e.g., vacation home in Vail. Something that will give you revenue and pay for itself but also appreciate. This is also an asset your family can enjoy in the long run.

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Too many Dave Ramseys. My husband is a physician with $200k of student debt. Just use Paye and invest in the market.

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Yeah, grab those shoplots at a steal! Anyone looking to shed now needs a buyer. These people and their worry about the loan.

Look harder...”In April, nearly one quarter did not make a full on-time payment, but fewer than 10 percent remained delinquent by the end of the month. May showed a similar trend: the missed payment rate dropped from 31 percent at the beginning of the month to 11 percent at the end.”

likesmart

Why are you in consulting bowl?

This isn't a consulting bowl. It's open to anyone that searches for it.

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Is it me or does this read like a weird flex to any other 🐠? 🤷🏽

I dunno man. I’m an etf guy, DCAing every 2 weeks and not worry so much type. It has worked out so far.

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