Bonus at the workplace or an unplanned income from family members are usually substantial. However, receipt of such substantial money can always create a dilemma of whether to invest the sum into SIP or pre-pay home loan. In the case of a lack of a home loan, the answer is pretty straightforward. But, if there’s the burden of a home loan, it can lead to a dilemma. And, the answer differs from person to person, however, the variable to determine the category could be the same. Thus, let us study what these variables are that decide the optimum outcome of this dilemma.
Age: First, age is a huge determining factor, since it decides the earning capacity of an individual. Say you are in your mid-30s and hold a secured job, you can opt for a lump-sum investment subject to other variables. However, if your age is in the late 40s or early 50s, you may want to close your home loan and reduce the liability before your income source extinguishes.
Liquidity or emergency fund: An absolute must in today’s date, but again a home loan can cause a serious hole in your financial planning. This indirectly deters the creation of any sort of emergency fund or liquidity. Thus, this surplus income can act as a stop-gap solution, and help you create a temporary fund in case of emergency. However, this option must be utilised keeping in mind other variables covered in this article.
Risk appetite: Investing in mutual funds always carries a risk to the stock market. Therefore, risk-averse investors might not want to test the double loss in mutual funds along with home loans hanging on their heads. In case of limited risk, it is appropriate to close the outstanding loans before going for investment in even moderately risky opportunities.
Tenure of investment: When there are multiple loans – car, personal, education, etc – apart from the long outstanding home loan, the surplus fund might be better utilised in closing one of these instead of pre-payment of the home loan. Since a home loan is the cheapest among all loans, investors can sustain it for a longer term. Even when there are no loans apart from home but the investor might need money for say renovation or a wedding, then also these surplus funds could be utilised.
Income Tax: Possibly the greatest benefit against pre-payment of home loan. It can help you with up to Rs 1.5 lakhs allowable deduction for principal repayment and an additional up to Rs 2 lakhs of benefit for interest repayment. Thus, the aggregate tax benefit per borrower goes up to Rs 3.5 lakhs. Now, if you are in a 30% tax bracket, with a gross income of Rs 15 lakh per annum, you will be saving almost a lakh in tax. However, since the limit of Rs 1.5 lakhs under 80C is available through other options such as PPF, school fees, life insurance premium, etc., the additional Rs 2 lakhs for interest benefit could be the actual benefit.
Psychology: With many risk-averse investors do not like the burden of huge liability on their heads. Lack of job security, single earning members, risky business nature or even lack of investment knowledge could lead individuals to pre-pay home loans instead of investing in mutual funds. Even an absence of sufficient life cover coupled with a sole source of income should opt for pre-payment of a home loan. While some investors even without any deteriorating conditions opt for pre-payment simply to retain sound sleep. Thus, psychology could play a major deciding factor in the dilemma.
Returns: This variable gives the most practical answer among all. To put it simply, one should only opt for a mutual fund over the pre-payment of a home loan if the post-tax income from a mutual fund is higher than the effective cost of a home loan. Effective cost is the total EMIs of a home loan reduced by tax saving subject to the tax slab of every individual. To see it through a macro perspective, an outstanding loan of Rs 70 lakhs at 9.5% interest brings to Rs 6.65 lakhs now after deducting the Rs 2 lakhs benefit of interest repayment it comes down to Rs 4.65 lakhs. So, a Rs 4.65 lakhs interest on a Rs 70 lakhs loan generates an effective interest of about 8.64% even for Rs 30 lakhs tax-bracket individual. In addition, these figures could change if the loan is jointly shared and both can enjoy the Rs 2 lakhs tax benefit. However, if the total loan outstanding goes below Rs 20 lakhs, then you may not be able to fully utilise the Rs 2 lakhs interest benefit, since the maximum interest paid in the whole year will be less than Rs 2 lakhs. In such a case, it is not advisable to pre-pay the loan and instead opt for a mutual fund.
To conclude, whether pre-pay a home loan or invest could vary from person to person given the above factors. Hence, it may be wise to evaluate each variable and then decide the factor.
(Viral Bhatt is the Founder of Money Mantra — a personal finance solutions firm)
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<!– Published on: Sunday, April 30, 2023, 07:00 AM IST –>
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This is Midjourney AI’s imagined version of my new car. I’ll update this picture once I take delivery and head out on my first real camping trip!
As I type this, I’m jumping through the various hoops involved in buying a 2023 Tesla Model Y, a spectacularly expensive, large luxury “crossover” that is absolutely loaded to the gills with excess: all wheel drive, faster acceleration than a Lamborghini, enough space for seven people and enough computer gadgetry to function as a small Google data center.
The total net cost of this thing to me after all the taxes and tax credits* will be about $52,000, which is just a stunning amount higher than the Honda van it is replacing. That old classic cost me $4500 when I bought it off of Craigslist twelve years ago, and it had served me dutifully until just last month, crisscrossing the mountains and deserts of this country and also helping to rebuild a considerable swath of houses in my neighborhood.
I’m supposed to be a frugality-oriented financial blogger, and I’m also known for hating car culture – I think most people use cars about ten times more often than they need to, and most people drive cars they can’t afford. So why the hell am I buying a new one?
From those first three paragraphs, you can see I’m feeling plenty of self-mockery and ridicule over this new purchase. If you’re also a naturally frugal person, you can surely relate to the thoughts and you probably also agree with me that I’m off my rocker.
And indeed, I’m still on-board with frugality and healthy self mockery. After all, it was this overall life philosophy that earned me an early retirement 18 years ago, which provides all of the glorious freedom I enjoy now.
It was also the philosophy that allowed me to procrastinate on buying this expensive car for the last four years, even as countless people both close to me and out on the Internet egged me on and told me I should just loosen up and treat myself.
But there’s a classic slogan that applies to many areas of life, and it is something I like to dig up and ponder every now and then:
“What got you here,
Won’t get you where you’re going.”
How does that piece of wisdom apply to frugal living and enjoying a long life of early retirement?
A quick story from a recent run to the grocery store will explain:
I was standing there in the bakery aisle, hoping to restock with a loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread for the next day’s breakfast with some visiting friends. But since this was in a standard grocery store rather than the Costco where I usually shop, the damned stuff was priced at an eye-watering $6.99 per loaf (instead the $4.50 or so I’m accustomed to paying, and even at the bulk store this stuff is about double the price of normal bread).
“DAMN YOU KING SOOPER’S!”
Was my first response.
“WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, TRYING TO SELL BREAD FOR SEVEN BUCKS!!!”
Then I went through a whole mental battle of what I call Grocery Shopping With Your Middle Finger:
“Should I just boycott this bullshit?”
“Hmm I wonder if any of the other competing brands are any good?”
“What else is a good substitute for bread for this breakfast?”
And then thankfully, after exhausting all other mental options, I settled on the correct one:
“JUST BUY THE BREAD YOU DUMBASS!”
“Because you are never going to wake up in the future and look at your bank account and think, shit, if only I had an extra $2.49 in there I would be a happier person.”
That night, I came home from the store and shared this funny tale with one of my guests. He understood perfectly because he too had earned his own retirement through a lifetime of grinding in tough jobs and disciplined frugality. And despite the fact that he has a net worth several times higher than mine, he admitted that he faces exactly the same mental battles over splurging on himself.
This same friend gives freely to charitable causes, has supported a local school for decades, and is always the first one to pull out the checkbook if a friend has hit hard times or is looking for a trusted business investor.
But he still has trouble bringing himself to take an Uber to the airport instead of riding the bus which takes an hour longer.
We both realized that we were being too cheap with ourselves, and we needed to work on it. And we came up with a set of three ideas that should hopefully work together to help us have more fun with our life savings, while we are still alive:
the Minimum Spending Budget,
the Dedicated Money Wasting Account,
and the Splurge Accountability Buddy.
Principle #1: The Minimum Spending Budget:
Suppose you’ve done well over the years and amassed a pile of productive investments worth about two million dollars. Yes, this is a lot of money for most people, and that is the point: this hypothetical person truly has it made.
But as it turns out, most Mustachians I know with this level of wealth are still living very efficient lives, usually with a spending level of under $40,000 per year. On top of that, they typically live in a mortgage-free house and still have various forms of side income from a small business or two.
The 4% rule tells us that this person should be fairly safe spending up to about $80,000 per year from that cozy nest egg, even if they never earn any other money.
If this person wanted to be ridiculously conservative and set the spending rate at 3%, that still leaves about $60,000 of fun money every single year.. Plus, again, any side income, future inheritances, and social security income only add to the surplus.
Thus, a reasonable minimum spending level for this person might be $60,000 per year.
And in most cases, they know this, but still go right on living on $40k or less and claim they have everything they could ever want.
But if you watch carefully you’ll still catch them firing up the middle finger at things like $6.99 Dave’s bread or the $14.00 Cabernet at the restaurant or driving around in a gas guzzler even when they would prefer to have a proper, modern electric car.
And whenever these people do get extra money, their first instinct is to stash it away on top of the already-too-big pile. In diagram form, their money flow looks like this:
Note that while this person is great at accumulating money through that big red arrow firing money back into the ‘stash, their “fun stuff” arrow appears quite flaccid and withered.
Which is a perfect segue to ….
Principle #2 – the Dedicated Money Wasting Account
Lifelong habits are hard to break, and it’s sometimes hard to “waste” your own hard-earned money on things that seem frivolous, even when you know intellectually that you have way more money than you’ll ever spend.
But have you ever noticed that if you are spending somebody else’s money, preferably an anonymous corporation, it feels different?
For example, when you’re on a business trip and you just show up at the dining table to eat and drink and you never see the bill, you probably don’t fret about the prices, right?
The key is to make your own money feel like somebody else’s, and you can do it like this:
Re-brand your main bank account – henceforth it is the FREE FUN MONEY account.
Set up an auto-deposit of your minimum spending budget that drops in each month (if you suspect that you might currently be too frugal, make this at least $1000 per month higher than your current spending level)
The only way you are allowed to use the money in this new account is to spend it on anything and everything, or give it away. It can be used for both necessities like groceries and your utility bill, but also your luxuries like travel and dining and generosity.
But the key rule is this: You are not allowed to follow your old habit of sweeping out the surplus each month to buy more and more index funds as you’ve been doing your whole life.
If the free fun money starts building up, which it probably will because you are way out of spending practice, it will stare you in the face and tell you to do a better job.
And this can and should be FUN! Now you can get the best organic groceries even when the price seems exorbitant. Go out for dinner or order delivery whenever you like. Surprise your loved ones with concert tickets, join your friends on snowboarding or beach trips, or even pay for an entire group vacation, allowing people to go who couldn’t normally afford it so easily.
Technical Note: Some people have income or wealth levels are so high that it would be insane to spend at a 3% rate. For example, a $10M fortune would lead to a $25,000 monthly spending rate, which is obviously ridiculous.
In this situation, you can still leave your dividends reinvesting but still give yourself a bigger, no-saving-allowed budget to get some practice being more relaxed and generous. The real point here is to just stop sweating the details so you can have more fun.
Principle #3 – The Splurge Accountability Buddy
Many of us frugal people tend to stick together. And most of us have different versions of the same problem: we know logically that money is plentiful these days, but our emotions keep us stuck in our old ways of optimizing too much.
But I find that when I team up with local friends who are actually trying to battle these same habits, we can question each other’s decisions, call out cheapness when we see it, and cheer on splurges when we know the other guy would enjoy it.
My super wealthy friend from above has become much better about treating himself (and his family) to quality goods for the home, amazing trips together, and just a general reduction in his stress over being “efficient with money”
My friend and HQ co-owner Carl (Mr. 1500 Days) has finally replaced his beaten-down minivan with a spiffy new Chevrolet Bolt electric car, and is loving that leap into the future.
And of course Mr. Money Mustache, after squeezing one final mountain road trip out of his 23-year-old Honda van, is finally allowing himself to get the Tesla he has been talking about for half a decade.
An early spring Sunrise at our new “Friends Mountain Resort”
A recent life change (becoming a co-owner of a fixer-upper vacation rental compound in beautiful Salida Colorado) has reignited the travel fire in my heart and made me realize how much I do love getting out to distant places for visiting, mountain biking, gathering with groups of friends and my favorite activity of all: Carpentourism.
Running the Numbers: how ridiculously expensive is this car?
This is the perfect start to my experiment in spending more. Realistically, a $50,000 car is going to cost me about $10,000 more per year than my old van was burning. With the biggest costs being these:
Foregoing roughly 8% annual investment returns on the 50 grand: $4000
Depreciation on the car: an average of $3000 per year over the first 10 years
Higher insurance premiums: $1000 more per year
Replacing those exorbitantly huge performance tires when they wear out, and probably things like repairing the all-glass roof someday when it meets Colorado’s pebble-strewn mountain roads: the remaining $2000 or so.
Since I personally had a spending deficit of several times more than $10k per year, I figure this is a solid first step. And, since the car’s primary purpose is things like epic camping trips, dream dates, and long adventures around the country, it will definitely help me spend more on experiences, hotels, and go out to dinner a bit more often as well.
“This Privileged Rich Folk Talk is Making Me Sick, why don’t you give your money away to charity, or to me?”
In general, I agree: the world has problems and the richer you are, the more you should consider giving generously.
But also, to be honest, the whiny people who constantly send complaints like this out to strangers on the Internet really need to get a life. It’s great to encourage philanthropy through positive examples, but completely unproductive to send negativity to shame people you don’t even know for not following your own personal value system. The world has seen more than enough of this.
On top of that, this one-sided thinking can be counterproductive. Both of my friends have given generously throughout their lifetimes. In my own case, I have donated over $500,000 to the best causes I could find during the years I’ve been writing this blog, but I was still refusing to let myself replace that 23-year-old van.
And that overthinking was leading to even more of a scarcity mentality, as I compared my own meager spending to these bigger numbers of my donations, and found myself thinking things like,
“Damn, I’m spending $100 on this dinner date which sounds like a lot, but I also spent ONE THOUSAND TIMES more on donations last year, which sounds like even more. Maybe I am spending too much and need to cut back on EVERYTHING!”
And then the fear side of my brain would illogically chime in: “Yeah and you’re going to make us run out of money and be poor forever! waaaah waaaah! Cut back and optimize and conserve!”
I think there is a happy medium here.
Yes – be a super, duper responsible steward of your life savings.
And yes, give generously with all your heart to charity.
But yes, it’s also okay to set aside a portion of the money you’ve earned, for frivolous spending on yourself and those closest to you. You’re not a bad person for having a few nice things.
It’s okay to pay that extra hundred bucks to sit in the front of the airplane instead of the back if it helps you enjoy your vacation and spend a joyful half hour walking FREE at your destination while the 49 rows of people behind you fuss infuriatingly with their shit in the overhead bins.
It’s okay to buy the frozen berries at Whole Foods even though they cost eight times more than Costco charges, if it spares you from making a second unpleasant trip through parking lot hell.
And as for me, I am calling it okay to, at last, double flip the Autopilot stalk in my new Tesla and lean back as it it shoots me gracefully through even the highest mountain passes, forever leaving the desperately underpowered wheezing and gear shifting and noise* of the gasoline era behind, forever.
Rest in Peace, Vanna – 1999-2023
* A useful tip for more effective splurging:
Try to find the truly negative aspects of your life and focus any additional spending on improving those things. But it’s a subtle art so you have to get it right if you want lasting results in happiness.
You don’t want to just reduce hardship or challenge like hiring someone to take care of every aspect of your house, because overcoming daily hardships and having significant accomplishments provides the very core of our life satisfaction.
You also don’t want to just upgrade the things that are already good in your life. For example, a friend of mine is a gourmet coffee expert, and he suggested that I upgrade my setup at home to include on-the-spot roasting, and fancy grinding and brewing equipment. But I already love the good quality coffee I buy off the shelf from Costco, so it would be counterproductive to invest time or money into changing this part of my life.
But when you have something that causes you regular angst and stress, whether it’s a leaky roof that makes you dread rain, or a long commute that makes you dread the daily traffic jam, or a body that is giving you trouble due to not being in the best of shape – those types of things are probably a good target for improvement.
In the case of my car situation, I had a Nissan Leaf which is wonderful to drive, but doesn’t have the range to travel anywhere outside of the Denver metro area. Then I had the van which is a clunky beast to drive, but is otherwise an amazing road tripper because I could bring along whatever and whoever I wanted. But the van was getting increasingly unreliable in several hard-to-fix ways which was making me nervous every time I thought about long distance travel. Which was causing me to avoid certain trips and miss positive lifetime experiences.
In other words, my lack of a reliable long-range car was a small but consistent source of negative stress.
Finally, Vanna gave me the gift of a final hot and smelly transmission failure on a mountain pass on the way home from my new project in Salida. It was just the nudge that I needed. And now I already feel excitement rather than dread at the prospect of all the road trips in the coming decades!
* Total cost of this Tesla:
Model Y plus options and Tesla fees: $53,630
Subtract $7500 federal EV tax credit
Subtract $2000 Colorado EV tax credit
(Note: this is equivalent to a $44,150 list price if you are cross shopping with other cars)
Add back in $4674 of sales tax
Add in first 3 years of Colorado new-car registration fees: $3000
Net cost: about $52,000
New Tracker Page!
To go along with this article, I started a new page called “The Model Y Experiment” where I can share ongoing findings and Q&A about the ownership experience. I’ve driven and rented Teslas quite a bit in the past, so most of it will be pretty familiar. But as an owner I’ll get to verify the reliability and the quality of customer service, as well as any quirks and modifications and upgrades I do.
What’s the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship? It may seem like a strange question to ask, but it’s something that matters if you’re in the market for a Royal Caribbean cruise.
The newest Royal Caribbean ship is typically also the Royal Caribbean ship with the most bells and whistles and the most up-to-date cabins, restaurants, bars and attractions. It’s what you want if you want the very latest and greatest in a vessel for your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.
Right now, the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Wonder of the Seas. It debuted in March 2022. Although it’s just about one year old, it’ll soon be supplanted as the newest Royal Caribbean vessel by the much-awaited Icon of the Seas — the first of a new class of vessels for the line. Icon of the Seas begins sailing in January 2024.
For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.
Other relatively new Royal Caribbean ships include Odyssey of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. All began sailing in the last five years.
In all, Royal Caribbean operates 26 cruise vessels. On average, the line comes out without about one new ship a year, and it typically keeps vessels in its fleet for around 20 to 30 years before retiring them from the fleet. The oldest Royal Caribbean ship, Grandeur of the Seas, is 27 years old.
In general, Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are far bigger and much more amenity-packed than its older ships. If you crave a lot of activities in a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, you’ll want to stick to vessels built in the last 15 or so years.
Related: The 6 types of Royal Caribbean ships, explained
Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ships — those built in the 1990s and early 2000s — in many cases are just half to a third the size of the line’s newest vessels and have far fewer venues on board. Still, even these smaller ships offer a lot of attractions as compared to many vessels at competing lines.
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Royal Caribbean is known for bustling, activity-packed ships across its fleet.
Here, every Royal Caribbean ship currently in operation is ranked from newest to oldest:
1. Wonder of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE STUDIO/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2022. Size: 235,600 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 5,734.
2. Odyssey of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2022. Size: 167,704 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,284.
3. Spectrum of the Seas
GRAHAM UDEN/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2019. Size: 169,379 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,246.
4. Symphony of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2018. Size: 228,081 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 5,518.
5. Harmony of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2016. Size: 226,963 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 5,479.
6. Ovation of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2016. Size: 168,666 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,180.
7. Anthem of the Seas
ROY RILEY/SBW-PHOTO/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2015. Size: 168,666 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,180.
8. Quantum of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2014. Size: 168,666 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,180.
9. Allure of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2010. Size: 225,282 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 5,484.
10. Oasis of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2009. Size: 226,838 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 5,602.
11. Independence of the Seas
SIMON BROOKE-WEBB/SBW-PHOTOROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2008. Size: 154,407 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,634.
12. Liberty of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2007. Size: 154,407 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,798.
13. Freedom of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2006. Size: 156,271 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,926.
14. Jewel of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2004. Size: 90,090 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 2,191.
15. Mariner of the Seas
MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2003. Size: 139,863 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 4,000.
16. Serenade of the Seas
DAN LAMONT/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2003. Size: 90,090 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 2,143.
17. Navigator of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2002. Size: 139,999 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,388.
18. Brilliance of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2002. Size: 90,090 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 2,142.
19. Adventure of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2001. Size: 137,276 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,114.
20. Radiance of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2001. Size: 90,090 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 2,143.
21. Explorer of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 2000. Size: 137,308 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,286.
22. Voyager of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 1999. Size: 137,276 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 3,602.
Maiden voyage: 1997. Size: 82,910 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 2,252.
25. Rhapsody of the Seas
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 1997. Size: 78,419 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 1,998.
26. Grandeur of the Seas
JUAN MANUEL GARCIA/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Maiden voyage: 1996. Size: 73,817 gross tons. Passenger capacity: 1,992.
What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship?
The newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Wonder of the Seas. As noted above, it debuted in March 2022. Measuring 235,600 gross tons, it’s the biggest cruise ship ever built. It’s also loaded with more restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions than you’ll find on any other ship at sea.
TPG sent a three-person team, at our own expense, to review Wonder of the Seas and all its new features after it began sailing. For more on the ship, see the following guides and reviews from these staffers:
What is the oldest Royal Caribbean ship?
The oldest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Grandeur of the Seas. Unveiled way back in 1996, it’s not just the oldest Royal Caribbean ship but the smallest Royal Caribbean ship — far smaller than the newest Royal Caribbean vessels. Measuring just 73,817 gross tons, it’s just a third the size of Wonder of the Seas and has far fewer venues.
Except for a rock climbing wall, Grandeur of the Seas has none of the gee-whiz deck-top attractions found on bigger Royal Caribbean vessels, such as skydiving simulators and giant water parks. For the most part, its top deck is lined with pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the 1990s.
That said, Grandeur of the Seas has a loyal following among Royal Caribbean fans who prefer smaller and more intimate ships.
What new Royal Caribbean ships are coming?
Royal Caribbean currently has four new cruise ships on order. The first to arrive will be Icon of the Seas in January 2024. As noted above, it’s the first of all-new class of vessel for the line that, as of now, will be made up of three ships (Royal Caribbean could order more Icon-class ships in coming years — we’ll see). Two more ships in the series are due in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
The Icon-class vessels are being built at the giant Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
Related: The ultimate guide to Icon of the Seas itineraries, attractions and more
In addition, Royal Caribbean has a sister vessel to Wonder of the Seas on order for delivery in 2024. To be called Utopia of the Seas, it’s the sixth and final vessel in the line’s groundbreaking Oasis-class series that began rolling out in 2009. It’s currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.
What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship available for booking?
Icon of the Seas is the newest Royal Caribbean ship that you can book right now. While the ship isn’t yet sailing, its initial sailings scheduled for January 2024 already are on sale, as are future sailings through April 2025. The three other Royal Caribbean ships on order have yet to open for bookings.
What is the newest class of Royal Caribbean ships?
The Icon class is the newest class of Royal Caribbean ships. It’ll be made up of at least three vessels, the first of which (Icon of the Seas) is due to debut in January 2024.
At 250,600 tons, Icon of the Seas will be more than 6% bigger than the biggest Royal Caribbean ships currently at sea. It’ll hold up to 7,600 passengers — a new record for a passenger ship. That’s about 7% higher than the maximum capacity of Wonder of the Seas, which can hold up to 7,084 passengers.
The bigger passenger capacity is in part due to the ship’s greater focus on family travelers. Icon of the Seas is being built with a lot more cabins that have plenty of extra bunks to accommodate families with many children. It’ll also have more amenities geared to families, including a new-for-the-line outdoor “neighborhood” called Surfside dedicated to families with young children.
What’s the difference between newer and older Royal Caribbean ships?
Newer Royal Caribbean ships generally are bigger than older Royal Caribbean ships — sometimes much bigger. As a result, they have room for a lot more onboard venues and attractions than the line’s older vessels.
On Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest Oasis-class vessels, for instance, you’ll find three separate main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that’s just on their top decks. Inside the vessels, you’ll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine — plus huge casinos, spas and showrooms with Broadway-style shows. They even have indoor ice skating rinks.
In short, they’re like giant floating versions of the megaresorts you find in the Orlando area or Las Vegas, and they appeal to people who like a megaresort experience.
Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s older ships are a half to a third smaller and lack many of the above features. They have a much more intimate feel, at least in the pantheon of relatively big, mass-market ships, and they hold far fewer people. While Oasis-class ships can hold more than 6,600 passengers with every berth full, the line’s four oldest vessels (known as the Vision class) are only designed to carry about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.
That makes them a good choice for someone who wants to try Royal Caribbean but isn’t eager to travel with huge crowds. The oldest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet thus appeal to a subset of Royal Caribbean fans who prefer more intimacy in a cruise vessel and don’t mind giving up some onboard amenities to get it. They are also often less expensive to sail on, on a per-day basis.
Related: Don’t miss out on these Royal Caribbean loyalty perks
In addition, because of their size, the oldest ships at Royal Caribbean are able to operate itineraries to places that aren’t as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of Wonder of the Seas.
Note that all Royal Caribbean ships are renovated and upgraded on a regular schedule every few years, so even the oldest Royal Caribbean cruise vessels have newer carpeting, updated furniture, modern decor in cabins and other updates. In many cases, they also have had entire eateries and bars renovated over the years with concepts that first debuted on newer vessels.
By Peter Anderson4 Comments – The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links (at no cost to you!). Learn more about how we make money. Last edited February 9, 2012.
We’re in the midst of tough economic times and a lot of people are finding themselves in situations where they need to come up with money quickly in order to pay for one debt or another. Whether it’s IRS tax debt or needing to replace a broken water heater, there are times when people find themselves with a large bill with no emergency fund to pay it. So what do you do in a situation like that? For many people the answer is to take out a 401(k) loan. Up to 3/4 of company 401(k) plans have a provision available to do a 401(k) loan, and up to 30% of people with one of those plans have taken advantage of that and taken out a 401(k) loan.
Taking out a 401(k) loan can be a legitimate road to take if you’re dealing with a serious financial situation like IRS debt or a foreclosure. You should also be aware, however, that there are risks to taking out a 401(k) loan.
How 401(k) Loans Work
Before we get too far into talking about the pros and cons of the 401(k) loan, let’s look at how they typically work. Different plans may have different rules and regulations surrounding 401(k) loans, but typically they’re pretty similar.
Minimum withdrawals: Most plans will have a minimum amount that you can take out when doing a 401(k) loan, typically anywhere from $500-1000. They do that in part to try and discourage people from taking out small amounts from time to time to pay for smaller bills, to discourage people from short-circuiting their investment gains.
Maximum loan amounts: Typically you’re allowed to borrow up to 50% of your vested balance in your 401(k) account, but no more than $50,000. Also keep in mind that quite often you won’t be able to borrow from your vested company matching funds, but only personally deposited and vested funds.
Payment terms: Usually 401(k) loans have a 5 year payment term, and the interest rates are usually set at prime rate plus 1%. If you’re taking out the loan to buy a home, longer terms may be available.
Fees to process your loan: Many plans will charge a fee just to process your loan – a fee anywhere from $50-100.
When taking out a 401(k) loan be sure to know what the provisions and stipulations of doing one are with your company’s 401(k). Depending on what the fees are, maximum or minimums may be, you may not want to go down that road.
Pros Of Doing A 401(k) Loan
I’m not a huge proponent of doing a 401(k) loan just because I think it short-circuits the gains you could see in your retirement account, and it carries some significant risks. That being said, there are some situations where I might consider doing one.
For example, if you’re in a situation where you’ve got a large IRS debt that you need to pay, I think a 401(k) loan might be preferable to getting in trouble with the IRS. You don’t want to go to prison. Or if you’re in danger of going into foreclosure, or losing a vehicle to repossession, you may want to consider it. Just know the risks.
Here are some reasons why a 401(k) loan can be a good thing.
Very little paperwork needed: Typically a 401(k) loan requires very little paperwork and can be done regardless of if you have an actual need. In many cases it’s as easy as making a phone call or clicking a few links in your online account. The only time you may need additional paperwork is if you’re using it for a home loan.
Paying yourself interest: When you get a loan from your bank or a credit card you’re going to be paying interest to them on the loan proceeds. With a 401(k) loan you’re paying yourself interest. Sounds like a good deal right?
Easy repayment: Quite often a 401k loan repayment comes directly out of your paycheck. That makes paying your loan back easy – it comes directly out of your paycheck so you never see the money and feel the pinch of losing it.
While I don’t typically suggest a 401(k) loan, it can be an option if you’re in a pinch and you have to pay off a pressing debt right away. There are some positives of doing one, but you also have to be aware of the significant risks – which we’ll look at next.
Cons Of Doing A 401(k) Loan
There are some considerable risks to be aware of when doing a 401(k) loan. If you’re not careful they could come back to haunt you.
Fees, fees, fees: If you’re not careful you could be losing quite a bit of money to fees. There can be loan origination fees, and in some cases annual maintenance fee. So for example, if you take out a $1000 loan, and then have a $75 origination fee and $25 maintenance fee on a 5 year loan, you would end up paying $200in fees – or 20%. That’s a steep price to pay. Be careful to know what fees your plan charges.
Defaults, penalties and taxes: If you go into default on your loan for one reason or another it will mean that the money will be taxed at your normal rate, and you’ll be charged a 10% early withdrawal penalty. That could mean a huge tax payment when it comes to tax time, something most folks may not be prepared for, especially if the money is already spent.
Money taxed twice: When you repay your 401(k) loan, you’re using post-tax money to repay it. But since the money is then going back into a pre-tax account, it will then be taxed again when a distribution is taken in retirement. Double taxation!
Moving jobs or being fired means loan comes due: If you end up deciding to move to a new job, or if you get let go from your current job, the 401(k) loan will automatically come due in full – although usually there is a grace period of 60-90 days. If you can’t pay in that time you’ll be subject to a 10% penalty and your normal tax rate just like a normal default. That can mean upwards of 35-40% in taxes and penalties. So when tax time comes, you may have a big tax bill at a time when you can least afford it!
Lost retirement gains: When you take money out of your 401(k) you’re taking away from any gains that your retirement funds may have made during the interim. The cost can be especially great if you take the money out at the bottom of the market and it isn’t returned to the account until later when the market is higher. You lose out on any gains your money may have made.
So as you can see there are a ton of cons associated with taking out a 401(k) loan. There are risks associated with the fees charged, penalties if you default or lose your job and can’t pay in full, and the lost opportunity cost of not realizing investment gains. Those are some pretty serious things to consider.
Try Considering Other Options First
My suggestion when it comes to taking out a 401(k) loan is to avoid it if you can and try other options first. What are some other options?
Try saving up an emergency fund in advance so that when you have a need for a large chunk of cash you’ve already got it saved and ready to go. That’s what I’ve done with our 12 month emergency fund – so that when big bills come due, like my recent $5000 tax bill, it wasn’t a problem because we’d planned ahead.
Another option is to open and use a Roth IRA account for your retirement savings instead. When you use a Roth, you can withdraw your Roth IRA contributions at any time without any tax penalties, so you can avoid those risks of the 401(k) loan. You’ll still be having the risk of losing out on investment gains, but at least you won’t be paying taxes or penalties.
If and when you decide to go down the road of a 401(k) loan, however, make sure that you’re doing your homework. Go run the numbers using a 401(k) loan calculator and see just what interest rates you’re actually paying. That may help you to decide if it’s actually a good deal.
Have you ever taken out a 401(k) loan? If so, how did it turn out, did you pay it all back, or did you face paying taxes and penalties? Tell us your 401k loan experience in the comments.
This May, you’ll find plenty of deals on household upgrades like cookware, bedding and home decor. Below, we listed some of our favorite sales and deals of the week and included items from brands we’ve recommended in the past, personal favorites or bestsellers. Note that there may be a limited time offer on certain pieces.
Brooklinen: 25% off sitewide during its annual Birthday Sale event through 5/8
Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set
Experts recommended this sheet set from Brooklinen in our guide to bed sheets because they’re soft and cooling. Designed for hot sleepers, this set is made from 100% long-staple cotton material and has a 270 thread count weave. They’re machine-washable and can be put in the dryer on a low setting. They’re available in six of Brooklinen’s signature styles, including solid white and a striped pattern, as well as five limited edition styles like toffee brown and basil green.
Our Place: Up to 25% off bestselling cookware, tableware and more through 5/15
Our Place Home Cook Duo
One of our favorite cookware sets and my personal favorite holiday gift to give my loved ones, the Home Cook Duo from Select reader-favorite brand Our Place comes with the brand’s Always Pan 2.0 and Perfect Pot. The two items are both designed with a nontoxic, nonstick ceramic coating and an aluminum body for even heat distribution . Both pieces of cookware come with lids, beechwood spatula and spoon, built-in spoon rests and pour spouts. The pot and pan are oven-safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and 450 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively.
Rifle Paper Co.: Up to 20% off sitewide using code TREAT20 when you spend $50 or more through 4/28
Rifle Paper Co. Spiral Notebook
Rifle Paper Co. is a favorite among the Select staff for planners, notebooks, calendars and other stationery. In fact, I use this spiral notebook from the brand to jot down my thoughts and to-do lists daily. The brand offers several colorful floral designs with gold foil accents. It has 150 ruled pages, a double-spiral binding and pockets to store papers to store extra papers.
Crane & Canopy: Up to 60% off bedding, bath and home decor through 5/2
Crane & Canopy Fouta Bath Sheet
Crane & Canopy’s Fouta Bath Sheet is one of our favorite 100% Turkish cotton towels. The towel is lightweight, quick-drying and machine-washable. It’s designed with a fringe border and a loop you can use to hang the towel up after use. The Fouta Bath Sheet comes in striped or dot patterns and you can purchase it in coral, blue or yellow.
Sur La Table: Up to 25% off one item using code SAVE25
Silpat Cookie Sheet Baking Mat
One of our favorite silicone baking mats, Silpat makes silicone baking mats specifically for macarons and cookies, as well as molds for muffins, scones and more. The brand offers rectangular mats sized to fit quarter-, half-, ¾- and full-sheet pans, as well as round and octagonal options. Made from food-grade silicone and reinforced with a flexible glass weave, this baking mat is dishwasher-safe and oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Vitruvi: Up to 35% off sitewide through 5/15
Vitruvi Stone Diffuser
This essential oil diffuser is my favorite sleep accessory — most nights, I add a few drops of my favorite oils (typically lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint) into the device’s water reservoir and let it disperse into the air through a fine, cool mist. With a matte ceramic cover, the diffuser is sleek enough to double as an attractive piece of home decor, and it comes in a variety of fun colors like Eucalyptus, Terracotta and Sky. The mist can be continuously dispersed in a four- or eight-hour period and is able to scent rooms up to 500 square feet, according to the brand.
Tushy: 20% off bidets using code SPRINGSPRAY through 4/30
Tushy Spa 3.0 Bidet
The Classic 3.0 Spa Bidet from Tushy, one of our favorite bidet brands, attaches to your toilet seat and lets you wash with a turn of a knob. You can choose between several knob materials, including bamboo, platinum and bronze, and colors like blue, black and pink. The bidet also comes with an angle adjuster to ensure you’re washing the right spots, and includes the brand’s Smart Spray technology that self-cleans the nozzles before and after each use, according to the brand.
Birthdate: Up to 25% off sitewide through 5/14
Birthdate Mother’s Day Bundle
Birthdate makes some of our favorite gifts, and this Mother’s Day Bundle from the brand can help celebrate your mother figure in a unique way. The bundle comes with a personalized Birthdate Candle, an all-natural soy and coconut wax blend with a unique fragrance for every day of the year, and the Birthdate Pendant, which is a custom-made gold necklace with astrology-based gemstones and crystals.
Ban.do: Up to 20% off sitewide using code TAKE20 through 5/2
Baggu Reusable Bags
Ban.do discounted several items from Baggu, one of Select editor Lindsay Schneider’s favorite brands. She says the brand’s reusable nylon bags are a constant in her life because they’re extremely lightweight and available in a range of fun, bright patterns. They can also fold into themselves, so you can easily keep them on hand for last-minute grocery or shopping trips.
Truff: 25% off sitewide using code MOTHERSDAY through May 3
Truff Best Sellers Pack
Truff makes some of my favorite hot sauces and I love gifting this Best Sellers Pack to friends and family who have yet to try the brand. The set includes some of the brand’s bestselling products, including its signature black truffle and white truffle hot sauces and its black truffle oil. The items are packaged in a matte black box with gold foil detailing, so it also makes a great gift.
Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
Last Updated on February 24, 2022 by Mark Ferguson
Rental properties can be a great investment if they bring in cash flow and are bought below market value. I bought 16 rental properties from the end of 2010 to the middle of 2015. I stopped buying rentals in my market because prices increased so much that it became very tough to cash flow. I bought my properties well below market value, and prices in my area (Colorado) increased tremendously. I put a lot of thought into whether I should sell the properties, keep them, or refinance them. So when does it make sense to sell your rental?
I decided to sell a couple of properties, refinance a few more, and keep the rest as they were. The reason I decided to sell some of my properties was I had $100,000 of equity in some of them but was only making $500 per month. That means I was making about 6% cash-on-cash returns on my equity (I was making much more on my initial investment since it took around $30,000 to buy each house). Even though I was making close to 20% on the money I had initially invested, I could make much more by taking my equity out and buying more houses.
Should you sell your rental properties if they are not making you any money?
My readers and podcast listeners constantly ask me when or if they should sell their properties. Many people are not making very much money on their rentals but have a lot of equity. Here is an example:
The house is worth $200,000
The house rents for $1,500 per month
The investor has a loan of $125,000 against the house
The payments are $1,100 per month
On the surface, it looks like this rental is making $400 per month, which is great. However, the investor has not accounted for any maintenance or vacancy expenses. Those expenses usually add up to 10 to 20% of the rents every month, which would equal another $150 to $300 in expenses. The investor is only making a couple of hundred dollars per month on this rental but has $75,000 of equity in the property. That is only a 3% return on your money. There are other advantages to rental properties, like depreciating the property, equity pay down, and increasing rents. However, which opportunities are the investor missing by keeping the property and all that money tied up? I think the investor should sell the property and invest the money in more houses or apartments.
If you sold this property, you would not be able to keep all the equity. There would be selling costs and taxes you have to pay unless you do a 1031 exchange. The selling costs could end up being 6 to 10% of the cost of the house. If the house sells for $200,000, that would be $12,000 to $20,000. Taxes on the sale of a rental property would most likely be 15 or 20% depending on which tax bracket you are in. You only pay the taxes on the profit you made on the property and any recaptured depreciation. We will assume the investor bought the property for $150,000 a few years ago, which means they would pay around $6,000 in taxes. That leaves the investor with about $50,000 in cash to play with if they do not do a 1031 exchange, which could reduce the taxes to nothing.
How much more money could an investor make?
Rental properties can be expensive, which is one of their downfalls. With $50,000, you could buy a better-performing rental property that generates more money. Not only could you buy a rental that generates more money, but you could also buy the property below market value, which will make up for all that money you lost selling the other property. Here is an example:
Buy a property for $100,000 that needs $10,000 in work
Put $20,000 down on the property, with a house payment around $600
Repair the property and rent it out for $1,200 per month
If you bought the property correctly, it should be worth at least $140,000
You now have a house with $60,000 in equity (almost as much as you had before). You are making more money every month. You even have $15,000 in cash leftover ($20,000 down payment, $10,000 in repairs, $5,000 for miscellaneous costs).
Some of you may not think this is an awesome deal, but you have more cash in your pocket that can be used to buy additional rentals in the future. You also have a property that generates much better income every month. If you have some extra money to buy a second property right away, the equity and cash flow would double, and the investor would be much better off. If you have a property with more equity than my example, you would buy more rentals right off the bat without using any extra cash and be way better off as well. If you are trying to decide whether you should keep or sell some of your rental properties, analyze how much cash you could get from them and how much you could make with that money.
What did I do with my rental properties?
I got really good deals on all of my rentals, and our market took off in Colorado. I had properties that I bought for $100,000, put $20,000 of work into, rented out for $1,3000 a month, and are now worth $220,000. I had properties with $120,000 in equity but were only generating $7,000 per year. I was making 6% on my money, which is good for some investors but not what I am used to from investing in real estate. I always wanted to make at least 15% cash-on-cash return on my rentals. I knew I wanted to make more money, but I was not sure how. I ended up refinancing some properties, selling a couple and keeping others as they were.
I refinanced properties because I could take cash out of them and still make money. In the example I first used for the investor with a $200,000 house, he could have refinanced as well. You can usually refinance a house at 75% of what it is worth. The investor could have taken a loan out for $150,000 on the $200,000 house and had payments around $1,100 per month after taxes and insurance. If you are wondering why that payment is the same as the payment I used for the $125,000 loan balance above, I assumed the investor had the loan for a while and the original balance was $150,000 at a higher interest rate than we have now. When you refinance a house, you have to pay closing costs again, which can add up to 3% of the loan amount, or $4,500 in this example. By refinancing, the investor would get $20,000 back in cash with a similar payment as he had before. That is not a bad deal, but I do not know if $20,000 is enough to buy another rental. If so, the investor may be better off refinancing than selling.
I had more equity in my properties than in the example we used. I was able to take out anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 in cash from many of my rentals and still make decent cash flow. By refinancing my properties and selling a couple of other ones, I was able to get all the money back out that I had used to buy my 16 properties, and I was still making $7,000 per month from them. I sold the properties that were the least desirable to me and kept the ones I liked.
How do you buy new rental properties if there are no good rentals in your area?
The problem I ran into when I wanted to sell my properties and buy more rentals was I could not find good rentals in my market. Prices had increased, but rents had not increased nearly as much. I had to use much more cash to buy houses because prices were high, but I made less money on that cash. I decided to stop buying properties in my area and look in other markets. I went to Florida and found good rentals, but I ended up not buying any properties there. Instead, I started to flip more houses, and that is where I invested my money. I have historically flipped from 5 to 10 houses per year, but in the last three years, I flipped 12 and 18, and this year I will come close to flipping 30 houses. I want to buy more rentals. In fact, I have a goal to buy 100 properties. I am not going to buy bad investments to reach that goal, so I have switched directions with my investing. If I find the ideal place to buy rentals or my market changes, I will be set up to invest a lot of money into rentals thanks to the flipping business. You can watch the video below to hear more about investing in expensive markets.
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I have not bought any residential rental properties since 2015, but I bought two commercial properties this year and have two more under contract to buy. Commercial properties are completely different from residential ones but can be great investments as well. I bought a small shop for my flipping supplies earlier this year, and I just bought a 7,500-square-foot commercial property that I will write about later this week. Not only can you buy different types of rentals when prices are too high in your area, but you can also buy out-of-state rentals or even turn-key rentals.
Should you sell your rental property if you are not making any money on it?
Many people buy rental properties without any cash flow, hoping to make money through appreciation. Some people end up being accidental landlords when they turn a property into a rental because they could not sell it. I think, in both instances, owning a rental that does not generate any money is very risky. Betting on appreciation is tough because of all the selling costs we talked about, and if you are not making any money, it makes it tough to get a new loan on properties. I would suggest getting rid of rentals that don’t make any money and focusing on investments that do. This advice assumes you are not ultra rich and have so much money that you do not care if a property makes money or not.
Conclusion
Many investors have seen their properties go up in value over the last few years. It is tough to know what to do with all that equity. Should you leave it and let it earn a small return? Should you refinance? Should you sell? I chose to do all three, and it has worked out well. I do not want to max out the loans on every property I own because it would hurt cash flow and be risky. I also do not want to leave unused equity in my properties. I sold some properties to take advantage of the hot market and clean out some of my poorly performing assets. If you are thinking of selling some rentals, run the numbers to see how much money you would get, see what properties or other investments you could put that money in, and maybe selling will make sense. If you would like me to look over the numbers of your rental property for you, you can post them on the InvestFourMore Insider.
While your neighbor’s home loan may be none of your business, how they choose to finance their property can affect your home’s value.
A new Home Value Forecast Update from Teck Valuation Services revealed that areas where homeowners took out high loan-to-value (LTV) loans experienced larger home price declines.
Zero Down Palmdale
For example, in Palmdale, California, a city about 60 miles (by car) north of Los Angeles, the average LTV was approximately 94% from 2000 to 2012. And since home prices peaked there around 2006, they’ve fallen by more than 60%.
Put simply, in areas where homeowners took out high LTV loans, there was much less incentive to stick around once home prices began to fall.
Additionally, homeowners may have had difficulty keeping up with payments, as many of the high-LTV loans carried expensive second mortgages with interest rates in the double-digits.
This led to a downward spiral as more and more homeowners missed payments and/or walked away, with little or no home equity to keep them invested.
Established Arcadia
Conversely, in areas where LTVs were lower, home price declines tended to be much more muted, as was the case with Arcadia, CA, which is closer to the urban center of Los Angeles.
There, the average LTV was below 70% for the same period, and home prices only experienced a “very shallow decline” in 2008-2009 before bouncing back to all-time highs.
As you can see, the spread between mortgage amount and average sold price was a lot wider in Arcadia, and seemed to have peaked in the first quarter of 2013.
In other words, the chances of these homeowners walking away were pretty slim, even if home prices declined by a sizable amount. At worst, they could still sell if they couldn’t keep up with payments anymore.
Where Are the Good Homeowners?
While it’s not necessarily easy to tell where homeowners take out higher-risk mortgages, there are some clues.
Many of the newly-built neighborhoods offered up by the big publicly traded home builders tend to tout all types of creative financing to get prospective homeowners in the door.
So if you’re getting a great deal on financing with very little or nothing down and all kinds of tax breaks, your neighbor probably is too.
And if the entire neighborhood is relying on that type of financing, a sudden reversal in home prices could wreak havoc on everyone involved.
However, if you purchase a home in an established neighborhood with mostly older residents that appear to have lived there for a long time, chances are the LTVs are a lot lower, assuming they didn’t go nuts cashing out over the years.
Unfortunately, these neighborhoods tend to be in desirable parts of town, which are often priced much higher than surrounding areas.
Clearly there’s no guarantee to what your neighbors might do when it comes to financing, but finding a home in an older and more affluent neighborhood could provide a buffer if the economy tanks again and home prices get hit.
Sure, the potential upside might be more limited in an area that’s already established, but do you really want to gamble on a home purchase?
Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further
Most of us have heard it before — newly released data on the net worth of CEOs well into the millions, or even billions.
Take Jeff Bezos for example, whose net worth is estimated to be roughly $144 billion as of October 2022. As you may suspect, that’s certainly not representative of most Americans’ wealth. In fact, the average net worth by age in the United States is $746,820, though many argue that median net worth by age — which is $121,760 — paints a more useful picture.
So what is net worth? Net worth is a calculation used to gauge your overall financial health, but it’s a benchmark that tends to uncover more questions than answers. What does net worth mean, what factors determine its value, and what is a “good” net worth by age, anyway?
Here, we’ll unpack the average net worth by age in America, learn how to calculate your net worth, and reveal how to increase net worth so that you can set — and achieve — your personal finance goals.
Key Findings
The average net worth by age in America is $746,820.
The median net worth by age in America is $121,760.
Net worth is calculated by subtracting the total value of your debts from the total value of your assets.
Average Net Worth by Age
Age
Average Net Worth (Mean)
Younger than 35
$76,340
35–44
$437,770
45–54
$833,790
55–64
$1,176,520
65–74
$1,215,920
75 or Older
$958,450
Source: Federal Reserve
The average net worth by age in America is $746,820, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2020 Survey of Consumer Finances, which includes data from 2016 to 2019.
It may come as no surprise to learn that older Americans tend to have a greater average net worth than younger Americans. After all, their financial assets have had years — if not decades — to appreciate in value. Average net worth by age peaks somewhere between 65 and 74 years. This is also roughly the age when most Americans retire. At age 75 and older, when sources of income tend to be fixed, average net worth begins to decrease.
Median Net Worth By Age
Age
Median Net Worth
Younger than 35
$14,000
35–44
$91,110
45–54
$168,800
55–64
$213,150
65–74
$266,070
75 or Older
$254,900
Source: Federal Reserve
The median net worth by age in America is $121,760, approximately a 17 percent increase from the previous survey conducted in 2016. The median — or middle number in a set of data — is the halfway point between the largest and smallest net worth.
Median values tend to be less affected by outlier data points — like the net worth of billionaires — than averages. For that reason, some argue that median net worth offers a clearer picture of and benchmark for wealth in America.
What Does Net Worth Mean?
What is net worth, and what does it mean? Your net worth is your total assets minus your liabilities. In simple terms, it’s the cost of everything you own after subtracting your debts.
It can be dangerous to measure your financial health solely by what you earn, especially since you might not save or use your income towards investments. Your net worth will keep you in check, allowing you to be cognizant of your worth and how much you should be saving until you reach retirement.
What Net Worth is Considered “Rich?”
You may wonder what net worth qualifies as “wealthy” in America — and how far off you are. According to a 2022 survey, Americans consider an average net worth of $2.2 million to be “wealthy.” However, perception of wealth may look very different at the state and city levels, as average household income and cost of living tend to fluctuate dramatically based on geographic location.
For example, people who live in Denver say that an average net worth of $2.2 million is enough to be considered wealthy, whereas people in San Francisco say that you’d need more than double that amount —- an average net worth of $5.1 million.
How to Calculate Net Worth
1. Add Up Your Assets
The first step to calculating your net worth is adding up the total value of your assets. This includes the current market value of your investment accounts, retirement savings, home(s), vehicle(s), items of significant value (art, jewelry, furniture, etc.), and the cash value of your checking, savings accounts, and insurance policies.
2. Add Up Your Debts
Next, you’ll want to add up the total value of any debts you owe. This includes your mortgage(s), car loan(s), student loans, personal loans, credit card debt, and any other form of debt.
3. Subtract Your Debts From Your Assets
Once you subtract your debts from your assets, the resulting value is considered your personal net worth. Your total could result in a positive net worth or a negative net worth.
Don’t panic if you find yourself in the negative net worth category. It’s normal for young professionals fresh out of high school or college to have low or negative net worth, especially if they’re still paying down student loans, recently purchased a home, or are just starting a plan to build their savings.
What is a “Good” Net Worth By Age?
Your age plays a significant role in calculating your net worth, especially as you get closer to retirement age. To help you understand how you stack up, we took a look at the average and median net worth of every age group to reveal what you should aim for at each milestone.
Average Net Worth by Age 35
Your 30s should be mostly devoted to laying your financial foundation so that you can achieve your desired net worth by retirement. At this age, it’s important to set a budget for you and your family, and stick to it.
The Benchmark
The average net worth for families in the U.S. under the age of 35 is $76,340, where the median net worth is $14,000; a helpful reminder that the average can be easily distorted by a small percentage of the wealthiest Americans. With the average student loan debt at about $35,000 per person, it’s no wonder why people might have a lower net worth in their 30s.
How to Increase Net Worth
Your 30s are a perfect time to set yourself up for a bright financial future — even if your net worth is still relatively low. If you haven’t started already, consider contributing to your retirement at this point, especially if your employer offers a company match to your 401(k) or 403(b).
A goal to aim for is to have the equivalent of half your annual salary saved in your retirement account by the time you’re 30, but don’t worry if you’re not there yet. At this time in your life, it’s most common to focus on making progress on paying back your debt, which can lead you towards financial security.
Average Net Worth by Age 45
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The Benchmark
The average net worth for American families ages 35 to 44 is $437,770, and the median net worth is $91,110. This demonstrates a natural progression as Americans begin to spend time in their careers, making higher salaries than those they earned fresh out of high school or college. They’ve had ten years at that point to pay down some debt, and perhaps save for the purchase of a first home.
How to Increase Net Worth
By the time that you’re in your 40s, your goal is to have a net worth of two times your annual salary. For example, if your salary is $75,000 in your 30s, you should aim to have a net worth of $150,000 by the time you’re 40 years old.
It’s common for people in their 40s to increase their net worth by investing in real estate and continuing to grow their retirement savings. Owning a home is an asset that could greatly increase your net worth since it can appreciate over time.
Average Net Worth by Age 55
By your 50s, you should begin to see significant progress made toward your net worth based on real estate investments, contributions to your retirement plan, and other investments. By the time you’re 50, your goal should be a net worth of four times your annual salary. For example, if you’re currently making $90,000 per year, your net worth should be at $360,000.
The Benchmark
The average net worth for Americans between the ages of 45 and 54 is $833,790, while the median net worth is $168,800.
How to Increase Net Worth
At this point, consider becoming more aggressive when it comes to building your net worth. To do this, consider maxing out your 401(k), meaning that you contribute as much as is legally allowed. And, if you haven’t already, this may be a good time to contribute to an IRA, an account that allows you to save for retirement with tax-free growth or on a tax-deferred basis.
If you have children, you may also want to consider contributing to a 529 college savings plan, a tax-advantaged savings plan for education costs, but make sure to prioritize your retirement first.
Average Net Worth by Age 65
In your 60s, your goal is to have a net worth of roughly six times your salary. For example, if your salary is $120,000, you should aim to have a net worth of $720,000. At this point in your life, your net worth will help you understand how much wealth you’ll have once it’s time to retire — and how early you can.
The Benchmark
The average net worth for Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 is $1,176,520, while the median net worth is $213,150, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve.
How to Increase Net Worth
To help you reach your goals, you may want to begin thinking about how you can lower your cost of living and capitalize on your investments. If you live in a house, but no longer need all of the space, could you consider downsizing? No need to make any immediate decisions, but with retirement only a few years away, you’ll want to begin looking at how you are going to benefit from your investments.
You’ll also want to consider purchasing disability insurance dependent on your health and genetics. If you’re unable to work during these final years leading up to retirement, disability insurance can help replace the income that you lost without decreasing your net worth.
Average Net Worth by Retirement
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By the time you’re ready to retire, you should aim to have a net worth of roughly six times your annual salary.
While it’s impossible to know exactly how many years following retirement you’ll need to plan for, it’s one of the many reasons it’s so important to start saving as early as possible. It can even lead to some deferring retirement and working beyond the normal retirement age.
The Benchmark
The average net worth for Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 is $1,215,920, however, the median net worth is $266,070.
Use the resources that you built throughout your life to fund retirement. You’ll also want to consider what age you want to start receiving your Social Security since the longer you delay it, the more your monthly income will be.
How to Increase Net Worth
From investments to saving, there are many ways to increase your net worth. Once you calculate your current net worth, use these general tips to help set you up for success by the time you retire:
Cut Expenses: The less that you’re spending, the more that you’re growing your net worth. See if there are bills or spending habits that you can reduce. Even if it’s only a few dollars, you’d be surprised by how much that can add to your net worth over the years.
Reduce Debt: Your debt is what could be holding you back from growing your wealth, and with high interest rates, it could be taking longer than expected. Making higher monthly payments or consolidating payments could help reduce your debt faster.
Pay Off Your Mortgage: Owning a home can become your biggest asset, so paying it off will help increase your net worth.
Make Investments. It may not be ideal to just let your money sit in savings. Consider investing part of your paycheck with a goal to reap the benefits when you reach retirement age.
Max Out Retirement Contributions: Make the most of tax-advantaged retirement plans even in your lower-earning years. If you start investing now, your net worth may increase at a much faster pace.
Set Goals: It may sound simple, but it’s easy to become passive about investing in the future if you don’t have hard goals set in place. Create a plan as to how you’re going to grow your net worth over the next 10, 20, or even 30 years — and stick to it.
Once you make a plan to build your net worth, check in with yourself and calculate how you’re pacing against your goals on a regular basis. And, before making a big purchase or an investment, keep this number in mind to make sure you’re making the right financial move.
Ready to start achieving your financial goals? Sign up for a free account today and let us help you get there.
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Interest Rate for Series I Savings Bonds Falls to 4.3%. Here’s What it Means
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Gone are the days of series I savings bonds paying almost 7% in interest. The U.S. Treasury announced Friday that the inflation-protected bonds would start paying investors 4.3% on May 1, down from the 6.89% that they’ve paid out over the last six months.
Since they were first introduced in 1998, series I savings bonds – also known as I bonds – have helped investors keep pace with inflation. They’ve especially come in handy in recent years, as inflation has reached levels not seen since the early-1980s. Here’s what you need to know about I bonds and Friday’s interest rate adjustment.
A financial advisor can help you determine whether I bonds or other inflation-protected securities are right for your portfolio. Find an advisor today.
About I Bond Interest Rates
An I bond’s interest rate is calculated using two separate rates – a fixed rate and an inflation rate. While the former stays the same for the duration of the bond, the inflation rate changes every six months. That’s because the latter is linked to the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
As a result, when inflation increases, like it has in recent years, I bonds pay out more interest. When inflation falls, they pay out less.
On Friday, the Treasury raised the fixed interest rate for I bonds from 0.40% to 0.90% but dropped the semiannual inflation rate to 1.69%. This resulted in a combined interest rate of 4.3% for newly issued bonds.
Keep in mind that an I bond’s combined rate is calculated in two steps. First, the fixed rate is added to double the semiannual inflation rate. Next, the fixed rate gets multiplied by the semi-annual inflation rate. The two sums are then added together, resulting in the combined interest rate of an I bond. Here’s the formula:
[Fixed rate + (2 x semiannual inflation rate) + (fixed rate x semiannual inflation rate)]
What Falling Rates Mean
As inflation has climbed in recent years – peaking at 9.1% in summer 2022 – so did I bond interest rates. But as inflation continues to fall, the same will happen for I bond yields.
Friday’s rate adjustment comes one year after I bonds were paying investors a whopping 9.62%. In November, the Treasury raised the fixed rate from 0% to 0.40% but lowered the inflation rate to 3.24%. That brought the combined rate down to 6.89%.
While Friday’s adjustment results in lower overall interest rates, the fixed rate is now at its highest point since November 2007 (1.20%). Keep in mind that if the inflation rate increases again in another six months, those who purchase I bonds now will stand to benefit because their bonds will continue to pay out 0.90% in fixed interest plus the higher interest rate.
Bottom Line
Series I savings bonds or I bonds are inflation-protected debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury. The bonds, which were previously paying 6.89%, will begin paying out 4.3% on May 1, the Treasury announced Friday. However, those who buy I bonds now will lock in a 0.90% fixed rate – the highest it’s been since 2007.
Tips for Managing Inflation
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are another low-risk investment that can help soften the blow of inflation. Instead of the interest rate rising and falling with inflation, the principal of a TIPS bond increases with inflation. This differentiates TIPS from I bonds, whose interest rate is linked to inflation.
A financial advisor can help you invest in I bonds, TIPS and other assets to protect your portfolio from rampant inflation. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Patrick Villanova, CEPF®
Patrick Villanova is a writer for SmartAsset, covering a variety of personal finance topics, including retirement and investing. Before joining SmartAsset, Patrick worked as an editor at The Jersey Journal. His work has also appeared on NJ.com and in The Star-Ledger. Patrick is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he studied English and developed his love of writing. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, trying out new recipes in the kitchen and watching his beloved New York sports teams. A New Jersey native, he currently lives in Jersey City.
As parents, we all want the best for our children — from the best nutrition to keep them strong, healthy, and sharp, to catering to their safety and giving them all the things that keep them happy and peaceful. We want them to sleep as tight and peaceful as they can and wake up brimming with energy for the day.
So the question is, how do you make your kid’s bedroom as peaceful and safe as it can be?
There are plenty of ways to do so, but one of the best among them is to soundproof their room. It’s basically keeping internal and external noise from distracting our kids while they sleep, play, read, or do whatever they please in their territory.
The best thing about this is that soundproofing is easy to do. And cheap! If you’re looking to improve your kid’s bedroom’s soundproofing, here are 6 easy ways to do so.
#1 Install soundproof art panels on the walls
You can turn to soundproof art panels for help, both for soundproofing and for interior design needs.
These stylish panels are made with sound absorbing and soundproofing materials to control noise from entering and leaving your kid’s bedroom. They also come in different colors and styles, so you’ll have plenty of options for panels that match the interior of your child’s bedroom.
Fortunately, there are soundproof art panels readily available on Amazon. But if you’re picky about the style of the art panel you’re installing, you can opt for custom-made panels instead.
They’re as easy to install, maintain, and remove as acoustic foam panels, so you won’t run into any problems when placing these soundproofing aids in the bedroom.
#2 Get a white noise machine
If you’re looking for the easiest and instant way to block noise completely from your kid’s bedroom, a white noise machine is the solution you’re looking for.
A white noise machine drowns the distracting noises for your kids by producing sounds that make them subconsciously ignore all other distracting sounds and noises. As a result, white noise can help your child get a peaceful good night sleep you’re looking for.
However, you must use a white noise machine with caution. Use it only when the situation calls for it, say when a sudden loud commotion erupted outside during your kid’s sleeping time.
When you use them to comfort your kids during their sleep, they’ll develop the habit of relying to white noise to drift to sleep. Not to mention that other children don’t respond well to white noise. Some may actually prefer a little noise playing in the background as assurance that they’re not alone at home.
You can check out this guide to learn when to stop white noise for babies.
#3 Double-glaze the windows
Double glazing your windows means placing one more windowpane, separated by a vacuum or gas-filled space.
Not only does this add some soundproofing for the bedroom, but it also improves the overall insulation of the room. The extra glass layer traps heat from coming in and out, saving you from relying too much on the air conditioner during the summer or the heater in the winter. Soundproofing and savings off the electricity bill, all in one go.
The only downside to this is the remodeling needed to install the new layer of glass window panes. You’ll also need to spend a little more on the installation.
You can also hang soundproof curtains to adore your new double glazed windows. These curtains are made with tightly-woven fabric to help keep noise out.
#4 Lay more rugs or carpets on the floor
Children are just full of energy. They love to run, jump, and play around in their bedroom whenever they feel like it, and that’s a good thing.
Well, except when their bedrooms’ on the second floor and you can’t concentrate on what you’re doing with all the thumping on the ceiling. Or when it’s the middle of the night and you suddenly hear lively footsteps and thumping in their bedroom.
In that case, you need more rugs or carpets in your child’s bedroom. These can help deaden the noise produced by the thumping, especially if their bedroom is made of hardwood or vinyl. The thicker the rug is, the more noise it can absorb, so feel free to layer those rugs on the floor.
Rugs and carpets can also add more security to your kid’s health while they’re playing in their room. When they accidentally stumble, fall, or trip, the thick rugs or carpets can serve as a cushion for their bodies, lessening the impact of the fall.
#5 Soundproof your doors
Noise from other rooms can still sneak through your door, even when it’s tightly shut. Those small gaps are more than enough for noise to penetrate, so you need to fill them up too. You can do this through weatherstripping.
The most common type of weatherstrip used for soundproofing doors is adhesive-backed foam type. They’re easy to install – you just measure how long you need, remove the adhesive, and stick it around your door frame where the gaps are located.
If you’ve got the budget to spare, and you’re already planning to do some remodeling, you can replace your hollow-core door with solid ones, preferably those made with 27.5-inches-thick wood.
You can also paint your new door with a plywood coat or soundproofing paint to make the bedroom door perfectly fit for soundproofing.
#6 Place more soft furniture in the bedroom
We don’t want our kids to play in their bedroom only to get hurt by bumping into corners of the furniture. But the lack of furniture in their room allows noise to keep roaming around since there are no surfaces to deflect them around.
To fill the white space in your room, provide more surfaces for noise to deflect around, and prevent your kids from getting injuries, soft furniture items are your best friends.
Fluffy, overstuffed sofas, bean bags, and other soft furniture also help balance the ratio of hard and soft surfaces in their bedroom.
More tips for homeowners
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