How would you pay for these things?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We can pay cash for car purchases if we wish - as you can see from the above posts, we are conservative and diligent about saving. We thought (and still think) it made more sense to use the HELOC.

Why? It makes no sense to pay X% interest when you could pay no interest. Stable investments are bringing so little that whatever interest you are paying on the HELOC is likely higher, so the opportunity costs for the $$ are basically nonexistent.

I don't see why you would want to keep the debt.

As for the marital property point, it makes sense to keep it separate if you are thinking that might be an issue. I'm not in the boat so it would not weigh with me. I'd want out from under the debt because no financial planner worth his salt will tell you it is better to have a mortgage deduction than to own your home free and clear.

[Anonymous]

How do you have 1.4 million saved on a $180k salary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you have 1.4 million saved on a $180k salary?

OP here. Diligence, I suppose. We have maxed out our 401(k) contributions since we first started saving for retirement. Also, we contribute to IRAs when we can, and DH contributed more pre-tax money for a time via "catch-up" contributions after he turned 50.

We are 55 and 51.

[Anonymous]

Wow, OP. First of all, kudos on all that savings. That's amazing.

Secondly, seriously, you would keep the inheritance in your name only? If I were your husband, I would consider that *grounds* for divorce, not insurance in case of divorce!

My DH and I are in our early 40's, married less than a year, and if he got an inheritance even 1% of that and wanted to keep it in his name only, I'd feel appalled and betrayed. We're a *family*. It's family money! But you guys have two teenagers and (presumably) over a decade of marriage behind you. Even if things had been rocky at times, won't this make things even rockier between you two, as if you are planning divorce rather than planning a future together?

Think of it this way: at most, you might lose $65K of the inheritance to your DH. But if you don't share it, aren't you setting a precedent which could cost you much more?

[Anonymous]

How old are you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are you

nevermind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, OP. First of all, kudos on all that savings. That's amazing.

Secondly, seriously, you would keep the inheritance in your name only? If I were your husband, I would consider that *grounds* for divorce, not insurance in case of divorce!

My DH and I are in our early 40's, married less than a year, and if he got an inheritance even 1% of that and wanted to keep it in his name only, I'd feel appalled and betrayed. We're a *family*. It's family money! But you guys have two teenagers and (presumably) over a decade of marriage behind you. Even if things had been rocky at times, won't this make things even rockier between you two, as if you are planning divorce rather than planning a future together?

Think of it this way: at most, you might lose $65K of the inheritance to your DH. But if you don't share it, aren't you setting a precedent which could cost you much more?

I kind of agree with this, though realize that their are other emotional aspects at play (full disclosure: I brought some money into my marriage that has remained in my name in large part because doing so has enabled me psychologically to handle being mommy tracked, so I understand the desire to maintain some of it in your own name / maintain control over it.)

That said I would at least consider moving some portion of it into joint investments. So for example I would NOT pay for repairs out of your joint emergency fund while investing the inheritance in your own name. Rather I would 'give' your husband some of your inheritance by using that money to pay for joint items - you can always invest the emergency funds. So it's not materially different in terms of the end result (home improvements are paid for, X$ are invested), but it would put at least a good faith portion of the inheritance into your husbands name as well, and I think that would be a big emotional positive, even if you don't want to fully transfer the entire investment into joint accounts.