If you don't work, I wouldn't pay it off unless your spouse's job is super secure. Keep in mind that higher paying jobs take a lot longer to replace than lower paying ones. Took my DH 9 months and even then it was a slight paycut. Thank goodness we had a ton of savings because I was home with a newborn at the time.

OP, do you own a home? If so, get a home equity line that you could access if your partner becomes unemployed and you exhaust your savings before he finds a new job. Then focus on paying off the student loans. Of course, do not access the home equity line for any reason other than prolonged unemployment.

Beat you all... my consolidated interest rate is 7.5%:'( consolidated in 1999 back when no one ever thought rates would get lower

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, you should pay it off aggressively, and prioritize this over saving anything. You are not going to get anywhere near a guaranteed 6.8 percent return from any investment you could make.

+1 this is my plan as well. Been paying $2000 a month on the student loans for about a year and will be done in September 2014 (started with $105k and I'm now 41). I'm maxing out my 401k and have my emergency fund, but that's it. It stinks, but the goal is short term and worth it to me to be able to say I paid them off. Once paid off I will put $500 into 2 529 plans and my Roth, and $500 into a general savings account.

Keep it up!!! You are almost done!!

OP here. Were you the OP from a different thread? If you are, you're the reason I even started thinking about this!

I'm not. Just another indebted overly educated DC parent trying to dig myself out of debt. I graduated from my masters when I was 29. I'm finally making enough money to breath and for the last two years all raises go directly to the student loans. I'm so happy I am taking an aggressive position on this payback, mostly because once they are paid off I can really focus on my DCs college savings so they won't have o do what I did. Good luck! Short term hardships will result in huge long term gains in terms of interest not bring paid. (Btw- my interest rate is 5.5% with no chance to refinance).

Anonymous wrote:What would Suze Orman say? I think she would say pay off the loan. You have enough in savings unless your partner's job is iffy.

The job does not seen to be iffy. Just had a review and it went well. I think we will do a 3 yr plan. Thanks All!