Jessica L. Bost, CFP®, RICP®, AIF®’s Post

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🚨 Debt: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 🚨 “Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.” - Benjamin Franklin 💭 What comes to mind when you hear the word "debt"? For some, debt has been a tool for moving forward:🏠 Starting a business, buying a home, or expanding opportunities. For others, it’s been an anchor, keeping them from moving forward. 😓 So, what makes the difference? 🤔 Let’s break it down ⬇️ Good Debt 💡 Debt that can *increase* your future net worth. Think mortgages or a business loans – you invest in something that can grow in value over time. 📈 For example: 🏡 Buy a home for $350,000 with a 30-year mortgage with a 5% interest rate, paying around $675,000 in total. If that home appreciates to $1 million+ at the end of 30 years, your initial debt worked *for* you, not against you. 👏 Bad Debt 🚩 This kind of debt *decreases* your net worth. Swipe your credit card for a fancy dinner you can’t afford? 🍽️ The value of that meal disappears the moment you leave the restaurant. The Gray Zone 🌫️ Debt that *depends* - on you and on the circumstances. For example: Last year, my family planned a ski trip. 🏔️ It wasn’t cheap, and we didn’t want to dip into savings. So, we used credit wisely: ✅ Broke up expenses into manageable chunks that we paid for - with credit cards - ahead of time ✅ Paid off each month's credit card purchases prior to the trip ✅ Walked into that trip with no financial anxiety – just memories in the making ✨ Ugly Debt 😬 Debt that preys on people’s emotions and financial insecurities. Think high-interest rates, unmanageable payments, and buy-now-pay-later schemes that seem "helpful" but end up being traps. 📉 High-interest debt is often targeted at those who can’t afford it, leading to more financial stress and even mental health struggles. 👉 If you're feeling overwhelmed by unmanageable debt, remember: 1️⃣ There is *always* a way forward. 2️⃣ Seek advice from multiple sources to find the best path for you. So, what’s the takeaway? The way we use debt can make or break our financial future. Being intentional with how and when we take on debt allows us to build toward something better – rather than diminishing our future for the sake of pleasure today. 📝 Good Debt = Potential to *INCREASE* future net worth 📝 Bad Debt = Potential to *DECREASE* future net worth 📝 Gray Debt = Depends on your ability to manage it (and its impact on other areas of life!) 📝 Ugly Debt = Designed to trap you Debt can be a tool if used wisely, or a burden if it’s not. Use it in a way that supports your values, goals, and peace of mind. 💪 P.S. Do you have a debt story? 💬 Drop it in the comments or send me a message 🙏 I'd love to talk!

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Every week, I share tips and thoughts on how to move forward with your money in my newsletter, Step Forward. Link is in my profile to join the community! 🙂

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James M. Matthews, CFP®, CLU®, RICP®

Graduate Student | Retirement Income Specialist | Director of Wealth Management

5d

This is very good, Jess. I try to frame debt as simply “bringing future consumption into the present” and savings as “deferring present consumption into the future.” This is how economics views both - as opposite sides of the same coin. Using your framing, “good” debt would bring future spending into the present with the qualifer that it is an investment in improving one’s living standard today, or investing in one’s human capital which will then repay the debt from the increase. This conversation seems to make people less emotional about it and reduces the strong feelings many have to a simple values-based trade-off exercise.

Alex Chalekian

Helping people achieve financial freedom | CEO of Lake Avenue Financial | Founder of Futurvest

6d
Samantha Russell

Chief Evangelist at FMG Suite | Marketing + Finance+ Tech | Investment News 40 Under 40 | WealthManagement.Com “10 to Watch” | ThinkAdvisor Luminary. Follow me for marketing strategies to grow your advisory firm 🚀

5d

LOVE the way you framed good vs bad debt here Jess. So good

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