The Pete the Planner® Show

Ep. 345: Brendan, This One's For You
Show Notes:
- Scenario: Writer, Brendan and his Wife are both about 30 years old and have three young children. After expenses and student loan payments, they have about $1500 cash left.
- Question 1: Should they put that #1500 toward 529s for their kids and just pay the minimums to student loans? — Damian says, "Do both." Reap the benefits of compound interest and pay down debt. Have a plan for how much you want to accumulate in the 529 plans. Listen to hear if Pete actually agrees..
- Question 2: Brendan needs life insurance. He currently pays for a $400,000 policy and has a preexisting medical condition. Would he be better off getting a term policy? — Damian says, "Look into a 20 or 30-year fixed term for yourself and have the agent shop you around with respect to your medical condition. Can't hurt to look."
- Question 3: Should they save to pay for their kids’ future weddings (among all the quality-of-life benefits they enjoy)? Brendan and his spouse disagree. —— This is about your priorities. — Damian says, "This is a nice-to-do. Don’t put the psychological weight of identifying money for that on yourself. Not saving for a wedding, specifically, is the best move here."