FIRE With With $100K Student Loans — Strategy, Timeline & FIRE Number

With $100K Student Loans — Quick Facts

FIRE With $100,000 of Student Debt

Carrying $100,000 of student debt adds complexity but doesn't prevent FIRE. The key is to balance debt payoff with investing — typically by paying off high-interest debt first (credit cards, private loans) while making minimum payments on low-interest debt (mortgages, federal student loans) and investing the difference.

Strategy for With $100K Student Loans

Federal student loans are 5-7% — invest while paying them off. The historical 7% real return on equities exceeds most federal loan rates, so the math often favors minimum payments + max investing. But behavior matters: if you won't actually invest the difference, pay down faster.

1. Enroll in income-driven repayment (IDR) if federal loans are 10%+ of income
2. Pursue Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) if eligible (10 years of qualifying payments)
3. Pay minimums on low-rate federal loans; invest the difference
4. Aggressively pay off private student loans (5-12% rates)
5. Refinance to a lower rate if you have good credit and stable income

How With $100K Student Loans Affects Your FIRE Number

Carrying $100,000 of debt can either increase your FIRE number (if you keep the debt into retirement) or decrease it (if you pay it off before FIRE). Most FIRE planners target paying off all high-interest debt before FIRE and either paying off or maintaining low-interest debt based on the math.

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