# Pay Off Debt Above 8% Before Investing – But Take the 401(k) Match First

- Source: Money Crashers
- Published: 2026-10-21T23:05:00+00:00
- Category: Markets
- Original: https://www.moneycrashers.com/pay-off-debt-or-invest/
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/pay-off-debt-above-8-before-investing-but-take-the-401-k-match-first-cd528a/

Before you weigh paying off debt against investing, collect your full 401(k) match. Then let each debt’s after-tax interest rate decide. Pay off any debt charging more than about 8% first, invest while you pay debt under 4% on schedule, and split your extra cash when a rate lands in between. Source

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