One of the most debated personal finance questions of all time: should you pay off your debt first or start investing immediately? The math favors investing when your expected return exceeds your interest rate. But the psychological benefit of being debt-free is real and often underestimated. In 2026, with credit card rates above 20% in the US and stock market returns uncertain, this question is more relevant than ever. What does the crowd think — pay off debt or invest?
