Paulo and Natalia, a couple of twenties, recently welcomed their first child. But with student loans, modest income, additional costs for child care, food and health care, their financial resources extend – and they had to take more debts in recent months.
Natalia recently returned to the couple an investment portfolio of $ 55,000 – on one condition: no one else in the family can know. You may feel the preservation of such a generous gift under the coil of some embarrassment, but their aunt is likely to have its causes. For young couple who have just started a family, it can travel $ 55,000 for a long way. While Natalia feels a mixing about secrecy, she and Polo are keen to use the money well. The challenge is now to determine the best ways to benefit from the future of their families, as every option carries positives and negatives.
Here is what they need to know to make the right decision for them.
The Education Data Initiative puts the average balance of federal student loan at $ 39.075 in 2025 [1]. However, in conjunction with private loans, the actual balance may be high to $ 42,673.
If you carry a heavy load of students ’debts, the surprise may be a great way to expel your balance faster. But if the amount of your loan is small and the interest rate is low, it may be smarter to keep up with your monthly payments and put this additional money towards other financial goals.
For example, Experian puts the average auto loan balance at $ 24297 in late 2024 [2]. If the couple suffer from expensive car payments, they may want to use a surprise to pay their car. But if car payments are low at reasonable prices, they can continue to make them and use $ 55,000 for something else.
The more you buy a house, the more you start building property rights. As of June 2025, the average price of homes in the current United States has risen to 435300 dollars, according to the National Association of Real Estate Bidgers. [3]. Thanks to the surprise of $ 55,000, you may be in a position that allows you to form a batch offered to the house and enjoy the benefits that come with it.
The Federal Reserve is expected to reduce interest rates in September. Once this occurs, mortgage rates may decrease, making home ownership more affordable. If you buy a house of about $ 435,300, the surprise of $ 55,000 gives you the option to pay 10 % of the batch provided and you still have money to move the costs and the emergency box.
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The payment of a $ 55,000 portfolio can help wiping debts and even financing home purchase. But there may be another smart step that allows money to continue to grow. Paulo and Natalia could divide it into three buckets: a university box for their child, a long -term retirement account and an emergency box with basics from three to six months.
Let’s say they can live in a 3,000 dollar per month. They can put $ 18,000 from 55,000 dollars, or nearly a third, in cash and cash certificate for the emergency fund for six months. The other third can go to the 529 plan for their child, where this money can enjoy tax -exempt growth. The remaining third can be the beginning of their retirement box.
It is important to remember that there is a $ 19,000 gift tax for one person this year. If Natalia’s aunt publishes this over a few years with a $ 55,000 portfolio, she will not bear additional taxes.
Because Natalia and Paulo are still young, $ 55,000 looks like a huge amount – and it is. Since they have not dealt with much money before, talking to a financial advisor can help them know whether the investments with which their future goals are already matched.
The financial consultant can help them make a smart decision based on the near and long -term goals of his family. For example, they may want to have more children, or eventually return to school to enhance after high school.
These are the things they can discuss with a consultant to make the most of the surprise. The consultant can also recommend specific investments based on risk bumper and timelines when they want to spend their money.
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[1]. Education Data Initiative. “Student Loans Statistics”
[2]. Experts. “The average car loan debt grew by 2.1 % to 24,297 dollars in 2024”
[3]. The National Association of Real Estate Justice. “The current NAR sales report shows a 2.7 % decrease in June”
This article only provides information and should not be explained as advice. It is provided without guarantee of any kind.
