conversation: User (Lapinlady): "I recently discovered that I pay more than almost anyone I know monthly for my student loan payments (total is over 35k). I have had young family members and friends die recently, and have realized how real death is. I haven't been contributing to my 401k because I can't afford it with my student loan payments. I've been considering paying substantially less so that I can a) have a savings b) use credit cards and pay them off quickly to build credit c) contribute to my 401k d) actually enjoy my money and buy myself things from time to time. Also, my understanding is that as an unmarried person - my debt would disappear if I were to die. I don't mean to be pessimistic, but death being the only thing that's for sure in life, I think i should consider it a possibility. Is this a terrible idea? I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders when I thought about this originally. Also, the rebellious side of me thinks that I would like to give student loans a big middle finger if I ever died. What better way to do that than not having spent all of my extra money slaving to pay them back? What if I died the day after I paid them back, and hadn't enjoyed my money for the ten years before that?\n\n**edit: I should add that I do not think I have more debt than everyone I know, simply that I have taken more of a monthly burden upon myself (by using income driven repayment - $320/month)"
  Self: "&gt;my debt would disappear if I were to die\n\nNo, it most certainly would not. It would become the debt of your estate. "
  User (Lapinlady): "Honest (maybe stupid) question, what would my estate entail as an unmarried person with no children who does not have cosigners?"
  Self: "Any assets you have, like that 401k. "
  User (Lapinlady): "It currently doesn't exist, because I am paying all that money to loans!"
  Self: "But you're currently not dead yet."
  