As you get older, you wait for him to blow by, and then you reel him back in, why? Caution has only a few friends, but several adversaries: Haste and Waste; after several trips around the block with these two, Caution begins to look like a much better friend.

Part of the requirement for being a friend to Cautious, is that you take the time to examine all your options, and make a good sound decision. This is when I was introduced to Financial Planning, 401(k) s, Retirement Funds, etc.

Ive told this from a story standpoint, but it is in all honesty, the truth. As you get older you do become more cautious in your investments, with your time and your money.

Interest only mortgages are one of those options, that if you are investing in real estate for the short term, and you are consulted with a reputable financial advisor, you might want to consider. Investment portfolios do not generally include real estate, so more than likely this is a business venture or an investment business.

In either situation, financial planning is a must. This is one of those options, that should however, be considered only after careful planning and thought. The trade off, may be or may not be to your benefit.

Long-term investments, those with capital gains, and purposes other than a quick profit, I dont believe are candidates for the interest only mortgage. The interest only mortgage doesnt offer much in the way of building and growing investment value, because you simply never increase the value of the asset to you.

You increase the value of the loan for the lending institution, because you are continually providing a profitable situation for the lender. Your principal investment responsibility never decreases.

What about the short-term implications and your financial planning? Well, this leaves many doors unopened and many avenues unexplored. However, given the fact that you are considering the impact of the interest only mortgage product on your financial planning expectations, there arent very many short-term considerations open for discussion.

The only short-term advantage to interest only is that your monthly payment is often very low during the term of the interest only payment.

When you consider the impact your 401(k), an MSA, an IRA, or any other tax deferred savings or retirement program can have on your bottom line, the interest only mortgage doesnt really have that much to offer in the realm of tax savings, or tax deferment; yes, its true that your mortgage interest is tax deductible, but not on a one-to-one ratio.

Tax deferred retirement accounts, even SEPs, for the self-employed individual have a one-to-one ratio of tax savings.

Another long-term financial planning consideration: when you would normally have paid out a regularly amortized loan, you will still be paying on the interest only mortgage. What could the potential savings be, for you, if you werent still paying on a mortgage?

The time value of money is a concept that few consumers ever learn to appreciate. It means the dollar you have today, will be worth less tomorrow than it is today, therefore saving today yields a much better benefit than waiting until you are 35 or 40 to begin saving and planning for retirement.

Quite often, your home is your greatest asset, and is the only savings that many consumers have managed to accumulate. If the only payments you have made were for the interest due on the principal, you effectively have no accumulated savings.

Now, that might not be an issue for someone in their 20s or early 30s; however, by the time you reach your 40s, you have begun to contemplate retirement, and ways to save for that phase of your life.

As I stated earlier, caution and good sound financial planning may determine that an interest only mortgage will benefit you greatly. But, I would only consider this option only after I had taken time for careful consideration and good financial planning.