The 7 most expensive things you’ll ever pay for, according to financial planners

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We asked certified financial planners Colin Moynahan and Christine Centino to tell us the most expensive things the average American will pay for on over a lifetime.
While buying a house is the biggest expense, they listed a few other things many of us don’t realize we’re spending a lot of money on over time, including health insurance, taxes, and even furniture.
Buying a car also made the list, especially when considering today’s longer loan terms and higher interest rates.
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With home prices on the rise, college education costs going up, and auto loan delinquency rates at an all-time high, some of the most expensive things Americans are purchasing are also the most essential.

We asked Colin Moynahan and Christine Centino, both certified financial planners, about the most costly things they felt Americans will purchase or put money towards over a lifetime. Their answers and the numbers they gave are based on their years of experience as financial planners.

While both agree that a home is one of the top expenses, they also came up with some unexpected items, such as furniture, taxes, and even health insurance.

Here are the seven things these CFPs say will cost Americans the most.

7. Health insurance

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Christine Centino, a certified financial planner in Glen Allen, Virginia, says that for those who have to buy their own health insurance, it’ll be one of your larger expenses.

She says, "If you work for an employer and you’re a W2 employee, they supplement a very large portion of the actual premium. So if you’re freelancing out on your own and you have to actually go buy something on the exchange, it’s just amazing how expensive it is."

While this mainly affects those who aren’t taking the traditional employment path, for example those who start their own businesses or decide to retire before Medicare kicks in at age 65, this has the potential to be a big expense. "We’re talking about over $12,000 a year, every year," says Centino.

6. Furnishing a new home

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Colin Moynahan, a certified financial planner near Charleston, South Carolina, says that while buying a house is certainly one of the biggest expenses, furnishing and buying appliances for a new home can be a huge expense, too.

It’s something that Moynahan says new homeowners might not think about. "They just spent all this money on the down payment. Now, you gotta furnish the place," he says.

"Most people don’t downsize, but people upsize. Now you might have an extra bedroom or two extra bedrooms, or a playroom for the kids, or a basement," says Moynahan. "Most people aren’t going to live in an empty space," he says.

Then, there’s the fact that expenses start to compound when these things are financed. "Next thing you know, they’ve got a new credit card, they’ve maxed the balance out, and they’re paying on that for the next five [years]," says Monhoyan.

5. A new car

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With longer financing terms and higher costs of borrowing, cars are quickly becoming larger expenses. And with a record high of 7 million Americans behind on their auto payments in 2018, financing cars is becoming increasingly burdensome.

Moynahan sets up a scenario, saying, "You only put down $1,000. Next thing you know, you’ve got a seven-year note at 5%. Then, basically, by the time you pay that off, you’re replacing the car."

He suggests that anyone looking to buy a car do their research, and think about the total cost of the car you’re considering. "If you’d done a little bit of planning, you would have found that the finance adds up quite a lot," says Moynahan.

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Liz Knueven)