Everyone says that I should pay off my mortgage before I retire. What if I can’t?

There are few maxims in personal finance more beloved than “You should have a paid-off house in retirement.” 

Whether they actually happen in real life or are just the stuff of legend, the dream of a middle-aged homeowner hosting a mortgage-burning party persists.

But let's get real. In the hottest real estate markets, a typical thirtysomething dual-income household today has little chance of homeownership. 

And if you're single? According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for a woman in her mid-30s is about $50,000; that buys you a $200,000 house. 

There are certainly places where that works, but only a few. (The Read Entire Article