These days, the couple's net worth is nearly $1.5 million. It's a model that Joy recommends to her clients, even if it runs counter to conventional financial planning wisdom. Here's why Joy recommends aiming to become debt-free before you invest. Prioritizing debt payoff can make mathematical senseWhen it comes to putting your income to work, Joy recommends dividing things into three buckets. So what builds your net worth faster: being debt-free or having a big portfolio?

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Persons: Bernadette Joy's, she's, Joy Organizations: University of North