Orthodontist Payments

**freedeal** · 02-06-2006, 01:43 PM

We normally pay cash for the orthodontist each year. We pay in March and the final balance is $2,040. We had planned to pay it and the bills would be over for this. Now we find out that we will not have that money due to taxes. We didn't plan very well on the taxes.

What would you do? We know we have to pay the taxes so we have two other options. Pay the orthodontist monthly. No interest. I think it comes out to $170 per month. Or we could stop our debt snowball and be able to pay the orthodontist in March and should have enough to cover taxes on April 15.

I so want the bill paid off that we are paying and we have made such progress. You can see in the siggy that we have really been focused on it.

What would you do? How do you handle major unexpected bills?

**Vannie** · 02-06-2006, 01:58 PM

If you can, pay the orthodontist off in full.

**dwallyfam** · 02-06-2006, 08:50 PM

Talk with the orthodontist and see if you can get a price break for paying it in full. Sometimes Dr. offices will do that.

Kellie

**Mojjo** · 02-06-2006, 09:16 PM

If you can't get a break for paying it in full...then if it's no interest I would keep paying down the debt and make monthly payments to the doctor. I figure that one doesn't show on your credit report.

**beandsemom** · 02-06-2006, 09:40 PM

Co-incidently my daughter had the molds for her braces today! I have an FSA (flexible spending account) through payroll deduction and will be paying hers monthly with that.

Downside is that I thought our dental insurance covered some orthodontics (I thought $750); come to find out . . . NO orthodontics; but what's $750 compared to $4000!

My opinion is, since the ortho doesn't charge interest, Make Those Payments. That's what I'm gonna do!

**Jenna** · 02-07-2006, 12:28 AM

Assuming your other debts charge interest...

-I would pay the orthodontist in installments. PIF taxes, & dump the rest of your money towards debts that charge interest.

**guest32** · 02-07-2006, 11:30 AM

We've done the no interest orthodonic thing....two at once!!! Ack! Our girls got their braces about 6 months apart.....but it was okay...and we paid it off as soon as we could. No interest is a good thing, and allows you to take care of the other stuff that does have interest, first.

**freedeal** · 02-10-2006, 06:43 PM

Originally posted by mermaid59
We've done the no interest orthodonic thing....two at once!!!

We also have 2 in braces. This is the first time we have had to make payments but we decided it was better to do that. It is interest free.

This may slow us down abit but it's not going to stop us. We are MOTIVATED.

Thanks for all of your input.