<prompt> Human: I am thinking on January 1st to contribute the max to my Roth IRA and also pay off my student loan. By then it will be 5,100 at 4.125Since I have three more checks coming for this year, I forecast my e-fund will be 12,400. So with paying off my loan and contributing to Roth, the total comes down to 10,600, leaving me with 1800 in my e-fund. I net 3350 a month.My monthly expenses are: 1200 - Savings 800 - Student Loan 450 - Rent utilities included 300 - Food 100 - Gas at current prices 200 - Entertainment 68 - Phone For the past two years, I have been paying four times the minimum on my loan to finish sooner. Its a loan that has been hanging over me for the past 8 years and I really want to get rid of it at last and be debt free, but I also know that I will be an accident away from relying on credit cards. What do you guys think? Can I pull it off or should I do one and wait to do the other? Which one?Assistant: I wouldnt max your IRA right away. Id rather keep a larger emergency fund and take a few extra months to max it.Human: Agreed. OP has until April to max his 2014 IRA contributions. Assistant: This will be for 2015 contribution.Human: Any reason you dont payoff your loan, save up an emergency fund, then contribute to your 2014 IRA before 415 then start putting away money for your 2015 contribution?Assistant: I already maxed it for 2014 and was thinking of maxing it on the 1st for 2015 to get it out of the way and start saving for 2016.  <response>: Do that after you have an emergency fund. Unless you just plan to keep the money in there in cash to use as an emergency fund if necessary, but I see no point in that in your situation. 