There’s statistics, statistics and damn statistics. In the latter category are those where you say, damn, I wish I’d known that before. Well here are two that I’ve just heard.

In my case, I’ve been a small business owner for a number of years, so I’m going to take my deduction claims a lot more seriously. I’ve always been told that my accountant is not to be relied on for helping my identify every possible and applicable tax deduction. His job is to process my input correctly. Sure, he’s given me pointers over the years, but that is not his job. So it’s great news that a new tool called UDeduct is about to be released. It’s primary purpose is to act as a tracking system for all expenses that might be one of the more than 100 possible deductions that are available to home based and small businesses. I’m EXCITED!

United First Financial®, its agents and subsidiaries provide Internet web based software and support services. United First Financial does not provide accounting, tax, legal, real estate, mortgage, or investment advice. Interested parties should seek and consult with persons or entities licensed and qualified in those areas for advice relating to those matters. United First Financial is not liable or responsible for claims or representations made by any party which are not included in the Money Merge Account® Limited Guarantee.

Not able to refinance, or it’s not worth even trying to do so? What’s the reason? One or a combination of negative equity, excessive debt ratio, credit score. What to do? Maybe increasing your income is not under your control, though there’s nothing wrong with asking for a raise or increasing your selling efforts. But there are a few things you probably can control.

Rebuild Equity: If you’re in an upside-down loan, there’s not much point even trying to refinance so your immediate goal should be to build equity. Action is required, as the only foreseeable way home values are going to increase at a rate that will quickly recoup equity lost in the last couple of years is if all the government’s stimulus actions lead to a dramatic increase in inflation. For an example of this, read my blog, A life belt for underwater mortgages.

If this happens, it will come with a significant increase in loan rates, so, by the time you can refinance, it will no longer be worth doing so. Again, action is required, and that action is to pay down your loan as fast as possible so that you build an ownership stake that can be used to assist in your refinancing bid. Just following the standard options such as making additional equity payments or changing to a bi-weekly plan will not raise you up from an underwater mortgage in time to take advantage of the current low rates.

The only real option is to accelerate your mortgage using tried and proven software technology such as the Money Merge Account from UFirst, which uses banking technique and the banks’ money to put you in the driver’s seat. And this is a driver’s seat that includes a financial GPS system, ensuring you know where you are heading and putting you back on course when you experience financial hiccups.

Improve your credit score: Doing preventative maintenance on your credit report means being both proactive and reactive. React to anything that occurs or may occur that might damage your standing - in other words, don’t mess up by not making minimum payments or going further into debt. Being proactive means taking action to improve your score. This is not a lesson on what actions to take to do so as there are many available on the Internet. But it is one on how to rapidly make a difference.

Just following good practices has the same downside that the standard mortgage pay down techniques have; it will take too long. You need help and the best help comes in the form of a computer. Remember Gary Kasparov, the world renowned chess player. It took a computer to beat him! In the match series, Gary Kasparov did actually manage to win one of the matches and, likewise, there are some actions that you might be able to take that will move you towards a quicker payoff, but only if you are a mathematical geek who wants to replicate the 24 pages of algorithms encompassed in the Money Merge Account system every single time you make a payment, a deposit or a withdrawal.

Reduce your taxes: Do you have any idea what a difference it would make to your financial future if you could reduce your taxes by $2,500 to $11,000 per year? This is possible if you start a home based business (self employment triggers [AVG] $10,000+ in potential deductions = $2,500 at 25% tax rate) or, if you already own a business, check whether you are one of those who doesn’t claim sufficient deductions (the GAO estimates, in it’s latest year’s figures, that small business owners overpaid on average $11,000 in tax because they did not claim tax deductions that they validly could have). Taking that average, and applying it to a 30 year standard $200,000, 6% mortgage to reduce capital owed, would save 19 years, 3 months AND $160,199 in interest. Looking at the upfront years, where most of the standard monthly mortgage payment comprises mainly interest, you would gain a little less than $11,000 in equity just in the first year. United First Financial is releasing a new service, called BizpacK that not only offers a low cost entry business opportunity, but also is specifically aimed at home based and small businesses and, most importantly, includes the UDeduct system which guides business owners towards accurately recording their expenses, which helps them make as much use as applicable of the more than 100 tax deductions available to them.

Using the Money Merge Account system and the Bizpack opportunity together gives you a cohesive trinity of paying down debt fast, improving your credit score and, drum roll please… paying down your debt even faster! An additional drum roll!!! The mortgage acceleration possible with the Money Merge Account is available without the need for a line of credit or available credit card limits. United First Financial recognized that upside-down loans and reduced credit card limits would hamper your ability to utilize these vehicles, so they upgraded the system to work with just a checking and savings account.

United First Financial®, its agents and subsidiaries provide Internet web based software and support services. United First Financial does not provide accounting, tax, legal, real estate, mortgage, or investment advice. Interested parties should seek and consult with persons or entities licensed and qualified in those areas for advice relating to those matters. United First Financial is not liable or responsible for claims or representations made by any party which are not included in the Money Merge Account® Limited Guarantee.