| An interesting concept is being put forward by a | | | | break. |
| company called Global Equity Lending which,according | | | | 4.Putting extra money toward your mortgage is like |
| to them,is rooted in the fact that building a secure | | | | putting it under the matress. |
| financial future is more difficult thanever.The rules are | | | | To back up his claim,Edelman offers five distinct |
| changing and perhaps the old practices need to be | | | | reasons why you should carry a long loan: |
| revamped.GEL calls its newphilosophy, "Harnessing | | | | 1.Mortgages don't lower your homes value.Your home |
| The Power of Your Mortgage" | | | | will grow in value whether or not youhave a mortgage. |
| In 2004,credit card debt accounted for over half of the | | | | 2.Your mortgage is the cheapest money you'll ever |
| $2.1 trillion of consumer debt in the U.S.,quadrupling over | | | | buy.Why pay credit card at 18%,whenyou can borrow |
| the last decade.Today,the average American | | | | at rates under 7%. |
| household has $9,000 of credit carddebt at 16% | | | | 3.Your mortgage is the best way to lower your |
| interest.To pay that average off,at that interest rate | | | | taxes.There aren't many tax breaks left. |
| would take ten years,totaling over | | | | Mortage loans,unlike credit cards and car loans are fully |
| $8,000 in interest when all is said and done.The financial | | | | tax deductable. |
| impact of this,which is virtually unrealizedis | | | | 4.You should get cash out of you house while you still |
| devastating.GEL claims to have a better way.Their | | | | can.You may find it difficult toget a loan if something |
| thinking is that since you must borrow moneyover the | | | | like a loss of job comes up. |
| coarse of life,why not borrow it as inexpensively as | | | | 5.Mortgages become cheaper over time.Most times |
| possible.Credit cards,auto loans,andpersonal loans are | | | | your payment will stay the sameover the years while |
| all high interest and non deductable.So why not | | | | your income rises,making it easier to pay over time. |
| harness the power of yourmortgage? | | | | To further illustrate their beliefs,GEL presentations |
| According to GEL,Americans operate under a | | | | include a case study called,"The Tale of Two |
| mindset,when it comes to personal finance,thathas | | | | Brothers", where they do a financial comparison of |
| been burned into our country's psyche from the days | | | | two fictional brothers.In the story,Brother A,ashe is |
| of the great depression.That philosophyis as such:First | | | | called follows the "old" way of thinking,while his |
| get the lowest rate mortgage,then,set up a bi-weekly | | | | brother(yes,you guessed it,brother B)uses |
| payment plan,and,wheneverpossible send in additional | | | | GEL and Edelman's theory.The results of the study |
| payments.This way you pay off your mortgage as | | | | find Brother B with almost a one million dollaradvantage |
| soon as possible. | | | | over Brother A.The full hypothetical can be viewed on |
| Sound good to me,right?Well,much to my suprise,this | | | | but thejist is that the second brother used the money |
| company claims that is exactly what weshould NOT | | | | he saved carrying an interest only loan,or |
| be doing!On the contrary,their idea is one which is | | | | GEL'sfamous "power option"loan to invest in other |
| echoed by New York Times Best | | | | places.That,combined with the mortgage tax |
| Selling author of "The New Rules Of Money",Rick | | | | breakslead to the million dollar separation after 30 |
| Edelman,who says,"You should get a big,30year | | | | years. |
| mortgage and never pay it off."Edelman and GEL put | | | | So,if you believe in this new way of thinking,and are |
| rules forth which read like this: | | | | ready to follow the model(in other words, |
| 1.Never send extra money to your mortgage | | | | REALLY, put that extra money to work for you),then I |
| 2.Stay away from bi-weekly plans. | | | | believe an interest only loan or GEL's poweroption loan |
| 3.Make the smallest payment with the biggest tax | | | | is the way to go,but be careful. |