How to pay off your mortgage earlier

If you listen to any financial guru on talk radio or see them on financial shows on cable news, almost all will generally advise homeowners to pay off their mortgages early, if possible. How much you save depends on the amount of your mortgage, the length of time you pay and your interest rate.

The advisors put forth many strategies to accomplish the goal of paying off the house. Really, it all boils down to one thing: paying extra money up-front to save you money in the long run.

Refinancing isn’t the only option

Occasionally, lenders will offer refinancing programs in order to drop your interest rate. This means that your monthly payment will be less, of course. However, unless it specifically allows you to keep the length of your mortgage static, most of the time when you refinance, your mortgage will be 30 years. Again. If you can swing it, and if they offer it, look for mortgages that offer fewer years. The 15-year refi has been popular over the last couple of decades.

Pay more however and whenever you can

Most lenders will allow you to pay off your loan early without penalty. Any amount you pay extra on the mortgage payment comes right off the principal, which can greatly reduce the amount of interest you pay in the long run.

Here’s where the financial gurus get in a lather and offer all kinds of advice to accomplish your goal.

Round up your payment

Every month, pay your mortgage up to the next $100. If you can’t afford it month in and month out, round up to the next $50. Any money you pay extra comes off the principal.

Switch to biweekly payments

This requires a little more leeway in your budget. When you make biweekly payments, you are simply taking advantage of the fact that there are 52 weeks in the year and 12 months. When you pay half of your regular mortgage payment every two weeks, you will have made 26 half payments, or 13 full monthly payments, by the end of the year.

Pay extra when you have it

Keep in mind that you can make irregular payments and send any amount when you have it. When you get a tax refund, a bonus or any other type of windfall, apply it to your balance.

Take a look at what you’ll save

If you want to have some fun, go to a mortgage calculator and punch in some different options to see how much you’ll save.

Weird things can affect your credit score

Attaining and maintaining a good credit score is important because you could get a lower interest rate on your mortgage, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage. In order to get the highest credit score possible we’ve all heard the typical advice for keeping good credit:

• Pay all of your bills on time


• Don't open a bunch of credit cards at once


• Don't file for bankruptcy unless absolutely necessary


• Keep an eye on your report to make sure everything is accurate

Those are the big things. But there are some little things... really strange things... that can add up when it comes to keeping your credit reports clean.

Getting cable or internet

There are some Internet and cable companies out there that will run a hard inquiry on your credit when you sign up for their service. A hard inquiry occurs almost any time you apply for credit - credit card, car loan or home loan, etc. A hard inquiry negatively impacts your credit score by a little bit. If you have too many hard inquiries at once, it can really ding your credit. The company has to have your permission in order to do this, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Using a debit card to rent a car

Most rental agencies require that the deposit be paid with a credit card. Some will agree to accept a debit card if you'll allow them to perform a credit check on you, resulting in... you guessed it... a hard inquiry.

Buying a new motorcycle

If you decide to buy a motorcycle, you should know this: Motorcycle loans are sometimes not reported to the credit bureaus as vehicle loans. Instead they are reported as revolving credit, which makes them look like a big chunk of uncollateralized credit card debt. Thirty percent of your FICO score is based on how much credit card debt you carry.

Unpaid tolls

Many toll booths in the country have switched to “toll by plate” systems where the vehicle has a tag in the windshield or on the license plate and the owner is sent a bill every month for toll road usage. Just like anything else, if you neglect to pay the bill on time, it’s reported.

Library fines

Although libraries don’t report directly to credit reporting agencies, many of them turn over unpaid balances to collection agencies, which do. Don’t let $4.00 in late fees ding your credit score.

Storage fees

There are a number of shows on TV depicting auctions of abandoned storage units. In addition to losing all of the stuff they had in those lockers, the delinquent owners have another thing in common: they all have a negative line on their credit report because the storage facility will turn over any remaining balance to a collection agency.

Financing furniture

Taking advantage of a 0% financing promotion at your local furniture store looks like a good opportunity to take advantage of free money. However, your credit could suffer because you’re adding a high balance loan to your credit report and could increase your credit utilization rate since the furniture loan is essentially maxed out.

Parking tickets

It doesn’t seem like a big deal, does it? An increasing number of cities are turning over unpaid parking tickets over to private collections agencies.

A collection action by any business can lower your credit score by up to 100 points or more when it shows up on your credit report. It can remain on your credit report for up to seven years, affecting your credit score for years to come.

Tax breaks expire for homeowners

If you keep a sharp eye out, you'll notice that you'll be paying more taxes soon - not this year, but next - if members of Congress don't act in 2014 to prevent it.

Which means you'll be paying more in taxes next year.

The good news for members of Congress is that they can say they didn't "raise" taxes; they only allowed several tax deductions that have been around for years to expire at midnight on December 31.

Private mortgage insurance premium deduction

If you put less than 20 percent down, chances are good that you're being charged PMI. It's used to protect the lender in case of default. It is usually a small percentage of the monthly payment, so most homeowners don't give it much thought. Over the course of 30 years, that small percentage can add up to thousands of dollars. Depending on your tax bracket, deducting it on your federal tax return can trim your cost by 20-35 percent.

Loan forgiveness

When a homeowner gets under water - owes more than the home is worth - they often use a tactic known as a short sale. The lender accepts what the home sells for in exchange for paid-in-full status. The difference between what was owed and what was made is considered taxable income. However, that tax had been waived for years. This could potentially cost a homeowner who does a short sale thousands of dollars at tax time.

Energy efficient tax credits

For the last few years, homeowners received credits for home improvements that increased the energy efficiency of their home. Those projects could include installing better doors and windows, insulation, furnaces, heat pumps, water heaters and central air conditioning. The credit for those will expire; however, some of the credits for installing solar water heaters, wind turbines, geothermal heat systems and other things will remain.

These three tax breaks will remain in effect for your 2013 return. There is always a chance that Congress will renew some or all of them, but it doesn't seem likely. Make sure to talk to your tax preparer.

Prepare Your Home for Holiday Travel

In addition to making holiday travel arrangements, you should take steps to prepare your home for the time that you will be away. Preparing yourself and your family for holiday travel requires organization and planning. You want your house to be safe and secure from intruders, and that means making it looked lived-in. You also want your home to run efficiently with no interruptions to services. These precautions will make your holiday travel less stressful and worrisome. You will be able to relax with family and friends knowing that your home is in order. 

• Stop your mail, newspaper, or any regular deliveries to your home. Schedule a last date for delivery and first date to start them back up.

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• Ask a trusted friend, neighbor, or family member to check on the house. Make sure they know the exact dates you will be away and expect to return. Provide keys and any security codes needed to access your house.

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• Clean out your refrigerator and cupboards. Throw away any items that will spoil while you are away. Take out the garbage. Turn off your icemaker, so that it does not overflow.

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• Unplug all electronics, including television, computer, printer, shredder, iron, blow dryer, toaster oven, coffee pot, radios or any other fixtures that use electricity and are subject to surges during storms. Use any "economy" settings provided by electronics. Set outdoor electronics, such as fountains, hot tubs and lights on automatic or turn them off.

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• Use a timer to turn interior lights on and off. Leave your blinds and drapes in the same position that you normally have them. Clean up the outside of your house. Remove any tools, toys, car supplies, and any objects that could be damaged by unexpected weather conditions. Ask a neighbor to place your trash bins on the street. This will make your home looked lived in.

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• Lock up your valuables such as jewelry, electronics and personal documents in a safe or safety deposit box at the bank. If none is available lock them up in a file cabinet or other secure location within your home. You may even consider hiding valuables in a shoebox under the sink or in a storage box in the garage where they would be out of sight. Avoid the common areas people use as hiding places, like the freezer, faux books or jewelry boxes.

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• Consider installing exterior motion sensor lights. Ensure that all your doors and windows are locked and your alarm is activated.

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• Set your thermostat at a lower temperature to save money. Leave your heating system set to 55° to keep the house warm, so that pipes do not freeze.

 

• Consider turning off the water going into your hot water tank. If a leak develops while you are away it will be limited to what is in your tank. For a longer trip, turning off the hot water tank completely will save energy.