Many of our clients did their 2010 planning last December and this year for Christmas they are reaping the benefits of this planning. Here's a look at some of the 'Christmas gifts' they've given themselves by using their Self-Empowered Banking System (SEBS). If you ask each person, they will tell you that these Christmas gifts were definitely worth giving.
1. In December 2009, Jody* intended that by the end of 2010, she would be out of credit card debt and well on her way to financial freedom.
Jody had almost $60,000 in credit card debt staring her in the face in early 2009. With some careful planning and skillful negotiation, she was able to resolve over $40,000 of this credit card debt by negotiating settlements with the credit card companies and paying these off in the first half of 2010.
With the extra cash flow, and the release of other funds that had been previously tied up, she was able to re-direct this flow of cash into her SEBS. With those funds, she paid off the remaining credit card accounts. Now, all of the payments she was making to the credit card companies are being paid into her own SEB system.
In January, Jody will redirect her SEB cash flow to begin paying off her car. By April, she'll be completely debt free and all of the funds from her former credit card and car payments will be fully flowing into her SEBS, giving her the freedom to do or buy whatever she wants, whenever she wants it.
Now this is a Christmas gift worth giving and getting!
2. So You Want To Get Married!
The average cost of a wedding for a couple in Chicago can range from $22,469 and $34,449. Now, if you're a young couple, your parents are probably picking up the tab for most of the expenses. But, if you're over 40, the chances are good that you and your partner-to-be are taking care of the bottom line.
This year NPCG had nine weddings among its clients. In some cases, our clients were footing the bill for the big day, including the honeymoon; in other cases they had some help from their parents. But, let's face it, how many people can pay for their wedding in cash and their last name isn't Rockefeller, Kennedy or Rothschild? Not many. But, most of our happy couples did it. They took a loan from the funds in their SEBS to pay for the whole kit and caboodle.
Now, instead of having fights about the amount of next month's payment to all those vendors who helped create their wedded bliss -- they are sending those payments to themselves. Yep, you got it -- the funds are going right into their own SEBS.
And because they are not burdened by constantly having to pay off other people for the enjoyment they had months or weeks ago, they are still on their honeymoon!
That's a double gift -- wedding gift and Christmas gift -- but they wouldn't have been able to do this if they hadn't planned for it in 2009.
3. I Survived the 2008, 2009 & 2010 Market Slide
Sometimes, when you take a dream job, you might have to take a little less money. This was the case for one of our clients, Ned*. It wasn't really a concern, as it was a short-term commitment and he had several rental properties, as well as a healthy SEBS in place. He did the math and figured out that he had enough buffer to cover everything and continue making payments into his SEBS, through which he had paid off many of his long-term debts.
What Ned didn't count on was the market slide that began in in late 2008, which kept him from finding the refinancing he needed on the adjustable rate mortgage he had on one of his properties. Couple that with the departure of two renters, and Ned was stuck. The $2,000 per month shortfall suddenly turned into a $4,600 per month shortfall. With one of the investment properties vacant for more than seven months, the situation seemed drastic and it looked like he would soon be unable to pay his mortgages.
Fortunately, Ned had been steadily repaying his SEBS loans, with interest, back into his SEBS. Because of this, it was well funded and he had immediate access to this cash. He got on the phone with Julie Ann and set up a loan plan, and a payback schedule with interest, to cover the shortfall. Because Ned was open with Julie Ann, she was able to show him how just a few simple adjustments to his monthly spending budget could also help redirect a portion of his funds to give him a few additional dollars each month and some breathing room.
Even though he had to tighten his budget considerably, Ned came out whole. He says he couldn't have done it without his SEBS. The planning that he and Julie Ann did saved him from being caught in the foreclosure madness. As well, all of the money funneling into his SEBS has been earning interest at higher rates than anything available on 'the street'.
In the past month, Ned has returned to his original salary and he has already paid off his car and all his consolidation loans. Because he's been diligent about making the loan payments that he and Julie Ann planned out, he's way ahead and is expanding his SEBS to accommodate the additional cash.
What a Christmas gift!!!
These are all *true stories of how our clients have used their SEBS to keep all the money they earn in their own pockets. By working with you now to create a plan using your SEBS - there is no financial situation that can't be handled.
If you don't have a SEBS, contact NPCG now to get started in setting one up and planning how it can best serve you in 2011 and beyond. Please put '2011 Planning' in the subject line.
Financial freedom is a hard gift to come by, but when you give it to yourself -- it's a gift worth keeping!
NOW is the time to start planning how to make SEBS work for you in 2011! Give me a call at 312 957 9400 x 403 or send an email now and let's get started so next year your Christmas gift to yourself will definitely be one worth getting and keeping!
Happy Holidays to All!
*The stories are true, the names have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
