If you have not yet done so, please read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 of this series first, then read on.
As I discussed a couple weeks back, we are to believe that the use of a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) can somehow help accelerate the paydown of our mortgage.
MMA ‘magic’ comes from turning one’s idle cash at zero interest in their checking account to yield the same as their mortgage, right? And the HELOC shuffle is merely to make up the difference from ‘average balance’ to maximum balance in the checking account.
From there, the math is simple.
Following the standard 6% example, with a 10.4 year payback, the $3500 cost for the program is $37.77/mo or $453/yr. Since that fee becomes part of the debt, there’s no disputing this, right? This is only $4713 for the whole time, not like I’m backending to pay the fee in the last months, in which case I’d claim $6415, or I could use the same math the agents do to show how $250 shoes really cost $1500, and show that the $3500 fee really costs $20,157. (But I’d never suggest that.)
Now, let’s ask, what is the maximum money that can be extracted using this plan? Simple, right? $5000 is the monthly cash flow. If I concede that the sophisticated algorithms and precise monthly timing can simply make the $5000 earn 6%, well, that’s $300/yr, no? And isn’t that the [absurd] maximum that can ever happen? $5000 goes to the mortgage on day one. All bills are due on day 31, but by the time the checks clear, the HELOC has accrued no interest, and that $5000 has effectively earned 6% through the year.
So to summarize;
The logical, mathematical limit of HELOC gain is $300/yr.
The cost of MMA is $453/yr.
quod erat demonstrandum
(Note: the above post was the concept that grew into my guest post on Tracy Coenen’s site, the Fraud Files blog, if you wish, you can read the longer, more detailed, article there)
Next week – some more MMA hyperbole and obfuscation, not to mention the smoke or the mirrors.
Joe
Hey Joe,
What if you did have the money to throw an additional $1000 per month at your mortgage. I have a couple of rental properties with HELOCs on both. I am not going to pay UFF for their software because I don’t think I need it but I was thinking about using my HELOC as my checking account to pay it down faster. Does the idea of using your HELOC as a checking account so that money is flowing in and out often and canceling interest hold true?
If you wish to pay ahead and are comfortable sending $1000/mo, by all means, you should do so. As far as the HELOC goes, if the rate is below the mortgage rate, letting it run a balance won’t hurt you if you are certain it won’t get canceled on you. If the rate is above your mortgage rate, there’s very little to gain through the HELOC shuffle, I’d not bother.