All 107 strategies

Steps

1. Get refinance quotes when market rates sit well below your note rate.
2. Refinance the balance; do not take cash out.
3. Keep paying your old payment. Everything above the new required payment goes to principal.

Repeat: Each time rates fall far enough to cover the closing costs.

Measure: Months to payoff at the old payment and the new rate, against the closing costs.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Closing costs can take years to earn back.
• Restarting a new 30-year term and paying only the new minimum undoes the benefit.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Two-income couple cycle
• Most predictable stack (no markets, no tenants)

Steps

1. Keep your emergency fund. Identify money beyond it: savings, a matured CD, an inheritance, a bonus already received.
2. Pay it to principal and ask the servicer to recast (re-amortize) the loan.
3. Keep paying the old payment, not the new lower one, so the term shortens instead.

Repeat: Whenever an asset frees up; many servicers allow a recast once a year or more.

Measure: Balance after the lump sum, and months to payoff at the old payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Money in the house is hard to get back out.
• Not every loan type can be recast; servicers charge a fee.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Savings or investments beyond the emergency fund

Used in these sequences

• Two-income couple cycle
• Owner's cycle
• Asset-rich cycle
• Most predictable stack (no markets, no tenants)
• Landowner stack
• Estate and giving stack
• Sell what you don't use
• Family bank cycle
• Five-year sprint: move out and rent it
• Five-year sprint: sell what is not the home
• Five-year sprint: landowner
• Five-year sprint: family help
• Five-year sprint: business owner
• Five-year sprint: 73 and over
• Later-life cycle

Steps

1. Buy a two-to-four-unit home you live in (FHA allows owner-occupied up to four units), or rent a room or an accessory dwelling unit in the home you have.
2. Send the rent, after its own costs, straight to principal.
3. After the required occupancy (FHA: intend to live there at least one year), move to the next home and repeat, keeping the first as a rental.

Repeat: Every month the unit is rented; the move-and-repeat cycle after each occupancy period.

Measure: Net rent sent to principal each month.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Vacancy and repairs; a bad tenant.
• Local zoning and landlord rules.
• Lenders count boarder or ADU income only under their rules.

Who it fits

Average household, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent

Used in these sequences

• Starter cycle: withholding, rollover, room rent
• Live-in landlord ladder
• Home side-gig stack

Steps

1. Hold real business meetings or events at your home, documented with agendas and minutes.
2. The business pays a fair, documented market rent. If the home is rented fewer than 15 days in the year, the rent is generally left out of your income (IRC §280A(g)); the business deducts it as an ordinary expense if it qualifies.
3. Send the rent to principal.

Repeat: Each tax year, up to 14 days.

Measure: The year's rent sent to principal (divide by 12 for the monthly figure).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• The IRS looks for fair rent and real business use; keep records.
• Confirm with a CPA before you rely on it.

Who it fits

Business owners, Higher earners

Needs

Owns a business or is self-employed

Used in these sequences

• Owner's cycle
• Business owner's home stack
• Self-employed tax stack
• Five-year sprint: business owner

Steps

1. Run the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
2. If you get a large refund every year, file a new W-4 so the money stays in each paycheck.
3. Set up an automatic monthly principal payment for the difference. Your take-home spending stays the same.

Repeat: Every pay period; re-check each year and after any life change.

Measure: Monthly withholding freed and sent to principal.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Under-withholding can mean a bill and a penalty at tax time.
• It is your own money arriving sooner, not new money.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Starter cycle: withholding, rollover, room rent
• Two-income couple cycle
• Owner's cycle
• Most predictable stack (no markets, no tenants)
• Cost-cutter stack (no new debt)
• Found-money sweep
• Veteran stack
• Bills-first stack (lowest income)
• Business owner's home stack
• Tax refund harvest
• Self-employed tax stack

Steps

1. List every other debt. When one is paid off (a car, a student loan, a card), keep paying the same amount, now to mortgage principal.
2. For card balances you already have, one balance transfer to a lower rate can finish them sooner. Do not open new lines to do it.
3. Each finished debt adds its payment to the next, ending with the mortgage.

Repeat: Each time a debt ends.

Measure: The total of freed payments now going to principal.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Balance-transfer fees, and a rate that jumps after the promotion.
• New spending on the cleared card undoes it.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Starter cycle: withholding, rollover, room rent
• Live-in landlord ladder
• Two-income couple cycle
• Most predictable stack (no markets, no tenants)
• Cost-cutter stack (no new debt)
• Bills-first stack (lowest income)
• Five-year sprint: move out and rent it
• Student loans gone, then the house

Steps

1. Only with a permanent policy you already own and have funded for years.
2. Borrow from the policy against its account value and pay mortgage principal (a policy loan, never a withdrawal).
3. Repay the policy loan from assets or new cash flow on your own schedule. While a loan is outstanding the IUL credit used here is the rate minus 5 points, never below 0, on account value (SO-06).

Repeat: When the policy's surrender value and the loan's cost make sense; review every year.

Measure: Loan balance against surrender value each year; months to mortgage payoff.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Loan interest accrues; an unpaid loan reduces what the policy pays your heirs.
• If the policy lapses with a loan, the gain can be taxed all at once.

Who it fits

Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Owns a policy with account value

Used in these sequences

• Asset-rich cycle

Steps

1. A home equity investment company pays a lump sum now for a share of the home's future value or appreciation. There are no monthly payments.
2. Apply the lump sum to principal.
3. Settle at sale, refinance or the end of the term (often 10 to 30 years), when the company takes its share.

Repeat: Usually once per home; some allow a buy-out and a new agreement later.

Measure: Lump sum received against the share owed at settlement under rising, flat and falling home values.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• If the home rises in value, the share can cost far more than a loan would.
• The CFPB found consumers surprised by the size of the repayment.
• Fees at closing.

Who it fits

Higher net worth, with assets, Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Average household

Used in these sequences

• Asset-rich cycle

Steps

1. Open one home equity line (not several).
2. Pay a chunk of mortgage principal from the line, then run your paycheck through the line so it is paid down every month, and repeat.
3. It works only when the household's income is more than its spending each month. The saving comes from that surplus, not from the line.

Repeat: Monthly sweep; a new chunk when the line is paid back down.

Measure: Combined mortgage-plus-line balance each month. If it is not falling, stop.

This one does not fit the calculator: it changes who owns the home rather than the loan.

Risks

• HELOC rates are usually variable and often higher than the mortgage.
• The home secures the line.
• Interest on a HELOC is deductible only if the money buys, builds or substantially improves the home (IRS Pub. 936).

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Married couples, Single

Steps

1. Borrow against a taxable investment portfolio instead of selling it.
2. Pay mortgage principal with the line.
3. Pay the line down from portfolio income or planned sales.

Repeat: Reviewed against the portfolio's value at least monthly.

Measure: Line balance against the lender's maintenance requirement.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• If the portfolio falls, the lender can demand cash or sell holdings without asking.
• Rates are variable.

Who it fits

Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

Savings or investments beyond the emergency fund

Used in these sequences

• Asset-rich cycle

Steps

1. Sell a home you have owned and lived in for at least two of the last five years.
2. Up to the IRS limits, the gain can be excluded from income (IRC §121).
3. Buy a smaller home with a smaller mortgage, or none.

Repeat: Once every two years at most, under the two-of-five-year rule.

Measure: Equity freed against the new home's price and mortgage.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Selling and moving costs.
• A smaller home is a lifestyle change.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets

Used in these sequences

• Stay-put stack for 62 and over
• Two live-in flips, then no mortgage
• Later-life cycle

Steps

1. A federally insured reverse mortgage (HECM) can pay off the existing mortgage at closing.
2. No monthly principal-and-interest payment is due while you live in the home and keep up taxes, insurance and upkeep.
3. The loan is repaid when the home is sold or the last borrower leaves.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: The monthly payment removed against the loan balance that grows each year.

This one does not fit the calculator: it changes who owns the home rather than the loan.

Risks

• The balance grows; less equity remains for heirs.
• Missing taxes or insurance can trigger repayment.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

62 or older

Used in these sequences

• Later-life cycle

Steps

1. Look for homes whose sellers have assumable FHA, VA or USDA loans at lower rates.
2. Assume the loan and keep paying what a new loan would have cost you. The difference goes to principal.

Repeat: Each purchase.

Measure: Months to payoff at the assumed rate and your planned payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• The buyer must cover the seller's equity in cash or a second loan.
• Lender approval takes time.

Who it fits

Newlyweds, Single, No college degree, No high school diploma, Average household

Needs

Buying a home now or soon

Used in these sequences

• Live-in landlord ladder

Steps

1. Some programs pay points on a mortgage paid by debit card or through their app.
2. Redeem the rewards as cash to principal.
3. Paying a mortgage by credit card through a third party usually costs a fee that is larger than the reward. Skip it unless the math is positive.

Repeat: Every monthly payment.

Measure: Reward value after fees, sent to principal.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Fees can exceed rewards.
• Carrying a card balance costs far more than the mortgage.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. A parent lends cash (from savings, or from the parent's own home equity line) to pay down or pay off the child's mortgage.
2. Write a real promissory note at or above the IRS applicable federal rate for the term. A loan below that rate can create imputed interest and gift-tax reporting for the parent (IRC §7872).
3. Record the note as a mortgage on the child's home so the interest can qualify as home mortgage interest (IRS Pub. 936, secured debt).
4. The child keeps paying the old monthly amount, now to the parent. At the family rate more of each payment goes to principal.

Repeat: Once per loan; a parent can relend as the balance falls. Re-check the IRS rate each month a new note is written.

Measure: Months to payoff at the old payment and the family note rate.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Money and family mix badly; write down what happens on a missed payment, a divorce or a death.
• If the parent borrowed against their own home, the parent's home is at risk, and their line is often variable.
• The parent's money is no longer available to the parent.

Who it fits

Average household, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Family willing and able to help

Used in these sequences

• Family bank cycle

Steps

1. The parent draws on a home equity line and pays down the child's mortgage.
2. Later the child opens a home equity line on the now low-balance home and repays the parent, who closes their line.
3. Be clear about the result: the child now owes the same money on a home equity line instead of the mortgage. It only saves money if the child's final rate is lower than the old mortgage rate, or the family charges less than the bank did.

Repeat: Once; repeating it just moves the same debt back and forth.

Measure: The rate on the child's final debt against the old mortgage rate. Enter it as the new rate in the calculator.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Two homes are pledged instead of one.
• Home equity lines are usually variable and can rise above the old mortgage rate.
• The child must qualify for the line when it is time to repay the parent.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Average household

Needs

Family willing and able to help

Steps

1. Parents or grandparents give money each year, each giver to each receiver, up to the IRS annual exclusion, with no gift-tax return needed below it.
2. Married givers can each give, and they can give to the child and the child's spouse.
3. Pay each gift straight to principal and keep paying the old monthly amount.

Repeat: Every calendar year.

Measure: Gifts applied to principal each year (enter the yearly total in the calculator).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• A gift is gone for the giver; it cannot be asked back.
• Gifts above the exclusion need a gift-tax return.

Who it fits

Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household

Needs

Family willing and able to help

Used in these sequences

• Most predictable stack (no markets, no tenants)
• First-time buyer stack
• Family bank cycle
• Five-year sprint: family help

Steps

1. Replace the mortgage with a first-lien home equity line that doubles as a checking account.
2. Every paycheck lands on the balance the day it arrives, so interest is figured on a lower daily balance; bills are paid from the same line.
3. It shortens the payoff only when income exceeds spending month after month.

Repeat: Daily.

Measure: The balance on the same day each month. It must fall every month.

This one does not fit the calculator: it changes who owns the home rather than the loan.

Risks

• The rate is usually variable.
• Spending is easy because the line is open.
• Closing costs and stricter qualifying than an ordinary mortgage.

Who it fits

Higher earners, Business owners, Married couples, Single

Used in these sequences

• Business owner's home stack

Steps

1. Ask the seller for concessions used to buy the rate down permanently with points, instead of a price cut.
2. Keep paying what the higher rate would have cost; the difference goes to principal.
3. Avoid relying on a temporary buydown: the payment rises when it ends.

Repeat: Each purchase.

Measure: Months to payoff at the bought-down rate and your planned payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Lenders limit seller concessions.
• Points only pay off if the loan is kept long enough to pass the break-even.

Who it fits

Newlyweds, Single, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students

Needs

Buying a home now or soon

Used in these sequences

• First-time buyer stack

Steps

1. An investor buys the home, the mortgage is paid off at closing, and the former owner signs a lease to stay.
2. It ends the mortgage by ending ownership. Rent replaces the mortgage payment.
3. Read every term: the price, the fees, the rent increases, and whether there is a real right to buy back.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Cash received after fees against the home's appraised value, and the rent over the lease.

This one does not fit the calculator: it changes who owns the home rather than the loan.

Risks

• The FTC warns of hefty fees, high rent and even eviction.
• Future appreciation belongs to the investor.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets

Steps

1. Check your balance against the home's original value. At 80% you can ask in writing for private mortgage insurance to be cancelled; at 78% it must end automatically if you are current.
2. If the home has risen in value, ask the servicer whether a new appraisal can be used to reach 80% sooner.
3. Keep paying the same total. The amount that was going to mortgage insurance now goes to principal.

Repeat: Once, when the balance reaches 80%. Check every year from then on if values rise.

Measure: Monthly mortgage insurance removed (enter it as the monthly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• FHA loans have their own mortgage insurance rules; many keep it for the life of the loan unless refinanced.
• A servicer can require a clean payment history and proof the value has not fallen.

Who it fits

Average household, Newlyweds, Married couples, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students

Needs

Paying private mortgage insurance

Used in these sequences

• Cost-cutter stack (no new debt)
• First-time buyer stack
• Servicer check-up

Steps

1. Read your assessment notice line by line (square footage, rooms, condition) and compare it with similar homes. If it is too high, file an appeal by the deadline on the notice.
2. Make sure every exemption you qualify for is filed: homestead, senior, disability or veteran, as your state allows.
3. When the yearly escrow analysis shows a surplus of $50 or more, the servicer must refund it within 30 days. Send the refund to principal.
4. Keep paying the same total; the lower escrow amount goes to principal.

Repeat: Every assessment year, and every escrow analysis.

Measure: Monthly escrow reduction plus any surplus refund (yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• An appeal can be denied, and in some places the assessment can be raised on review.
• Deadlines are short and differ by county.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree, Newlyweds

Used in these sequences

• Cost-cutter stack (no new debt)
• Found-money sweep
• Veteran stack
• Military family stack
• Servicer check-up

Steps

1. Get at least three quotes for the same coverage, deductible and limits.
2. Ask about discounts for bundling, security systems, a newer roof or claim-free years.
3. If escrow pays the premium, tell the servicer about the new policy; the lower escrow amount goes to principal while the total stays the same.

Repeat: Every renewal.

Measure: Yearly premium saved, divided by 12.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Cheaper can mean less coverage; compare the dwelling limit, deductibles and exclusions, not only the price.
• Never let coverage lapse; the lender can place costly insurance on the loan.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Newlyweds, Higher earners, No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Cost-cutter stack (no new debt)
• Veteran stack

Steps

1. Gather receipts for qualified medical expenses paid out of pocket since the HSA was opened that were never reimbursed or deducted.
2. Take a tax-free HSA distribution for their total; the IRS sets no deadline as long as the expense came after the account was opened.
3. Send it to principal.

Repeat: Whenever receipts build up.

Measure: Receipts reimbursed (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Keep the receipts; without them the distribution can be taxed plus a 20% additional tax before 65.
• Money taken out stops growing tax-free for future care.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Married couples, Single, Business owners, Newlyweds

Needs

Has a health savings account

Used in these sequences

• Found-money sweep

Steps

1. Roth IRA withdrawals come out of regular contributions first, and those can be taken at any age without tax or penalty.
2. Total your contributions (Form 5498 each year) and take no more than that.
3. Send it to principal only if retirement savings are otherwise on track.

Repeat: Once, or whenever a decision is made to trade retirement growth for a paid-off home.

Measure: Contributions withdrawn (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Contributions cannot be put back except within normal yearly limits; tax-free growth on them is lost for good.
• Withdrawing earnings or converted amounts early can be taxed and penalized.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Married couples, Single, No college degree

Needs

Has a Roth IRA

Steps

1. Ask your state or local housing finance agency whether it issues Mortgage Credit Certificates and whether you qualify. They are usually for first-time buyers under income and price limits.
2. Each year a percentage of your mortgage interest becomes a tax credit (Form 8396), a dollar-for-dollar cut in tax.
3. Raise withholding to match, or send the larger refund to principal.

Repeat: Every tax year for the life of the loan.

Measure: Yearly credit (enter as a yearly amount, or a twelfth of it as a monthly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• The certificate must be issued at purchase; it cannot be added later.
• Selling within nine years can trigger a federal recapture tax.

Who it fits

Newlyweds, Single, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household

Needs

First-time home buyer; Buying a home now or soon

Used in these sequences

• First-time buyer stack

Steps

1. Check local zoning for accessory dwelling units (a basement, garage or backyard unit).
2. Price the build and its financing honestly; the rent must cover that cost before any is extra.
3. Send the net rent (after the unit's own costs and loan) to principal.

Repeat: Monthly rent.

Measure: Net monthly rent after the unit's costs.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Building costs, vacancy and tenant problems.
• Permits, insurance changes and higher property tax.
• Rental income is taxable.

Who it fits

Married couples, Business owners, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher earners, Average household

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent

Steps

1. With an existing VA-backed loan, ask lenders for an interest rate reduction refinance loan.
2. Compare total closing costs and the funding fee with the interest saved.
3. After closing, keep paying the old amount; the difference goes to principal.

Repeat: Whenever rates fall enough to cover costs.

Measure: Months to payoff at the new rate and the old payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Rolling costs into the loan raises the balance.
• Resetting to a new 30-year term undoes the benefit unless the old payment is kept.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree, Newlyweds

Needs

Veteran with a VA loan

Used in these sequences

• Veteran stack
• Military family stack

Steps

1. List the house, yard or a single room with a location-rental service or your city's film office.
2. Set house rules, a damage deposit and the hours; confirm your homeowners insurance and HOA allow it, or add event or production coverage.
3. Rented 14 days or fewer a year and lived in as your home, the rent is generally not reported for tax (more than that, it is). Send each booking's net to principal.

Repeat: Each booking.

Measure: Net booking income for the year (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Damage, neighbors and noise rules.
• Bookings are uneven and cannot be counted on.
• Over 14 days, the income is taxable and expenses must be split.

Who it fits

Married couples, Single, Business owners, Higher earners, Average household

Used in these sequences

• Home side-gig stack
• Business owner's home stack

Steps

1. Measure the space and list it for parking, RV or boat storage, or dry storage on a neighbor-to-neighbor platform.
2. Write a short agreement: access hours, what may not be stored (fuel, hazardous items), and who insures the contents.
3. Send the monthly rent to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Monthly rent received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• HOA rules or local zoning may forbid it.
• Liability if someone is hurt; check your policy.
• Rental income is taxable.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Newlyweds

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent

Used in these sequences

• Home side-gig stack
• Sharing-economy stack

Steps

1. List what the land has: wooded acres, road frontage, a high point, wildlife.
2. For timber, hire a consulting forester and sell by sealed bid, not to the first buyer who knocks. For leases, use a written lease with liability terms.
3. Ask your lender before granting any long lease or easement; the mortgage may require consent.
4. Send each payment to principal.

Repeat: Yearly lease payments; timber every few decades.

Measure: Yearly lease or sale proceeds after tax.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Timber prices swing, and cutting changes the land for years.
• A long lease can limit a future sale.
• Liability for hunters and workers on the land.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Used in these sequences

• Landowner stack

Steps

1. Search every state you have lived in through the free official map on unclaimed.org (old deposits, refunds, insurance proceeds, uncashed checks). Search for parents and late relatives too, if you are an heir.
2. Search Treasury Hunt for savings bonds that matured and stopped earning interest.
3. Never pay a finder's fee for what is free to claim. Send what you recover to principal.

Repeat: Once a year, and after every move.

Measure: Amount recovered (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Scam sites charge for free searches; use only official state sites.
• Many searches find nothing.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Newlyweds

Used in these sequences

• Found-money sweep
• Bills-first stack (lowest income)

Steps

1. If household income is at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines, apply to your state's Weatherization Assistance Program for free insulation, sealing and repairs.
2. Anyone can use the ENERGY STAR rebate finder for utility rebates on efficient equipment when something needs replacing.
3. Compare the bill before and after; send the drop to principal.

Repeat: Once for the work, then every month in savings.

Measure: Average monthly utility savings.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Waiting lists for weatherization.
• Savings depend on weather and rates.

Who it fits

No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Average household, Single, College students

Used in these sequences

• Stay-put stack for 62 and over
• Bills-first stack (lowest income)

Steps

1. Some states let seniors, blind or disabled homeowners postpone current property taxes; the state pays them and records a lien that is repaid when the home is sold.
2. Compare the program's interest rate with the mortgage rate. It only helps when the program costs less.
3. Send the monthly escrow amount saved to principal.

Repeat: Apply each year.

Measure: Monthly property tax no longer escrowed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• The postponed taxes and interest are a lien that reduces equity left to heirs.
• Income and equity limits apply, and not every state offers a program.
• A lender may require proof the taxes are handled.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

62 or older

Used in these sequences

• Stay-put stack for 62 and over
• Bill-cutting stack for 65 and over

Steps

1. A nonprofit home-sharing program screens and matches a homeowner with a home-seeker, often a student, worker or another senior.
2. Rent, help around the house, or both are written into an agreement.
3. Send the rent to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Monthly rent received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Living with someone new; the program's screening matters.
• Rent is taxable income above expenses.
• Check insurance and any rules on lodgers.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Single, Average household

Needs

62 or older; A spare room, unit or space to rent

Used in these sequences

• Stay-put stack for 62 and over

Steps

1. Donate an easement that permanently limits development of your own land to a qualified land trust; you keep owning and using the land.
2. A qualified appraisal sets the deduction. The tax saved each year can go to principal.
3. Get lender consent; most mortgages require the lender to subordinate to the easement.

Repeat: Once; the deduction can carry forward for several years.

Measure: Tax saved each year (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• It is permanent and lowers the land's market value.
• Syndicated deals that promise deductions several times the investment are an IRS listed transaction; stay away from them.
• Appraisals are audited closely.

Who it fits

Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher earners

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Used in these sequences

• Landowner stack

Steps

1. Mark the dates when hotels near you sell out: a major golf tournament, a college graduation or football weekend, a festival or a race.
2. Rent the home for that week at the going rate, and stay with family or travel.
3. Lived in as your home and rented 14 days or fewer in the year, the rent is generally not reported for tax. Send it all to principal.

Repeat: Every year the event returns.

Measure: Rent for the event week (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Local short-term rental rules, permits and HOA bans.
• Damage and cancellations; use a deposit and written terms.
• Over 14 days in the year, the income is taxable.

Who it fits

Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Average household, Newlyweds, Higher earners

Used in these sequences

• Income from the home stack

Steps

1. If a parent or relative who qualifies for Medicaid home care lives with you, ask the state whether its self-directed program lets them hire a family member as the caregiver.
2. Payments under a qualified Medicaid waiver for care of someone living in your home may be excludable from income (IRS Notice 2014-7).
3. Send what remains after the household's added costs to principal.

Repeat: Monthly, for as long as care is needed and approved.

Measure: Monthly caregiver pay after added household costs.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Caregiving is hard work, and the pay can end when the care plan changes.
• Programs and pay rates differ by state; some do not pay spouses or legal guardians.
• Confirm the tax treatment with a CPA.

Who it fits

Married couples, Single, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Caring for a relative who lives in the home

Used in these sequences

• Income from the home stack

Steps

1. If you took the mortgage out before entering active duty and its rate is above 6%, send the servicer a written request with a copy of your orders, no later than 180 days after service ends.
2. Interest above 6% is forgiven, not deferred, for the whole service period and one year after.
3. Keep paying the old amount; the difference goes to principal.

Repeat: Once per period of service; ask again after a new call-up.

Measure: Months to payoff at 6% with the old payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Only loans taken out before active duty qualify.
• The cap ends one year after service ends; plan for the original rate to return.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Newlyweds, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students

Needs

On active duty, with a mortgage from before service

Used in these sequences

• Military family stack

Steps

1. List every debt with its rate. Any debt costing more than the mortgage (cards, personal loans, many car loans) gets the extra money first; that is the higher return.
2. Pay minimums on the rest and put every spare dollar on the highest rate until it is gone, then the next.
3. When only the mortgage is left, every freed payment goes to its principal.

Repeat: Each time a debt is paid off.

Measure: Total freed monthly payments once the costlier debts are gone.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Running balances back up undoes it.
• Keep a small emergency fund so a surprise bill does not go on a card.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Has car, card or other loan payments

Used in these sequences

• Military family stack

Steps

1. Property inherited from someone who died generally takes a basis equal to its value on the date of death, so gains before death are not taxed when you sell.
2. Get a date-of-death appraisal or statement and keep it.
3. Sell what you do not want to keep and send the proceeds to principal, then ask for a recast.

Repeat: Once, when an estate settles.

Measure: Net sale proceeds (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Inherited retirement accounts do not step up; withdrawals are taxed.
• Selling a family asset is a family decision.
• Gains after the date of death are taxed.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Higher net worth, with assets, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Inherited, or is inheriting, property

Used in these sequences

• Estate and giving stack

Steps

1. If you already give to charity, have the IRA pay the charity directly (a qualified charitable distribution) instead of writing checks from the bank.
2. The gift is left out of taxable income, up to the yearly IRS limit, and counts toward required distributions from 73.
3. Keep giving the same amount; the tax you no longer owe goes to principal.

Repeat: Every tax year.

Measure: Tax saved for the year (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Only for money you would give anyway; it is not a way to make money.
• The check must go straight from the IRA to the charity, and you cannot also deduct it.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

70½ or older; Gives to charity every year

Used in these sequences

• Estate and giving stack
• Five-year sprint: 73 and over

Steps

1. If coverage is no longer needed and premiums are a burden, compare the surrender value with offers from licensed life settlement providers; offers can be higher.
2. Use a licensed broker who works for you, and get several offers.
3. Send the proceeds after tax to principal and ask for a recast.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Net proceeds after tax and fees (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Your heirs lose what the policy would have paid them.
• Part of the proceeds can be taxable; fees can be large.
• It can affect Medicaid and other benefits.
• Check first whether the policy can be reduced or converted instead.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

65 or older; Owns a policy that is no longer needed

Used in these sequences

• Estate and giving stack

Steps

1. Get your state's family child care license: training, a home inspection and background checks.
2. Join the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program to be reimbursed for meals and snacks you serve.
3. Part of the home's costs can be deducted for the business use. Send the net income to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Net monthly income after costs and tax.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Long days and real responsibility for children.
• Zoning, HOA and insurance requirements.
• Income ends if you stop.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Used in these sequences

• Income from the home stack

Steps

1. If you already pay for daycare or after-school care, enroll in your employer's dependent care account; the money comes out before tax, up to the yearly limit.
2. Do the same for transit passes or work parking through a commuter benefit, if your employer offers one.
3. Spending stays the same. Raise nothing; the tax you no longer pay goes to principal each month.

Repeat: Each open enrollment.

Measure: Monthly tax saved (pre-tax amount times your tax rate).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Unused dependent care money can be lost at year end; elect only what you will spend.
• You cannot claim the child care credit on the same dollars.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, Higher earners, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Tax refund harvest

Steps

1. Check the Earned Income Tax Credit tables against your income and family size; many who qualify never claim it.
2. If you save in an IRA or workplace plan, check the Saver's Credit; if you pay for child care, check the child and dependent care credit.
3. File with free help if eligible, and send the refund to principal the day it arrives.

Repeat: Every tax year.

Measure: Credits claimed (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Claim only what you qualify for; wrong claims can be denied with penalties.
• Credit rules and income limits change yearly.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Newlyweds

Used in these sequences

• Tax refund harvest

Steps

1. Have a tax preparer review your last three returns for missed credits, deductions or filing status errors.
2. File Form 1040-X for any year that shows a refund; generally within 3 years of filing or 2 years of paying the tax, whichever is later.
3. Send each refund to principal.

Repeat: Once, then each year as a check.

Measure: Refunds received (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• An amended return can also show you owe more.
• Preparer fees; pick a preparer who does not charge a percentage of the refund.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Business owners, Higher earners, No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Used in these sequences

• Tax refund harvest

Steps

1. List idle things with steady demand: a second car, a trailer, a camper, a pressure washer, camera or camping gear.
2. Use a platform that carries its own insurance; your personal policy usually does not cover renting to others.
3. Send the net income to principal each month.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Net monthly income after platform fees, wear and tax.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Wear, damage and theft.
• A personal auto policy may exclude rentals; confirm coverage in writing.
• The income is taxable.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, Married couples, Newlyweds, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Sharing-economy stack

Steps

1. If you are home and like animals, offer pet sitting, day care or overnight boarding through a booking service or neighbors.
2. Check local rules on keeping other people's animals, and get pet-care liability coverage.
3. Send the net to principal.

Repeat: Weekly bookings.

Measure: Net monthly income.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Bites, damage and escaped pets.
• HOA and zoning rules.
• The income is taxable.

Who it fits

Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), College students, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household, Married couples

Used in these sequences

• Sharing-economy stack

Steps

1. Read your state's cottage food rules: which foods are allowed, labeling, sales limits and whether a license is required.
2. Sell at farmers markets, to neighbors or online where allowed.
3. Send the net to principal.

Repeat: Weekly or seasonal.

Measure: Net monthly income after ingredients and fees.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Rules differ by state; some foods need a licensed kitchen.
• Food safety liability.
• The income is taxable.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Single, Married couples, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household, Newlyweds

Used in these sequences

• Sharing-economy stack

Steps

1. If the lot is large enough to divide under local zoning, get a survey and a subdivision approval.
2. Ask the servicer for a partial release of the land being sold; the lender will usually require the proceeds to go to principal.
3. Sell the parcel, pay principal, then ask for a recast.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Net sale proceeds (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Surveys, permits and approval can take months and cost money.
• A new neighbor next door.
• The lender can refuse the release; capital gains tax may apply.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Used in these sequences

• Sell what you don't use
• Five-year sprint: landowner

Steps

1. If you travel for a season (snowbirds, a summer away, a work posting), rent the home furnished for those months.
2. Stay with family or in a cheaper place; the rent minus your costs goes to principal.
3. Use a written lease and screened tenants.

Repeat: Every season.

Measure: Net seasonal rent after your own lodging (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• More than 14 days of rent is taxable, and expenses must be split.
• Wear, damage and short-term rental rules.
• Tell the lender and insurer; some policies exclude rented homes.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Single, Higher earners

Steps

1. Apply through your state Medicaid office for a Medicare Savings Program; it can pay Part B premiums and sometimes deductibles and copays.
2. Apply for Extra Help with drug plan costs at the same time.
3. The premium no longer taken from Social Security goes to principal.

Repeat: Renew as the state requires.

Measure: Monthly premiums no longer paid.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Income and resource limits apply and differ by state.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

65 or older; Limited income

Used in these sequences

• Bill-cutting stack for 65 and over

Steps

1. Apply to your state's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for help with heating or cooling bills.
2. The amount you would have paid on those bills goes to principal.
3. Combine with free weatherization for a lasting cut.

Repeat: Each heating or cooling season.

Measure: Bill help received (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Funding runs out each year; apply early.
• Income limits apply.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Limited income

Used in these sequences

• Bill-cutting stack for 65 and over

Steps

1. If you get SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal housing help or a Veterans pension, or have low income, apply for Lifeline.
2. It takes a discount off a phone or internet bill each month.
3. Send the discount to principal.

Repeat: Monthly, renewed yearly.

Measure: Monthly discount.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• One discount per household.
• Small amounts; it works best stacked with others.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Limited income

Used in these sequences

• Bill-cutting stack for 65 and over

Steps

1. First, set aside cash equal to the new home and auto deductibles.
2. Then raise the deductibles; the premiums drop.
3. Send the premium savings to principal.

Repeat: Each renewal.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• A claim costs more out of pocket.
• Do not do this without the reserve in place.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Higher earners, Newlyweds

Steps

1. Get at least three quotes for the same coverage.
2. Ask about bundling, safe-driver, low-mileage and usage-based discounts.
3. Send the monthly difference to principal.

Repeat: Every renewal.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Cheaper can mean less coverage; compare limits, not just price.
• Usage-based programs can raise rates for some drivers.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. List items worth real money you no longer use.
2. Get more than one appraisal or offer; sell through reputable dealers or auctions.
3. Send the proceeds to principal; selling a boat or car also ends its insurance, storage and upkeep, which goes to principal monthly.

Repeat: Once per item.

Measure: Net proceeds (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Prices swing; gold and collectibles can sell below what was paid.
• Gains on collectibles are taxed at up to 28%; losses on personal items are not deductible.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Sell what you don't use
• Five-year sprint: sell what is not the home

Steps

1. Add up its yearly fees, taxes, insurance and travel. If you rarely use it, it is a second mortgage-sized drain.
2. Sell through a licensed agent or the developer's own resale or exit program. Never pay a reseller up front.
3. Send the proceeds and the ended yearly costs to principal.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Net proceeds plus yearly costs ended.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Timeshares often resell for little; the gain is the ended fees.
• Resale scams are common; check with the state attorney general before paying anyone.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets, Higher earners, Average household

Needs

Owns a timeshare or vacation property

Used in these sequences

• Sell what you don't use
• Five-year sprint: sell what is not the home

Steps

1. Many states give a credit or rebate when property taxes are high compared with income (often called a circuit breaker).
2. Check your state revenue department and file the form with your state return.
3. Send the credit to principal.

Repeat: Every tax year.

Measure: Credit received (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Not every state has one; limits differ.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples

Used in these sequences

• Bill-cutting stack for 65 and over

Steps

1. If a parent wants to live with family, they can sell their home and may exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 married) from tax.
2. Write down what they pay each month toward the household, or what they lend at the IRS minimum rate.
3. Their monthly share goes to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Monthly share received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Living together is a big change for everyone.
• A gift from a parent can count against Medicaid eligibility for five years; get elder-law advice.
• Put the arrangement in writing so siblings understand it.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Family willing and able to help

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: family help

Steps

1. If part of the home is used regularly and only for your business, you can deduct it.
2. The simplified method is $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet; or use actual expenses.
3. Send the tax saved to principal.

Repeat: Every tax year.

Measure: Tax saved (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• W-2 employees cannot take this deduction.
• Using actual expenses can mean depreciation recapture when you sell.

Who it fits

Business owners, Higher earners

Needs

Owns a business or is self-employed

Used in these sequences

• Self-employed tax stack
• Five-year sprint: business owner

Steps

1. In a sole proprietorship or a partnership of only the parents, wages to a child under 18 are not subject to Social Security and Medicare tax.
2. Pay a fair wage for real work, keep timesheets, and file payroll forms.
3. The tax saved goes to principal; the child's pay is theirs.

Repeat: Every year.

Measure: Tax saved (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• The work must be real and the pay reasonable.
• The rule does not apply to corporations.

Who it fits

Business owners

Needs

Owns a business or is self-employed

Used in these sequences

• Self-employed tax stack

Steps

1. When selling land or a rental, offer seller financing with a recorded note and a solid down payment.
2. Gain is taxed as payments come in (installment sale), not all in one year.
3. Send each monthly note payment to your mortgage principal.

Repeat: Monthly, for the note's term.

Measure: Monthly note payment received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• The buyer can stop paying; foreclosure takes time and money.
• Federal rules limit seller financing of homes to consumers; use an attorney.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Married couples

Needs

Selling land or another property

Steps

1. Open FDIC-insured checking or savings accounts that pay a bonus for direct deposit or a balance; most do not pull credit.
2. Meet the terms, keep the account open as required, then move on.
3. Bonuses are taxable interest; send the after-tax amount to principal.

Repeat: A few times a year.

Measure: Bonuses received after tax (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Fees and early-closure clawbacks.
• Too many accounts at once can flag banking reports; keep records.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, Married couples, Newlyweds, College students, Higher earners

Steps

1. Compare each statement with what you sent. Extra money should show as principal, not as unapplied funds or a future payment.
2. If something is wrong, send a written notice of error; the servicer must acknowledge it within 5 business days and generally fix it or explain within 30.
3. Check escrow math and fees the same way.

Repeat: Every statement.

Measure: Amount corrected (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Use the address the servicer lists for notices of error, or the rules may not apply.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Used in these sequences

• Servicer check-up

Steps

1. Build the emergency fund first.
2. Money above that, earning less after tax than the mortgage rate, can go to principal.
3. Ask for a recast after a large payment.

Repeat: Once, then whenever savings pile up.

Measure: Amount moved (enter as a one-time amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Money in the house is hard to get back; a lost job does not pause the mortgage.
• Keep retirement contributions going, especially any employer match.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Savings or investments beyond the emergency fund

Used in these sequences

• Servicer check-up
• Five-year sprint: move out and rent it

Steps

1. With an existing FHA-insured loan, ask lenders about a streamline refinance; it needs less paperwork.
2. It must show a real benefit, such as a lower rate.
3. Keep paying the old amount; the difference goes to principal.

Repeat: Whenever rates fall enough to cover costs.

Measure: Months to payoff at the new rate and old payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "New rate, same payment".

Risks

• Costs and mortgage insurance premiums.
• A new 30-year term undoes the benefit unless the old payment is kept.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Newlyweds

Needs

Current loan is FHA

Steps

1. Move in with family, take a job that includes housing, or rent something much cheaper for a few years.
2. Rent the whole home at market rent with a written lease and screened tenants.
3. Send the full rent, after the home's own costs, to principal on top of the regular payment.
4. Move back within three years: owning and living in the home 2 of the 5 years before a sale keeps the home-sale exclusion.

Repeat: Monthly, for up to three years at a time.

Measure: Monthly rent after taxes, insurance, repairs and vacancy.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Check the mortgage's occupancy clause; many require living there for the first year.
• Rental income is taxable, and depreciation taken while rented is taxed when you sell.
• Tenants, repairs and vacancy are real costs.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household

Needs

Could move out or relocate for a few years

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: move out and rent it

Steps

1. If the property has a guest house, basement apartment or backyard unit, move into it.
2. Rent the larger main house, which usually brings much more rent than the small unit would.
3. Send the rent after the house's costs to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Main-house rent after costs.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Less space for your household.
• Zoning, permits and owner-occupancy rules for accessory units.
• Rental income is taxable.

Who it fits

Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Newlyweds, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent

Steps

1. If work or family no longer ties you to a high-cost area, compare what your equity would buy elsewhere.
2. Sell; up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 married) can be excluded if you owned and lived in the home 2 of the last 5 years.
3. Buy the next home outright, or with a small loan you can clear quickly.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Equity after sale costs against the price of the next home.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Selling and buying can cost 6% to 10% of the price.
• Prices, jobs and family ties in the new area.
• Property taxes and insurance can be higher in some cheaper states.

Who it fits

Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher earners, Single, Average household, Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

Could move out or relocate for a few years

Used in these sequences

• Two live-in flips, then no mortgage

Steps

1. Buy a home that needs cosmetic work, live in it, and improve it while you live there.
2. After at least two years, sell; the gain up to $250,000 ($500,000 married) can be excluded.
3. Put the gain into a smaller loan, or no loan, on the next one. Repeat.

Repeat: Every two years or more.

Measure: Gain after costs at each sale.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Markets can fall; renovation costs run over.
• Moving every two years is hard on a family.
• The exclusion can be used once every two years.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, Business owners, No college degree, No high school diploma

Needs

Could move out or relocate for a few years

Used in these sequences

• Two live-in flips, then no mortgage

Steps

1. If you own a rental, compare its yearly return after costs with the mortgage rate.
2. Sell it and pay principal with the after-tax proceeds; then ask for a recast.
3. Or sell one of several rentals each year as part of a five-year plan.

Repeat: Once per property.

Measure: After-tax sale proceeds.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Gains are taxed, and depreciation taken is taxed at up to 25%.
• You give up the rent and future growth.

Who it fits

Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher earners

Needs

Owns a rental property

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: sell what is not the home

Steps

1. Get a valuation, and talk with partners or key employees about buying a share.
2. The sale price is split among the business's assets for tax; some parts are taxed as ordinary income.
3. Send the after-tax proceeds to principal.

Repeat: Once, or in stages.

Measure: After-tax proceeds.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Giving up control and future profits.
• Seller notes can go unpaid.
• Use a CPA and a business attorney.

Who it fits

Business owners, Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

Owns a business or is self-employed

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: business owner

Steps

1. List shares that are already vested and yours.
2. Having a big part of your wealth in the same company that pays you is a double risk; selling some reduces it.
3. Send the after-tax proceeds to principal.

Repeat: Each time shares vest.

Measure: After-tax proceeds.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• The stock can rise after you sell.
• Holding periods change the tax; check the plan's rules and blackout dates.

Who it fits

Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Married couples, Single

Needs

Owns vested employer shares

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: sell what is not the home

Steps

1. Ask for the policy's account value, surrender value and any surrender charge.
2. Compare surrendering with a life settlement offer and with keeping it; if coverage is no longer needed, take the best.
3. Send the proceeds after tax to principal.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Surrender value after tax.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Gain above the premiums paid is taxed as ordinary income.
• Your heirs lose what the policy would have paid them.
• Surrender charges can be large in early years.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets, Married couples, Average household

Needs

Owns a policy that is no longer needed

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: 73 and over

Steps

1. If you receive structured settlement payments, a buyer can pay a lump sum for some of them.
2. State law requires a judge to approve the sale as in your best interest; without approval, federal law taxes the buyer heavily.
3. Sell only part, compare several offers, and send the lump sum to principal.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Lump sum against the total of payments given up.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Buyers' discount rates are often very high; you can get far less than the payments are worth.
• Payments meant for medical care or living costs should stay.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples

Needs

Receives structured settlement payments

Steps

1. List crypto or other digital assets you hold.
2. Selling or trading them is a taxable event; report it on your return.
3. Send the after-tax proceeds to principal.

Repeat: Once, or in stages.

Measure: After-tax proceeds.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Prices swing widely.
• Records of cost are needed for the tax.

Who it fits

Single, Higher earners, College students, Married couples, Average household

Needs

Savings or investments beyond the emergency fund

Steps

1. If your loan is held by a person (a seller who financed your purchase) or a small private investor, ask whether they would take less than the balance for cash now.
2. Many private holders prefer cash today; get any discount in writing with a release of the lien.
3. Fund it from assets or a family loan, not new high-cost debt.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Discount received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• A forgiven amount can be taxable as canceled debt; when the seller who financed your purchase reduces it, it may instead count as a lower purchase price. Ask a CPA.
• Banks and large servicers rarely agree.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Business owners, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Mortgage is owed to a person or small private holder

Steps

1. Above the yearly gift limit, a person can give much more using their lifetime exemption ($15 million each in 2026) and usually owe no tax.
2. The giver files Form 709 to report it.
3. The gift goes straight to principal.

Repeat: Once, or a few times.

Measure: Gift amount.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• A gift can make the giver ineligible for Medicaid for up to five years.
• The giver must keep enough for their own life.
• Treat siblings fairly, in writing.

Who it fits

Newlyweds, Married couples, Single, College students, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household

Needs

Family willing and able to help

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: family help

Steps

1. Required minimum distributions must come out each year from 73 whether you need them or not.
2. If they are not needed for living costs, send the after-tax amount to principal.
3. Give part directly to charity first if you give anyway; that part is not taxed.

Repeat: Every year.

Measure: After-tax distribution (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Keep enough cash for emergencies and medical costs.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

73 or older, with retirement accounts

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: 73 and over

Steps

1. Many deferred annuities let you take a share of the account value each year, often 10%, without a surrender charge.
2. Gains come out first and are taxed; before 59½ a 10% additional tax applies.
3. Send the after-tax amount to principal. Never pledge the annuity as collateral.

Repeat: Every year.

Measure: After-tax withdrawal (enter as a yearly amount).

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Taking money out can reduce income riders and what is left to heirs.
• Check the contract's surrender schedule first.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Higher net worth, with assets, Married couples

Needs

Owns a deferred annuity

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: 73 and over

Steps

1. Search the PBGC's unclaimed pension database and the Department of Labor's Retirement Savings Lost and Found.
2. If a plan offers a lump sum and you are past 59½, a part can go to principal; otherwise roll it over and keep it growing.
3. Ask former employers about plans you may have forgotten.

Repeat: Once, then after each job change.

Measure: Amount found.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Cashing out before 59½ is taxed and usually penalized.
• Never pay a finder.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. Check the FTC's list of refund programs for companies you have done business with.
2. File claims in class-action settlements that name you or a product you bought.
3. Send each check to principal.

Repeat: A few times a year.

Measure: Refunds received.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Scammers pose as refund agents; real programs never charge a fee.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. If you own open, flat land near power lines, developers may offer a 20 to 30 year lease.
2. Have an agricultural or real estate attorney review payment, escalation, removal bonds and taxes.
3. Get lender consent, and send each yearly payment to principal.

Repeat: Yearly, for decades.

Measure: Yearly lease payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Long commitment; it limits other uses and a future sale.
• Property tax treatment can change.
• Many offers never become projects.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: landowner

Steps

1. Forest owners with enough acres can enroll in a carbon program that pays each year for practices that store more carbon.
2. Read the contract term and the harvest limits.
3. Send the payments to principal.

Repeat: Yearly, for the contract term.

Measure: Yearly payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Limits timber harvests for years.
• Payments depend on programs and buyers.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Steps

1. If a project needs an easement on your land, you can negotiate the price, route and terms.
2. Learn your rights in the federal process and get an appraisal.
3. Send the payment to principal.

Repeat: Once per project.

Measure: Easement payment.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• The easement is usually permanent.
• Construction damage; put restoration terms in writing.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Average household, Higher net worth, with assets

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: landowner

Steps

1. Check zoning for camping and short stays.
2. Start with simple tent sites; add a pad, water or a platform tent later.
3. Send the net to principal.

Repeat: Seasonal bookings.

Measure: Net monthly income.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Liability; get the right insurance.
• Rules on sanitation and fire.
• The income is taxable.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Single, Average household

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Steps

1. Offer pasture or stall board with a written agreement on care, fees and liability.
2. Many states limit liability for equine activities if signs and contracts meet their rules.
3. Send the net to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Net monthly board.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Animal injuries and fencing costs.
• Daily work.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Business owners

Needs

Owns acreage or a large lot

Steps

1. Some states license homes to care for a few adults who need help with daily living.
2. Training, inspections and background checks are required.
3. Send the net income to principal.

Repeat: Monthly.

Measure: Net monthly income after staff and costs.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Round-the-clock responsibility.
• Licensing, staffing and liability.
• Income ends if you stop.

Who it fits

Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Single, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent

Steps

1. Ask your church to designate part of pay as a housing allowance before it is paid.
2. That part is not subject to income tax, up to the home's fair rental value and actual costs.
3. Send the tax saved to principal.

Repeat: Every year.

Measure: Income tax saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• It is still subject to self-employment tax.
• Only for ministers of the gospel as the IRS defines them.

Who it fits

Married couples, Single, Average household, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Is a minister

Steps

1. Set up a written accountable plan in your company.
2. Submit records for the business share of home costs and business mileage; the company reimburses you tax-free.
3. Send the tax saved to principal.

Repeat: Monthly or quarterly.

Measure: Tax saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Yearly amount to principal".

Risks

• Records are required; excess must be returned.
• The company loses nothing it would not deduct anyway, but get a CPA to set it up.

Who it fits

Business owners

Needs

Owns an S or C corporation and works in it

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: business owner

Steps

1. Ask whether your employer offers educational assistance that pays student loans; up to $5,250 a year is tax-free.
2. Your own student loan payment drops or ends.
3. Send what you no longer pay to principal.

Repeat: Every year.

Measure: Monthly student loan payment freed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Not every employer offers it.
• Plan rules and limits apply.

Who it fits

Single, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Average household, Higher earners

Needs

Has student loans

Used in these sequences

• Student loans gone, then the house

Steps

1. If you work for government or a qualifying nonprofit, Direct Loans can be forgiven after 120 qualifying payments.
2. Certify employment every year.
3. When forgiven, send the old student loan payment to principal.

Repeat: Once, at forgiveness.

Measure: Monthly payment freed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Rules are strict; track each qualifying payment.
• Program rules can change.

Who it fits

Single, Married couples, Newlyweds, Average household

Needs

Has student loans; Works for government or a qualifying nonprofit

Used in these sequences

• Student loans gone, then the house

Steps

1. Teachers in qualifying low-income schools for five years may get up to $17,500 forgiven.
2. A total and permanent disability can discharge federal student loans.
3. Send the freed payment to principal.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Monthly payment freed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Eligibility rules and paperwork.
• Discharged amounts can affect taxes in some states.

Who it fits

Single, Married couples, Newlyweds, Average household, No college degree

Needs

Has student loans

Used in these sequences

• Student loans gone, then the house

Steps

1. Nonprofit hospitals must have a written financial assistance policy; ask for it and apply, even after the bill arrives.
2. Bills can be reduced or erased based on income.
3. End or shrink the payment plan, and send the difference to principal.

Repeat: Each bill.

Measure: Monthly payment freed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Rules and income limits differ by hospital.
• For-profit hospitals are not required to offer it.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Newlyweds

Needs

Paying hospital bills

Steps

1. A certified nonprofit credit counselor can set up a debt management plan that often lowers card interest rates.
2. Pay the same amount you pay now; more of it goes to balances.
3. When the cards are paid, roll that payment to principal.

Repeat: Monthly, until the cards are paid.

Measure: Payment freed at the end.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Cards in the plan are usually closed.
• Avoid debt settlement companies that charge up front.

Who it fits

Average household, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, College students, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Newlyweds

Needs

Has car, card or other loan payments

Steps

1. If you buy your own health coverage, check the marketplace for a premium tax credit based on income.
2. The credit goes straight to the insurer, so the monthly premium drops.
3. Send the difference to principal.

Repeat: Each open enrollment.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Report income changes, or you may repay credit at tax time.
• Credit amounts change with the law.

Who it fits

Business owners, Single, Married couples, Newlyweds, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over)

Needs

Buys own health coverage

Steps

1. In most states, children in families with moderate incomes can get low-cost coverage.
2. Move the children's coverage off a costly family plan if it makes sense.
3. Send the premium saved to principal.

Repeat: Renew as the state requires.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Income limits differ by state.
• Compare doctors and networks.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, Average household, No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Has children under 19 (or under 5 for Head Start)

Steps

1. Head Start and Early Head Start are free for eligible families with children up to age 5; many states also offer free pre-K.
2. Apply early; spaces fill.
3. Send the daycare cost no longer paid to principal.

Repeat: Each school year.

Measure: Monthly childcare cost saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Income rules and waiting lists.
• Hours may not match work schedules.

Who it fits

Married couples, Newlyweds, Single, No high school diploma, No college degree, Average household

Needs

Has children under 19 (or under 5 for Head Start); Limited income

Steps

1. If the lender requires flood insurance but the house sits higher than the mapped flood level, get an elevation certificate.
2. Request a Letter of Map Amendment from FEMA; if approved, the federal requirement no longer applies.
3. Send the premium saved to principal, or keep a cheaper policy.

Repeat: Once.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Flooding can still happen; many people keep a lower-cost policy.
• The surveyor's certificate costs money.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Lender requires flood insurance

Steps

1. When the roof needs replacing anyway, build it to the FORTIFIED standard or document wind-mitigation features.
2. Ask the insurer for the discount; some states require one.
3. Send the premium saved to principal.

Repeat: Once, at roof replacement.

Measure: Monthly premium saved.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Upgrades cost more up front.
• Discounts differ by state and insurer.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. Look at loans and accounts for optional credit insurance, debt protection, extended warranties or other add-ons.
2. Cancel the ones you do not need; ask about refunds of unused premiums.
3. Send the savings to principal.

Repeat: Once, then for every new loan.

Measure: Monthly cost removed.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Keep coverage you actually rely on.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. Many states exempt some or all property tax for disabled veterans; in Texas, a 100% disabled rating exempts the whole homestead.
2. File with your county appraisal or tax office.
3. Send the escrow reduction to principal.

Repeat: Once, then renew as required.

Measure: Monthly escrow reduction.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Rules differ by state; some only cover part of the value.

Who it fits

Average household, Married couples, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Needs

Veteran with a disability rating

Steps

1. When refinancing, points buy a lower rate; the break-even is often longer than five years.
2. On a short payoff plan, the same cash usually saves more as principal.
3. Run both in the calculator before choosing.

Repeat: At each refinance.

Measure: Interest saved both ways.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• If plans change and you keep the loan longer, points can win.

Who it fits

Average household, Higher earners, Higher net worth, with assets, Business owners, Newlyweds, Married couples, College students, Single, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), No high school diploma, No college degree

Steps

1. If you own mineral rights, an operator may pay a signing bonus and royalties on a lease, or buy the rights.
2. Have an oil and gas attorney review terms.
3. Send the bonus, royalties or sale proceeds to principal.

Repeat: Bonus once; royalties monthly.

Measure: Bonus and royalties after tax.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "One-time amount to principal".

Risks

• Drilling may never happen.
• Selling ends future royalties.
• Surface damage terms matter.

Who it fits

Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Married couples, Higher net worth, with assets, Average household

Needs

Owns mineral rights

Used in these sequences

• Five-year sprint: landowner

Steps

1. After a covered disaster, homeowners policies often pay displaced families' additional living expenses for months.
2. List a furnished home or unit with insurance-housing placement services and local agents.
3. Send the net rent to principal.

Repeat: Each placement.

Measure: Net monthly rent.

Try it in the calculator Enter its amount in "Monthly non-income amount to principal".

Risks

• Placements are temporary.
• Wear and tenancy rules still apply.

Who it fits

Married couples, Grandmas and grandpas (62 and over), Single, Average household

Needs

A spare room, unit or space to rent