Shirley Bertholf

By Wednesday evening at this time, I will have arrived in Orlando, Florida and will be making myself at home in a room at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort for the next three days.  What is the occasion?  United First Financial® is hosting their 3rd International Convention which they’ve entitled, “Come, See What We’re Working On!”

I don’t know how many of you are aware of  United First Financial, but if you aren’t, you should be!  This is a fairly new company, whose first product, the Money Merge Account® program, has been offered to the public now for three years after passing a 2-year test market exposure with flying colors.

What do the folks at United First Financial and their Money Merge Account program do?  They offer a program that will enable their clients to eliminate all mortgage and consumer debt in a fraction of the time it would otherwise take them, while potentially saving themselves thousands of dollars in interest they are currently scheduled to pay.  In their first 2 1/2 years, the Money Merge Account program has enabled UFirst™’s clients to pay down over $355,000,000 in mortgage principle and that number is rising every single day.

This amazing program has earned its founders the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award for Financial Services in the Utah Region for 2008.  It has also attracted the attention of major publications such as Mortgage Planner Magazine, Success From Home, and Personal Real Estate Investor, among others.  Personal Real Estate Investor Magazine awarded United First Financial and the Money Merge Account program with their Editor’s Choice Award for 2008, and has just featured UFirst again in the September/October issue currently on the newsstands.

But UFirst is not finished yet!  They have now gone full circle with their dream of not only enabling their clients to eliminate debt, but making it possible to build wealth, create a secure, tax-protected retirement, and leave behind a lasting financial legacy for those they love.

Through a unique, patent-pending  system called B.O.S.S. (Banker’s Optimal System of Security), United First Financial enables folks to actually create their own banking system, in which money they spend for home furnishings, business equipment, automobiles, college education, etc. begins flowing back toward them rather than away from them.  This system also creates an instant estate,  is not at the mercy of the markets, offers liquidity and access to your funds,  and provides predictable, tax protected retirement income.  That’s huge in light of the current condition of most people’s retirement plans!  And besides all that, there is a death benefit to pass on to your survivors.

I feel like I’m on a crusade these days — buying America back, one family at a time!  And if we can get the word out to enough people, perhaps we can hand our children a better, brighter future than the one that’s looming currently on the horizon.

We live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the foothills of Mount Baker.  It’s gorgeous here, and, since I have the privilege of working out of my own home office each day as a UFirst Agent, one of the joys I frequently experience is seeing deer meander through our yard.  They are so graceful and beautiful.  More than once I’ve snagged my camera to capture them on film, but my pictures never do them justice.

We don’t often catch a glimpse, but there is also a herd of Elk that wanders into our yard from time to time, primarily at night or in the early dawn hours.  We see their tracks and droppings, and, for some time now,  we’ve seen something else.  Damage!  We found out the hard way the answer to the question, “What do elk eat?”  And with each new evidence of their destructiveness, our delight in these regal creatures has eroded.

They have trampled through flower beds, broken the tops off small bushes, shrubs, and trees,  and gnawed the bark and leaves off taller trees, breaking whole branches in the process.  As much as we love having them in our neighborhood, the destruction they are wreaking on our landscaping plans is something we cannot allow.

The other day, a neighbor stopped by to inform us that he’s also had trouble with these majestic creatures and finally called the Forest Service to complain.    A forest ranger offered him a sure-fire cure for troublesome elk: bear hide.

Our neighbor produced a chunk of bear hide, which he was kind enough to share with us (not sure where he got it — perhaps from the Forest Service).  My husband then cut it into strips, not an easy process, considering the toughness of the hide, the dullness of his knife, and the putrefying foulness of the odor.

The underside of the hide contains a thick, sticky, oily substance which must be rubbed over the bark of the tree.  Then the hairy strip of hide is wedged or tied to the tree somewhere, giving the appearance of a fur collar around the neck of  the tree trunk.

The odor is strong and disgusting, but apparently, that’s good, because the elk will hopefully keep their distance in the fear that a bear is nearby.

We’ve only had the pieces of bear hide in our trees for a few days, but so far so good.  Elk hunting season will begin soon, and the elk will migrate up into the mountains for a time.

I don’t expect the fragrance of our bear hide to diminish any time soon, so hopefully it will give our fledgling trees and bushes a chance to grow without trauma to a size that no longer appeals to the elk that roam our yard.  Only time will tell.

In the meantime, as I look out my office window where I conduct my UFirst  business each day, our trees look like they are dressed and ready for winter with their “cute” little fur collars on.

Recently, I’ve encountered two persons who are in the loan modification process.  One, I’m happy to say, is now, after a grueling 7-8 months, in the second month of paying his modified house payment.  At the end of three months, if he has handled that new payment well, the modification will become permanent.  I’m so thrilled for him.

The second, however, was not so fortunate.  This person is an elderly widow who has lived in her house for over 35 years.  At some point before her husband died, they refinanced the house, but, in my opinion, someone took advantage of them.

I don’t know all the details, but when I met her, this dear woman was in danger of losing her home.  She had applied for a loan modification and was told that in order to qualify, she must be in arrears in her monthly mortgage payments.  They advised her to quit making her payments, so they could secure the modification for her.

After about 6 months, she was informed that her chances of being granted the loan modification were favorable.  That was less than two months ago.  Last week, she was informed that the modification has been denied, that her house has been sold, and that she has 10 days to vacate the property!  What on earth happened?  Why is there so much confusion surrounding this process?

When I went digging for answers, I found that many loans are packaged or securitized and then sold to groups of investors.  What homeowner hasn’t gotten at least one of those letters informing us that our loan is now owned by someone other than our original lender.

In my business, when I ask people who their lender is, they often aren’t sure, because the bank that is actually servicing their loan is usually no longer the one who actually owns it.  In fact, in many cases the loan has changed hands multiple times.

Ordinarily, that shouldn’t pose a problem, but when it comes to loan modification, lenders who actually hold the mortgages are now threatening to sue service providers who modify or change the loan contracts in their effort to bring relief to their borrowers.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether or not these loans can legally be changed, even in specific, appropriate situations, but Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank, says that those attempting modifications are running into problems that are not easily resolved.

In seeking financial relief, one should proceed cautiously through this maze called “loan modification.” You may be one of the lucky ones, like the first client I mentioned.

But if you’re going to pursue such a course, do your homework.  Stay in constant touch with the modification providers.   Seek advice from mortgage and financial professionals.

Investigate other alternatives to accelerating your equity and lowering your debt.  Don’t get caught, as my second friend did — after months of waiting — “out in the cold.”

The last time we went camping, we stopped for gas at a local filling station and the attendant asked if we were moving!  That’s because, even though we love to go tent camping, we take as many conveniences with us as we can.

We load a trailer with lots of wood, several tables, a porta potty, a three burner propane stove, a gearbox turned into camp kitchen cabinet, our sleeping tent, a canopy tent for over the table and cooking area, and an Aero bed.

Yes, an Aero bed.  We like to be comfortable.  We don’t usually have electricity, so we bought a converter and always take along a lengthy extension cord so we can connect to our car battery.  That has extra benefits as well, since, as a self-employed business person with United First Financial,I can work from anywhere.   If I can power my laptop computer, we are then free to stay an extra day or two if the fancy strikes.

Well, last tent camping trip, my husband blew up our air mattress, but a few minutes later when he went to spread our Coleman sleeping bags over the top of it, it was totally flat!  Okay…try again, he thought.  Perhaps he didn’t quite get the cap closed properly.

Alas!  This time he heard the hissing sound…not a hole, mind you, but apparently one of the baffles had separated from the rest and couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain.  What to do?  We had paid for three nights at this camp site but, at our age, the hard ground was just not an option!

Well, we thought, let’s try duct tape!  It works for everything else.  We began applying pieces of duct tape over the offending baffle.  For a moment there, it looked like it might work.

Then we noticed an air bubble under the duct tape, growing larger and snaking toward the tape’s edge.  Okay then…let’s add another piece of duct tape to better seal the edge.  The bubble kept moving outward in its desperate attempt to escape.  No matter how many pieces of duct tape we used, the bubble managed to find its way to freedom.

It was obvious that our fancy-dancy bed was done for.  There was no hole to patch.  The entire infrastructure of the bed had given way.  Thankfully, some family members hauled cushions out of their camper, and we managed to finish the camping trip without too many aches and pains.  But we knew that before we could go tent camping again, another air mattress would be required.

After hours talking with friends, searching online, and reading reviews, we decided on a raised air mattress with a bit of memory foam on top and its own built-in pump.

It was delivered last weekend, and we have slept on it a couple of times to try it out.  We’ve added an old egg-crate foam topper we had in the attic and a mattress pad.  It’s not bad!

And now, we are very anxious to go camping again!  So, Sunday afternoon, we will be heading out to our favorite campsite upriver about twenty miles.  You just can’t keep a good tent camper down for long!

By the way, the reason we can go camping on Sunday afternoons when everyone else is returning home,  can have our pick of camp sites, and miss all the traffic and noise of the weekend is because I am my own boss!  With my United First Financial business, I can set my own schedule.   And that’s nice!

Today, in the Pacific Northwest, it was just about perfect!  The sun shone brilliantly all day, the breeze was slightly cool and gentle, and trees and bushes have begun spreading color everywhere.  Unfortunately, I had to work today, so I couldn’t just “go outside and play,” but , because I work my own U-First business from my home, I have a huge window at my desk that allows me to observe the flowering crab, the lilac bush, the azaelea, and the rhododendron awakening to the spring warmth right in my own front yard.  Ummm!  How my heart stirs at so much beauty all around me.  And I feel sorry for people who seriously don’t believe in God, because it’s in such exquisite moments as these that one just simply must give thanks.   So, on their behalf, and with all of my heart, I offer praise to the God of the Universe for making such a glorious world!

Anybody living close enough to visit the Whatcom County Home Show this weekend, March 6-8, in Lynden, WA is in for a treat.  When I went today to set up my own booth for United First Financial®, I took a walk through the exhibits as they were being constructed.  I can assure you there are some very incredible displays.

My booth isn’t fancy to look at.  We brought a loveseat, end table, lamp, picture, candle, plants, etc. to make it seem really homey and inviting.  We want you to stop by, because what you’ll discover by visiting our booth could absolutely change the rest of your life.

United First Financial is a company offering a revolutionary math-based program that can help get our clients to zero with their debt and their mortgage in as little as 1/2 or even 1/3 the time it would otherwise take them.  The best part about that is that (1) you don’t have to refinance your existing mortgage, (2) you don’t have to add extra every month to your payments, and (3) there is little to no change your lifestyle to do it.  In other words, you can become debt free in record time WITHOUT having to sell everything you own and eat beans and rice for the next 5 years!

If it sounds too good to be true, I don’t blame you.  That’s what we thought, too, when we first heard about the Money Merge Account® program.  But the 3rd largest Auditing/Accounting Firm in the US, Ernst & Young recently awarded the owners of our company the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008 Award for Financial Services in the Utah region.  Industry leaders offering publications such as Broker Banker Magazine, True Wealth, and Mortgage Planner have featured UFirst and the Money Merge Account system a number of times in the past year year and a half, encouraging their readers to consider its power to get them out of debt.  Personal Real Estate Investor rewarded UFirst™ with the Editor’s Choice Award for mortgage innovation.  Success From Home Magazine, February 2009 issue, features the Money Merge Account program, highlighting both clients and agents with United First Financial.  This thing really works!

We will be offering a Free Analysis to see if you can qualify for this service.  Each situation is different and we won’t know until we run your analysis if the program will be a good fit for you or not.  But what have you got to lose, except years off your debt? And what if we could cut years off your mortgage or indebtedness?  What if we could save you thousands in scheduled interest payments, or even more?  Would it be worth a few minutes of your time to check it out?  I think so.

Come on down to the Whatcom County Home Show and check us out.  Or send me an email at shirley@releasefromdebt.com.  The next future we rescue could be yours!

Results will vary and are determined by individual financial situations. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer or a solicitation to lend or extend credit. Contact your United First Financial independent agent (agent#) for further details.

It’s my birthday today.  At my age, why should I even get excited about birthdays?  I turn 61 today, not an age I’m totally thrilled about becoming.  But is celebrating a birthday really about being anxious to grow older, at least once we reach adulthood?  I think celebrating birthdays is really more about celebrating us as persons.  Having someone aware of us and care about us enough to remember the day we made our entrance into this world brings significance to each of us.

I know people who don’t like giving out their birthday information, even to friends who love them. What is that all about?  Undaunted, I just go snooping around among family members until I get the information anyway, and guess what?  These folks are never offended when I call to wish them a happy birthday or send a card.  Perhaps, subconsciously, the whole reason for the secrecy is to find out if anyone thinks they are worth the extra effort required to make the discovery.

At any rate, I have been wished a happy birthday by my precious husband, my four beautiful kids and several of my grandkids, four business colleagues, a couple of aunts and uncles, my sister, brother, neice, parents…and the day is not over yet.  I feel significant today!  Thank you to all who took a moment to celebrate the fact that I am part of their lives because, on March 2, 1948,  I made an appearance in this world.  It’s nice to know that someone is glad that I have managed to stick around for 61 years since.  They seem convinced that life is better for them because I have lived and loved on this earth.  That’s what makes a birthday a happy day!

Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday to you, too, when you special day arrives.

I am taking a web-marketing class called “ubranding”  to enable me to market my United First Financial business.   It is really a great class.  Most of the participants seem to grasp the concepts and understand the vocabulary.  But for people in my generation, it’s like taking a class where the instructor  is speaking a different language.  Anyone relate?  I could probably put any one of my grandchildren in the class and they would wonder what my problem is!!!  But even the most common terms that everyone else takes for granted are sometimes gibberish to me.

Even when I think I understand the instructions, I’m not quite sure if I’m following them correctly, because when I proceed, things don’t always turn out like what I saw or heard on the training webinar.  And I can’t just “talk” to someone to find out what went wrong.  I have to type in questions and hope for someone to see my post and respond.  Today a kind gentleman answered a question I typed, but unfortunately, I’d already tried what he suggested without success.  Now what?

Today was one of those very difficult, frustrating sessions.  And I have shed more than a few tears as a result.  Computers and the internet are both wonderful and terrible, in my estimation.  It’s probably obvious how I labeled them today!

But, when it’s all said and done, I’m at least trying, right?  I have actually managed to do quite a few things I never dreamed I could do, in spite of feeling very overwhelmed by the whole thing.  Many people in my generation would not even attempt such an endeavor.  So, I should be rather proud of myself actually.

I just wish it would get easier.  And perhaps it will…

I finally promoted to Branch Manager with United First Financial in November, right before the UFirst cruise.  Wow!  It took me longer to get there than I would have liked, but I made it.  Now my goal is to work hard to help agents I’ve recruited to accomplish their goals as well!