If you want to get a glimpse of your ‘highly secretive’ FICO, try this tool. Why ? Because if you apply for credit but get turned the inquiry effects your score for 25 months ! Ouch, see if its even worth it first.

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/credit-score-fico-calculator.aspx

Well the short answer is ‘usually they can’t.’ But there are some simple tax planning tools I first learned from my dad.

A tool I’ve set up for many to make the high costs associated w/ future/current college costs deductible is nice little managed rental homes. Consider this:

Our company will:

• find the properties – give the data – for you to make an informed investment
• broker the sale(s)
• oversee/manage the pre-rental rehab
• screen/manage tenants
• send monthly statement and direct deposit earnings.

While you, the taxpayer:

• have child(ren) care for lawn and any tasks they can handle – this is deductible exp to parent, comparatively minimal tax effect up to $4000 for child.
• gets to now deduct many things that have or will be paid for anyway – tools already owned: mowers, trailers, mileage at $56c/mile, childs cell phone & computer to extent used to help care for property(ies), etc.
• deducts depreciation – another not out of pocket ‘tax preference item’ as the IRS calls it.
• deducts house office area used for tracking & managing the manager – so now a % of house costs are deducted that again are already being paid for.

If the property is in the college town:

• child deducts mileage to/from and many other costs for him/her to ‘site manage’ it as an occupant or near by resident.