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Menefee Agency: New Service Helps Small Businesses and Individuals Get Out Of Debt In 9 Years or Less

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The Small Business Association (SBA) states that 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50% during the first five years and 66% during the first 10. The SBA goes on to state that only 25% make it to 15 years or more. But they don’t fail because they aren’t making money; they fail because they carry too much debt.

“If you read financial publications, consumer debt load is what they’re predicting as the next financial crisis,” says Chris Menefee of the Menefee Agency. “As soon as I heard about it, I knew this was a program that provided a ton of value for consumers and does it in a way that gives them hope.”

“There are a lot of small businesses we could help become successful bigger businesses just by eliminating that debt,” says Menefee.

417debtfree.com is the only certified agency in Springfield offering a program called Debt Free Life, the aim of which is to get people out of debt in nine years or less and without paying any more money than they’re already paying. “It’s kind of a mindbender,” says Menefee. “A lot of people say ‘How do you do that? That just doesn’t make sense.’”

Menefee explains that there are products and services within the insurance and financial services world that have, in the past, only been available to the ultra wealthy because they had the means to hire accountants and financial advisers. But technology has changed all that. “I always tell people they have more computing power in their smartphone than there was in the first rocket that went to the moon,” says Menefee. “This has really cracked open so many things that weren’t available before to those of us who weren’t super rich.”

Using the technology and services and financial products that are already in place and putting them all together makes figuring out a business or individual’s debt pay down much more efficient. The software Menefee uses takes a look at the business or individual’s budget and analyzes how those dollars can be spent more efficiently. Menefee says the key is that software has no emotion.

“Technology just looks at the facts,” he says. “A lot of us get attached to a certain debt or bill that consumes us, whereas technology looks at it and recognizes its existence while also recognizing that maybe there’s a better way to spend that money. It may be that one emotional bill has to wait because it’s more efficient to start somewhere else and circle back.”

While this certification and software is new to Springfield, it has been well established and used to get people and businesses out of debt in other parts of the country for well over a decade. Menefee Agency is the only certified agency using the software in Springfield.

During the free consultation, Menefee Agency will plug a prospective client’s budget into the software. The team then goes through that budget and gives a free analysis and makes recommendations for products that will help that person or business get out of debt.

If the debt loads are higher it may take a bit longer but Menefee has seen small businesses get out of debt even faster than individuals on occasion. “Sometimes there’s a little more cash to move around and the software we use can strategize with that,” he says.

Menefee puts an emphasis on the fact that he’s not kidding when he says the program allows people with small business debt or student loans or an overwhelming mortgage get out of debt without spending any more than they’re already spending. “No living on beans and rice on this program,” he says. “Our program takes into account that you’ve got to live a life and most people want to live comfortably.”

“It’s very rare that we don’t have someone get out of debt in nine years or less,” says Menefee. “If it’s over nine years, it’s not by much. It’s amazing how often we can get in under that nine year mark.

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