Tools and resources for a better,
more financially secure retirement.
We understand that planning to secure your financial future can be overwhelming, which is why we’ve simplified things for you. Browse through our articles to better understand the importance of home equity as part of a comprehensive retirement strategy, how different options work, and the various ways you can access your equity for a more secure future.
10 Facts Heirs Need to Know About Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Reverse Mortgages
If a reverse mortgage borrower sells the home or moves away permanently, the loan becomes due and payable. But the truth is, most reverse mortgage borrowers use the loan to age in place, leaving repayment of the loan to their heirs. As with any mortgage, the borrower could be subject to foreclosure for failing to […]
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Ideal Candidates for a Reverse Mortgage
There may be as many reasons to consider a reverse mortgage loan. The first reverse mortgage in 1961 went to a widow whose wish was to continue aging in her beloved home without the financial burden of monthly mortgage payments. In exchange, she agreed to maintain her home and stay current on her property taxes […]
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Does the Bank Own the House with a Reverse Mortgage?
It’s easy to understand why so many people mistakenly believe the lender takes ownership of the home in exchange for giving the borrower a reverse mortgage. The loan’s many advantages make it seem almost too good to be true. Some of these advantages are: But, in fact, all the features listed above are true. There […]
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How Medicare Impacts Your Retirement Medical Expenses
Trying to anticipate your medical expenses in retirement isn’t easy. Who’s to say whether you will need a hip or knee replacement next year, or 10 years from now if ever? Now, you may be thinking that Medicare, the U.S. national health program, will cover the majority of your medical costs once you turn 65, […]
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Does Bad Credit Affect Reverse Mortgages?
You have no job, mounting medical bills, and poor credit. You’re 62, and your home is even older and in need of repairs. You might think you would be the least likely candidate to be eligible for a mortgage loan, but you could be wrong. Find out if a reverse mortgage is right for you. […]
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Borrower Stories: Hope and John Scott
You think life goes on the way it has forever. Hope and John Scott had made a lovely home and marriage in Lakewood, Calif., anchored by John’s 42 years of employment for a major supermarket chain. Hope kept the house up and worked occasional jobs for extra income. Like so many Southern Californians, upon retirement […]
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Ways to Get Your House in Financial Order
“If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.” – Earl Wilson Over the decades, you’ve probably uttered a variation of the statement, “I need to get my act together.” In your 20s, maybe you were trying to decide on a career path. In your 30s, maybe you wrestled […]
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How to Gain Financial Stability in Retirement
Growing older introduces a lot of new challenges, whether it’s learning to deal with a few more aches and pains or mastering new technology so you can video-chat with your grandkids. That you can handle. What’s really got you tied in knots is how to gain financial stability in retirement. You wouldn’t be alone in […]
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Is a Reverse Mortgage Loan Ever a Good Idea?
If you had asked a senior who saw their precious nest egg cut in half in the 2008-09 Great Recession but was able to lean on their reverse mortgage line of credit — until their stocks and bonds had a chance to rebound — they would likely tell you it was a good idea. If […]
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Financial Planning is Important for Retirement
Even when you were younger, you wouldn’t think of scaling Half Dome without exhaustively planning every detail and contingency for your ascent. Well, the importance of financial planning for your retirement should take on a similar approach. Here are five reasons financial planning is so essential for your retirement: Planning implies active intent, interest, and […]
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