Tools and resources for a better,
more financially secure retirement.

Growing older introduces a lot of new challenges, whether it’s learning to deal with a few more aches and pains or mastering Zoom 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 your […]

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 […]

The holidays may be the most joyous time of the year and the most dangerous. The temptation and societal pressure to overspend, whether splurging on a new outfit, spoiling a spouse or a grandchild, or filling your shopping cart with shiny, sparkly objects to bedazzle your holiday guests, is almost impossible to resist. If you […]

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 […]

An “emergency fund” is essentially a cash reserve set aside for unplanned expenses or financial emergencies. It’s your defense against Murphy’s Law, the idea that anything that can go wrong will go wrong over time, which could negatively impact your home, health, or finances. While defining an emergency fund is relatively easy, determining how much […]

Most people associate a mortgage with a predetermined set of payments, usually monthly, that you are obligated to make to your lender until your debt (principal and interest) has been satisfied. This borrower-to-lender flow of payments is known as a traditional mortgage. A reverse mortgage reverses the process. Instead of making monthly payments to your […]

The main eligibility requirements for a reverse mortgage are relatively few. You must: Be 62 or older. Own the home. Have substantial equity in the home. Live in the home as your primary residence. If you look at the last requirement, which states you must “live in the home as your primary residence,” then renting […]

With the Nov. 3, 2020 passage of California’s Proposition 19, homeowners age 55 and older can now transfer their home’s Proposition 13 tax savings to a replacement home, including a more expensive one, anywhere in California. The tax break, which can be used up to three times, also extends to California homeowners with severe disabilities […]

Medicare is Awesome, But It’s Not Free – The Medigap v. Advantage Decision Generally, if you have reached the age of 65 and you have paid Medicare taxes (these are the FICA deductions on your paycheck) for at least 10 years, you will likely be eligible to receive Medicare benefits. But Medicare (Part A, hospital […]

Can a Family Member Be Added to a Reverse Mortgage? People seem to enjoy making additions of one sort or another. Homeowners might add an extra bedroom to accommodate visiting in-laws.  Golfers might add a solo player to complete a foursome. Or magicians might add a routine to improve their act. Unfortunately, however, you can’t […]