Making the Most of Home Equity: Tips for Senior Citizens

Making the Most of Home Equity: Tips for Senior Citizens

 Making the most of home equity

For senior citizens living on fixed incomes, the need to replace a car or do substantial home repairs can disrupt finances. Major unplanned expenses caused by illness or disability can lead to financial disaster. Fortunately, many senior citizens are sitting on a major financial asset: the equity in their homes.” By taking the time to do some research and smart planning, senior citizens can transform their homes into sources of financial stability,” says Bob Armbruster, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB).Publicity about predatory lenders targeting the elderly has made some senior citizens wary about borrowing against their home equity. NAMB offers some tips for senior citizens considering tapping into their home equity:

Tips 1-4

  • Consider a reverse mortgage. If you are at least 62 years old and owe little or nothing on your home, you can take out a reverse mortgage that will pay you a certain amount each month. The loan won’t have to be repaid until the home is sold.
  •  Understand the type of loan you’re getting. There are many kinds of home equity loans: fixed rate, adjustable rate, lump sum, line of credit. Each has advantages and disadvantages, depending on your personal financial situation.
  • Borrow only as much as you can afford. Make sure the monthly payments on your loan fit within your budget. If you can’t make the payments, you could lose your house.
  • Use a professional. Borrow only from a reputable mortgage broker or lender, preferably someone who is a CMC or CRMS.

Tips 5-7

  • Get a second opinion. Talk about the loan you are considering with a relative, friend or lawyer. They might notice something you might have missed or not considered.
  • Don’t use home equity for a quick financial fix. Don’t rely on your home equity to get you out of financial trouble. There are other options available — from credit counseling to even bankruptcy — that don’t put your home at risk.
  • Don’t respond to door-to-door salesmen, telemarketers or internet ads. These are scam artists’ favorite sales techniques. If you’re considering borrowing against your home equity, ask friends or family about a reputable broker or lender who can help you.

Tips 8-10

  • Beware of borrowing through a home-improvement contractor. Contractors are generally interested in just one thing: making a quick sale. They’re likely to charge you a higher interest rate and may even fail to follow through on the work they promise.
  • Don’t give in to high-pressure salesmen. No reputable broker or lender will try to pressure you to take out a loan. Walk away from anyone pressuring you to sign off on a loan.
  • Don’t take out any loan you don’t fully understand or aren’t completely comfortable with. It’s your loan and your house. If you aren’t happy with the loan terms, don’t understand what you’re being asked to sign or just have a bad feeling about it, just say no.We hope you found this article about “Making the Most of Home Equity: Tips for Senior Citizens” helpful.  If you have questions or need expert tax or family office advice that’s refreshingly objective (we never sell investments), please contact us or visit our Family office page  or our website at www.GROCO.com.  Unfortunately, we no longer give advice to other tax professionals gratis.To receive our free newsletter, contact us here.

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    Alan Olsen, CPA

    Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com.  GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.

     

    Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio

     

     

    GROCO.com is a proud sponsor of The American Dreams Show.

     

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    The American Dreams show was the brainchild of Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA. It was originally created to fill a specific need; often inexperienced entrepreneurs lacked basic information about raising capital and how to successfully start a business.

    Alan sincerely wanted to respond to the many requests from aspiring entrepreneurs asking for the information and introductions they needed. But he had to find a way to help in which his venture capital clients and friends would not mind.

    The American Dreams show became the solution, first as a radio show and now with YouTube videos as well. Always respectful of interview guest’s time, he’s able to give access to individuals information and inspiration previously inaccessible to the first-time entrepreneurs who need it most.

    They can listen to venture capitalists and successful business people explain first-hand, how they got to where they are, how to start a company, how to overcome challenges, how they see the future evolving, opportunities, work-life balance and so much more..

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