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A Great Solution for Seniors : Reverse Mortgage

Posted on May 20, 2014May 27, 2014 by janjordan

To most, elderly and nursing homes go hand in hand. But did you know when speaking with elderly people, one of their biggest fears is being placed into a nursing home? And who can blame them? According to National Center on Elder abuse, one study interviewing 2,000 nursing home residents reported that 44% said they had been abused and 95% said they had been neglected or seen another resident neglected. When considering the psyche of an older senior, nursing homes or convalescent homes mean “end of life”. Often times adult children don’t know a better solution as the needs of the parents increase, the home is no longer suited for their parent, and they do not have the funds or the time for in home care. This is where reverse mortgage becomes a very important option.

Reverse mortgage is a great method to finance in-home care to avoid nursing homes, or pay for medical care, and fund home modifications. For seniors who are looking to situate long term and prepare to live their senior years in their own home, a move to a new residence closer to family or more suited for senior life may be in order. The reverse mortgage for purchase is perfect option for these situations. Reverse mortgage for purchase allows the purchase of a new residence using a reverse mortgage while still employing the perks of a traditional reverse mortgage – living mortgage payment free. In addition, reverse mortgages do not affect social security, pensions, or medicare.

Both reverse mortgage for purchase and traditional reverse mortgage are available to seniors 62 and over, with no income or credit requirements.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Greeley, and Front Range areas of Colorado as well as Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming. Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Reverse Mortgage in Retirement : Now or Last Resort?

Posted on May 15, 2014May 27, 2014 by janjordan

Research suggests that many baby boomer and beyond retirees will not be in a financial position to avoid using home equity as part of their retirement strategy, meaning they will be increasingly turning to reverse mortgage. Senior homeowners are more commonly seeking advice from their retirement planners on whether to consider a reverse mortgage now proactively, or later as a last resort. So, what is the right answer?

A recent study compared the efficacy of two simple strategies: (1) establish a reverse mortgage line of credit at age 62, under current lending and interest rate environments – but do not use the line of credit until the retirement investment portfolio is exhausted. Or option (2) wait until the investment portfolio is exhausted, if ever, and establish a reverse mortgage line of credit then, and subsequently begin to use the proceeds to support income needs until that line of credit is exhausted.

Conclusion: The results showed an estimated 30-year survival advantage for early establishment. This holds true under various future interest rate and home appreciation scenarios for real withdrawal rates between 4 percent and 6 percent. However, postponing the establishment of an HECM line of credit should be considered when the adviser and/or client has good reason to believe that home occupancy after loan origination is likely to be short. In a recent blog article, I discussed how a reverse mortgage line of credit increases each month, and the feature is more valuable the longer the borrower wants to stay in their home. Read it here.

Get the full report on this study from Journal of Financial Planning here.

Seniors 62 and over are eligible for a reverse mortgage regardless of income or credit. Use of home equity as part of a retirement planning strategy is becoming more and more realistic as baby boomers face an uncertain economy. Contact me for more information.

5 Things You Should Know About A Reverse Mortgage

Posted on May 1, 2014June 17, 2014 by janjordan

If you’re a senior over 62, reverse mortgage marketing will begin to creep into your life. It’s inevitable. Sometimes it’s big, flashy promises and other times it’s scary horror stories. To help you filter through the hype, here are 5 important things every senior should know about a reverse mortgage:

1. You do not make monthly mortgage payments. Yes, that’s right, homeowners with a reverse mortgage do not need to make monthly mortgage or interest payments as long as they live in the home and keep it as their primary residence. Borrowers will be required to continue paying property taxes, homeowners insurance, general upkeep, and standard utilities (such as water, gas, and electricity).

2. There are no credit or income requirements. It’s true, there are no credit and income requirements to obtain a reverse mortgage. There are, however, borrower and property eligibility requirements. For example, the borrower must be age 62 or older. The home must be their primary residence and the property type will need to meet certain HUD guidelines, meaning it must be a:

Single family home or 2-4 unit home with one unit occupied by the borrower
HUD-approved condominium
Manufactured home that meets FHA requirements

3. You can use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home – even if you’ve never been a homeowner before. There are a few options to use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home. When purchasing a home, the borrower will be required to make a down payment, but will enjoy living mortgage payment free in this new home. Click here for much more information about purchasing a home with a reverse mortgage.

4. Married couples can both be on a reverse mortgage. If both borrowers are 62 and over, both can be on the reverse mortgage. If a spouse passes or moves to an assisted care facility, the remaining borrower can stay in the home. A reverse mortgage lender should be able to answer any questions regarding married couples and ensure both spouses feel confident in their decision.

5. You retain to the title to your home. Yes, you are still the “owner” and you will always retain the title to your home.

Reverse Mortgage for Purchase Down Payment Information

Posted on April 1, 2014August 21, 2017 by janjordan

Reverse mortgage for purchase is a popular option for seniors wishing to purchase a home and live mortgage payment free, just as they would with a traditional reverse mortgage. This program has been a wonderful tool used by homeowners in Northern Colorado, including Longmont, Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley.

Here are few basics to the reverse mortgage for purchase program:

The purchaser must be age 62 or older (each borrower on title must meet this criteria, although others residing in home do not)
The home being purchased must be the new primary residence
Credit and income are irrelevant
The purchaser must have the “required investment” (down payment) from a HUD allowable source. The funds cannot be borrowed. The required investment can come from the sale of a currently owned asset or money you have had for at least 90 days.

For more detailed information about reverse mortgage for purchase, click here.

The required investment (or down payment) changes based on the age of the homeowner and the value of the home they are purchasing. The following table is an illustrative guide to required down payments.

Taxes and your Reverse Mortgage

Posted on March 20, 2014June 17, 2014 by janjordan

Spring has sprung in Northern Colorado again! That’s the good news. The bad news is this also means it’s tax time. It’s common during this time of year for me to receive a few questions regarding taxes and reverse mortgage – from both those considering a reverse mortgage, and those who already have a reverse mortgage.

Here are the two most common:

Are the funds from my reverse mortgage considered taxable income?

No. Because the funds received from a reverse mortgage are technically an advance on a loan, any payments or lump sums received are not taxable income, meaning they do not need to be reported on a tax return as such. They also typically do not affect Social Security or Medicare payments.

Is the interest from my loan deductible?

No. Because reverse mortgage holders do not make monthly mortgage payments and typically the interest is not paid until the loan is paid in full, the interest from a reverse mortgage loan is not deductible on a tax return. This is also the case with a reverse mortgage for purchase loan.

FHA insured reverse mortgages are available to homeowners 62 and older with no credit or income requirements. These loans allow the borrower to live mortgage payment free and receive their loan payment in one lump sum or in monthly installments. All borrowers are required to participate in third party counseling to ensure all their questions are adequately answered before making a decision. Reverse mortgages are also available to purchase a new residence.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado. Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

NBC’s Today Show Discusses Reverse Mortgage

Posted on February 26, 2014June 17, 2014 by janjordan

In this great 4 minute video from NBC’s The Today Show, financial editor Jean Chatzky answers some common questions about reverse mortgage, how they work, and whom they are right for.

Touching on the issue of home inheritance she urges potential borrowers to ask the question: why are they so attached to their homes? An excellent first question to anyone who thinks a reverse mortgage may not fit their needs.

Reverse mortgages are available to homeowners 62 and older, with minimal income and credit requirements. A reverse mortgage for purchase is also an option for those looking to buy a new home or move from their current residence.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and Front Range areas of Colorado. Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Strong Home Sales Highlight Reverse Mortgage for Purchase

Posted on February 5, 2014June 17, 2014 by janjordan

As existing home sales rose in December of 2013, the year ended with the strongest sales since 2006, as reported by Realtor.org report. This is great news according to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, who said housing has experienced a strong and encouraging recovery over the past two years.

“Existing-home sales have risen nearly 20 percent since 2011, with job growth, record low mortgage interest rates and a large pent-up demand driving the market,” Yun said. “We lost some momentum toward the end of 2013 from disappointing job growth and limited inventory, but we ended with a year that was close to normal given the size of our population.”

The national median existing-home price for all of 2013 was $197,100, which is 11.5 percent above the 2012 median of $176,800.

What does this mean for reverse mortgages? Well, it may mean it’s the perfect time to consider a reverse mortgage for purchase. Here’s how the program works:

For seniors 62 and over, with minimal credit and income requirements, home buyers are able to use reverse mortgage to purchase a new home. The amount of the down payment required from the buyer will depend on the amount of the home they are purchasing. But unlike a conventional loan, not only will the lender provide the funds to make up the difference between the home price and the down payment, the new home owners will also be able to live mortgage payment free for as long as they remain in the home.

There are two scenarios that may signal the time is right for you to consider a reverse mortgage for purchase. Such as:

Possibly you’re looking to sell your existing home and move to a community or house that better fits your needs? With the strength in the housing market and thinning inventory, this could be a great time to consider selling your current home. And with a reverse mortgage for purchase, there are options that allow you to purchase while the current home is still for sale.

And of course, if purchasing a new home is your only goal, jumping in as a buyer before the market becomes overly competitive and home prices rise, usually proves to be beneficial. And not only will the reverse mortgage supplement the existing proceeds when making the purchase, it can also mean the buyer will not need to drain all of their funds, freeing income up for other things – such as medical bills, in home care, or even vacations.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and Front Range areas of Colorado. Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

A Retirement Crisis by the Numbers

Posted on January 10, 2014June 17, 2014 by janjordan

Numbers are being released showing that the impending retirement crisis may be worse than originally thought.

Half of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings. Nearly half of the oldest Baby Boomer generation have insufficient resources to pay for basic retirement living expenses and healthcare costs.

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College estimates that our “retirement income deficit” is $6.6 trillion. That number represents the gap between pension and retirement savings that American households have today and what they should have to maintain their standard of living in retirement.

Over 6 million American seniors are living in poverty. This number is expected to grow by 33% by the year 2020.

Continue reading “A Retirement Crisis by the Numbers” →

Can a Reverse Mortgage Help a Loved One this Holiday Season?

Posted on December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by janjordan

This time of year is often one of insight for adult children as they travel to visit their elderly parents or loved ones. Of course, these special visits are filled with a sense of joy and love. Catching up, reminiscing about old times, visiting with grand children. But it can also be a time filled with anxiety and worry – especially if aging loved ones are having difficulties in their current home – sometimes more so than previously realized. Questions will arise about their future; questions surrounding their long-term needs and their ability to meet them in the current situation.

In order to better sort through these thoughts, here are a few questions to ponder:

• Are they able to get around by him or herself? Are there stairs in the home?

• Is this person able to take medications without assistance? Is there a health concern that would require more regular supervision, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s?

• Is your parent able to manage mortgage payments, home-owners insurance payments, and property taxes. Is the home outdated and in need of frequent repairs – such as a furnace, roofing, electricity?

• Where is this home located? Is it in close proximity to relatives, hospitals, etc? Or is it secluded and away from town?

• Is this person lonely? Has he or she suffered the loss of a spouse? Does he or she have a solid social group or close friends?

Based on the answers to these questions, aging in place may be an option. If there are financial strains and they wish to stay in their current home, a traditional reverse mortgage may help alleviate financial worries or even provide funds for in home care. If the current home does not seem to be appropriate long term – whether due to location, stairs, or needed repairs – a reverse mortgage for purchase may allow them to purchase a new home that is more suitable to their needs or closer to family. Both reverse mortgage options are available to seniors 62 and over, with minimal income and credit requirements.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and Front Range areas of Colorado. Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Reverse Mortgage Changes Opens Doors of Opportunity

Posted on November 29, 2013June 17, 2014 by janjordan

Since the reverse mortgage industry saw big changes earlier this year, financial planners, retirement specialists, and lenders are collaborating more than ever before. In an effort to ensure these revisions are thoroughly understood and appropriate solutions are offered to clients, a strong relationship between professionals is vitally important.

Because of these newly developed relationships, it appears a wonderful shift is taking place. Reverse mortgage, once stereotyped as a product for poverty stricken widows or the like, is now being realized as a product of opportunity. More and more we’re seeing affluent and middle class retirees utilizing this option to provide financial stability and financial freedom throughout retirement. The industry has only begun to scratch the surface of those who would benefit or will discover the possibilities when tying a reverse mortgage into their retirement plans.

This paradigm shift will likely increase knowledge across the board regarding both traditional reverse mortgage loans and the reverse mortgage for purchase program. Both products are available for seniors 62 and over, with minimal income and credit requirements.

If you have any questions regarding the changes that have taken place surrounding the reverse mortgage industry in Colorado, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and Front Range areas of Colorado as well as Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming.