7 Online Banking Success Stories

7 Online Banking Success Stories

You have seen their ads and you may have wondered if they are worth a second look. What am I talking about? Online banks! Also known as internet banks, these are financial institutions who provide the majority of their banking services over the internet. Typically, online banks offer consumers high savings rates, low loan rates, and a mix of other services. Let’s look at 7 winners in this fast growing field:

1. E Trade Bank Part of E Trade Financial, the discount internet stockbroker. E Trade Bank offers checking accounts, money markets, and certificates of deposits as well as a VISA credit card.

2. Netbank Along with offering checking and money market accounts, Netbank provides mortgage and home equity lines of credit to customers. With tie-ins to affiliated companies Netbank also offers Auto, Homeowners, Condo/Co-op & Renters Insurance and Life, Health, Long Term Care & Dental Insurance.

3. Virtual Bank VirtualBank, a division of Lydian Private Bank, is a federally chartered bank regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision. The bank offers checking, savings, and credit card services to customers.

4. Ever Bank This leading internet provider of banking services offers the most extensive, and varied services of any online institution. Ever Bank offers business and personal checking accounts, mortgages, home equity loans/lines of credit, reverse mortgages, a VISA credit card, and world currency accounts. This latter category is for investing in Deposit accounts and CDs denominated in any major world currency.

5. Emigrant Direct Part of Emigrant Savings Bank which traces its roots back to 1850 as a service provider to Irish immigrants. Emigrant has $10 billion in assets and more than $1 billion in net worth. It operates as a full service bank through 36 branches in the New York metropolitan area, and through EmigrantDirect.com. Emigrant offers only consumer services online; their high paying savings account is a chief investment vehicle.

6. ING Direct ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to over 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. ING offers mortgages, loans/lines of credit, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market mutual funds through another division.

7. MetLife Bank Yes, MetLife. A division of insurance powerhouse Metropolitan Life, MetLife Bank offers savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, mortgages, and IRAs to consumers.

If you are banking exclusively with a “brick and mortar” institution you may be missing out on high paying investment options or competitive loan rates that easily undercut many traditional banking entities. These online banking success stories are only part of a growing number of savvy providers, some of whom are definitely worth a closer look by you, the consumer.

The post 7 Online Banking Success Stories first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

Reverse Mortgages Evaluated With A Mortgage Calculator

Reverse Mortgages Evaluated With A Mortgage Calculator

If you are like most retired adults, you own a home but have very little else for retirement. However, if you sell your house, you won’t have a place to live! So here’s your problem: you need money to live on, but the only thing that you own of value is the place you live.

A reverse mortgage can give you the answer this retirement dilemma. This option sells your house a piece at a time, instead of all at once. Also, you get to live in your home. You can use a mortgage calculator to determine the monthly cost of home equity loans or refinancing. Also, you can use this mortgage calculator to figure out how much your loan would cost you in total.

First, call a real estate agent. They will be more than happy to tell you how much your home would sell for, and how to increase its value. Depending on your level of savvy and the time you could commit to it, this could pay off handsomely. The reason is that the amount that a reverse mortgage will pay you is based on your home’s value. So, if there is an easy way to increase the value of your home, do it before applying for a reverse mortgage.

You can use a mortgage calculator to find out if you should get a home equity loan before you get your reverse mortgage. The mortgage calculator will tell you how much, in total, a home equity loan would cost you for the short time between the repairs and the reverse mortgage. But be careful. Don’t spend more remodeling than it will increase your home’s value. Also, if you love something about your house, don’t change it. After all, you still get to live in it.

Okay, now that you know how much your house would sell for, it is time to look into a reverse mortgage loan. You can use a special mortgage calculator to find out how much each different loan would give you. This mortgage calculator bases its results on four things: your age, your house’s value, your house’s location and your lender. More than one company offers a mortgage calculator, so it is best to check with AARP to see if it is a valid program. The mortgage calculator on their website is very simple, but it is a good place to start.

But why is it called a loan? Because, when you are done with the house, the lender wants money, not the house. Of course, if the house sells for more than you were paid, your heirs may get some of it. This is a detail you should work out when you get the loan. Again, there are mortgage calculator programs to help you figure this out. If you still have a loan on your property, you will have to pay it off before you get your money.

Once you have done your own research, it is time to talk to a professional. The real estate agent that you spoke to before should be glad to give you a list of good lenders and mortgage brokers. They will walk you through the process. Read every document. Ask questions about anything that you don’t understand. And soon, instead of paying a mortgage every month, you will be able to receive a check instead.

The post Reverse Mortgages Evaluated With A Mortgage Calculator first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

How A Reverse Mortgage Works

How A Reverse Mortgage Works

Ever wonder how a reverse mortgage works? For folks that have lived in their home for a long time, they may very well be sitting on a gold mine. Home prices have increased greatly over the last thirty years, and nationally have nearly doubled in value over the last ten years. This has left a great many homeowners with valuable equity in their homes and many different options to access that equity, home equity loans and mortgage refinances being the most common. For older Americans, there is another, less common option that is growing in popularity as home prices have increased and baby boomers have moved closer to retirement age: the reverse mortgage. But do you know what it is, and do you know how a reverse mortgage works?

So what exactly is a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a loan product that allows homeowners 62 years of age and older to use their equity to generate tax-free income, without having to sell the home or take on a new mortgage payment. In fact the reverse mortgage is exactly what the title states, the reverse of a standard mortgage. With a standard mortgage, the borrower (or homeowner) makes monthly payments to the lender (or bank or mortgage company), in order to pay back the loan that the lender originally lent to for the purchase or refinance of the house. This payment includes interest that the lender charges the borrower for the loan. In a reverse mortgage, the situation is reversed; the lender makes monthly payments to the borrower. However, in both a standard and reverse mortgage, the lender secures their loan amount by using the house as collateral.

There are a few factors that determine how much money a borrower will receive from a reverse mortgage, such as the value of the home, borrower’s (and co-borrower’s) age, current interest rates and any lending limits that may be standard for your geographic area. As a rule of thumb, the older the borrower and the more valuable the home, the larger the available loan amount. Homeowners can choose how they want to receive their payments, either as a lump sum, monthly payments or as a line of credit. The line of credit is the most popular option, with nearly 60% of reverse mortgage borrowers choosing to the option to draw income or a lump sum off the line at the time of their choosing. And the proceeds from the reverse mortgage can be used for anything, completely at the discretion of the borrower, though most borrowers use the funds for home repairs or modifications, health care expenses, to settle other debts, or for their long-planned vacation! Reverse mortgages are available for nearly all property types with the exception of co-ops, though co-op owners in some metropolitan areas, specifically New York, should have local options. If you are in retirement, or nearing retirement, and think this may be the product for you, I will go into more detail about exactly how a reverse mortgage works.

For reverse mortgage borrowers with an existing mortgage, that mortgage will need to be paid off completely, so that the new reverse mortgage will be the only lien on the house. If the proceeds from the reverse mortgage are not ample to pay off the existing mortgage, the borrower will need to access savings or other sources to pay off the rest of existing mortgage amount. In this scenario, the borrower won’t have access to any additional funds from the reverse mortgage; however, they will no longer have a mortgage payment! The more common scenario is one in which there is a small or no mortgage on the home and then the borrower is able to access nearly the full amount of the reverse mortgage to use at their discretion. No monthly payments are due on the loan and the loan is repaid when the moves or sells the home, passes away, or ownership otherwise changes hands. If the home is sold and the proceeds of the sale exceed the mortgage amount, the balance belongs to the borrower or their heirs.

One very important facet of the reverse mortgage process is the consumer counseling that is required for borrowers contemplating a reverse mortgage. Your lender can help you find counseling agencies and most programs are approved and monitored by HUD and/ or AARP. The counseling is required to make sure that the terms and risks of the program are clear to you. Counselors are obligated by law to review with you all of the implications of the new mortgage, and what your potential options are.

Overall, for older Americans contemplating a stress-free retirement, the reverse mortgage may be just the option! Just make sure that you know your options and goals… and how a reverse mortgage works.

The post How A Reverse Mortgage Works first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

How A Reverse Mortgage Works

How A Reverse Mortgage Works

Ever wonder how a reverse mortgage works? For folks that have lived in their home for a long time, they may very well be sitting on a gold mine. Home prices have increased greatly over the last thirty years, and nationally have nearly doubled in value over the last ten years. This has left a great many homeowners with valuable equity in their homes and many different options to access that equity, home equity loans and mortgage refinances being the most common. For older Americans, there is another, less common option that is growing in popularity as home prices have increased and baby boomers have moved closer to retirement age: the reverse mortgage. But do you know what it is, and do you know how a reverse mortgage works?

So what exactly is a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a loan product that allows homeowners 62 years of age and older to use their equity to generate tax-free income, without having to sell the home or take on a new mortgage payment. In fact the reverse mortgage is exactly what the title states, the reverse of a standard mortgage. With a standard mortgage, the borrower (or homeowner) makes monthly payments to the lender (or bank or mortgage company), in order to pay back the loan that the lender originally lent to for the purchase or refinance of the house. This payment includes interest that the lender charges the borrower for the loan. In a reverse mortgage, the situation is reversed; the lender makes monthly payments to the borrower. However, in both a standard and reverse mortgage, the lender secures their loan amount by using the house as collateral.

There are a few factors that determine how much money a borrower will receive from a reverse mortgage, such as the value of the home, borrower’s (and co-borrower’s) age, current interest rates and any lending limits that may be standard for your geographic area. As a rule of thumb, the older the borrower and the more valuable the home, the larger the available loan amount. Homeowners can choose how they want to receive their payments, either as a lump sum, monthly payments or as a line of credit. The line of credit is the most popular option, with nearly 60% of reverse mortgage borrowers choosing to the option to draw income or a lump sum off the line at the time of their choosing. And the proceeds from the reverse mortgage can be used for anything, completely at the discretion of the borrower, though most borrowers use the funds for home repairs or modifications, health care expenses, to settle other debts, or for their long-planned vacation! Reverse mortgages are available for nearly all property types with the exception of co-ops, though co-op owners in some metropolitan areas, specifically New York, should have local options. If you are in retirement, or nearing retirement, and think this may be the product for you, I will go into more detail about exactly how a reverse mortgage works.

For reverse mortgage borrowers with an existing mortgage, that mortgage will need to be paid off completely, so that the new reverse mortgage will be the only lien on the house. If the proceeds from the reverse mortgage are not ample to pay off the existing mortgage, the borrower will need to access savings or other sources to pay off the rest of existing mortgage amount. In this scenario, the borrower won’t have access to any additional funds from the reverse mortgage; however, they will no longer have a mortgage payment! The more common scenario is one in which there is a small or no mortgage on the home and then the borrower is able to access nearly the full amount of the reverse mortgage to use at their discretion. No monthly payments are due on the loan and the loan is repaid when the moves or sells the home, passes away, or ownership otherwise changes hands. If the home is sold and the proceeds of the sale exceed the mortgage amount, the balance belongs to the borrower or their heirs.

One very important facet of the reverse mortgage process is the consumer counseling that is required for borrowers contemplating a reverse mortgage. Your lender can help you find counseling agencies and most programs are approved and monitored by HUD and/ or AARP. The counseling is required to make sure that the terms and risks of the program are clear to you. Counselors are obligated by law to review with you all of the implications of the new mortgage, and what your potential options are.

Overall, for older Americans contemplating a stress-free retirement, the reverse mortgage may be just the option! Just make sure that you know your options and goals… and how a reverse mortgage works.

The post How A Reverse Mortgage Works first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

Serious Considerations for Financial Retirement

Serious Considerations for Financial Retirement

There are a few things you should keep in mind when planning for your retirement. First of all, you probably shouldn’t hold your breath when it comes to social security being able to cover even a small portion of your retirement if the service even exists in any form of its former self by the time you are facing retirement. The second thing you need to keep in mind is that your needs upon retirement depend greatly on how you live your life now and how you plan to live once you retire.

There are many who live very conservatively now in an effort to save up their money for retirement and really live it up at that point. The problem is that they are basing their retirement living on their current lifestyle, which is not a good comparison. The problem is that the vast majority of Americans are earning just enough money through their jobs in order to make ends meet. The idea of finding any money to sock away for retirement for most Americans is difficult at best and absolutely impossible in some situations.

The first step when it comes to successful financial retirement planning is to map out how much money you are going to need in order to maintain your current lifestyle upon retirement and go from there. Most estimates are that you will need to bring home on average 75% of your current take home salary in order to maintain your current lifestyle. The understanding is that you will eliminate many monthly expenses by no longer working however some find that this simply isn’t enough so you should be careful when relying on this figure.

You should also plan for inflation when planning your retirement as well. It will take more money in the future in order to have the same standard of living. You should also consider that our expectations tend to increase over time and you need to be able to live within the limits of your budget when the time comes. It will be difficult to take out additional funds once you’ve reached retirement age. For this reason it is in your best interest to plan ahead and plan carefully. The more modestly you live today in an effort to invest more money for your retirement the better chances you will have to enjoy a better lifestyle upon retirement.

You should also be careful that you do not sacrifice the moment in search of a better retirement. You need to be able to take vacations, save money for the things you want and need, in addition to covering the necessities of today. We aren’t guaranteed that we will be here for retirement though that is hardly a reason not to invest and save for that day. However, we should never sacrifice the moment and the childhood of our children for the sake of an eventual retirement. As long as you are making significant progress you are doing better than a large section of the population and you can opportunities later to invest greater amounts of money towards you retirement.

The problem is that most people do not begin growing concerned over their retirement picture until it is too late to make significant progress. Begin early making plans for your financial retirement in order to insure the greatest possible success. Pay off your major debts such as student loans, home loans, doctors’ bills, car notes, and credit cards whenever possible. These are constant drains on your income that you do not need once you’ve limited or ‘fixed’ your income. In addition to your 401 (k) or IRA funds you can start your own investment account by having the bank automatically draft a portion of your check each pay period. You can also ‘pay yourself’ an extra bonus by depositing extra funds anytime you get extra money like a bonus check at work or payment for services outside of work. Take every opportunity you have to boost your retirement account.

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Don’t look to Social Security for Retirement

Don’t look to Social Security for Retirement

The name is derived from the Internal Revenue Code established in 1978. It’s presently administered by the government section called the Employee Benefits Security Administration, also known as the EBSA.
A 401(k) plan is a plan usually used for retirement and is funded by an employee contribution. Some companies will match the contributions up to 100% of the employee’s contribution and yet some companies do not offer any matching funding. The BNSF Railroad is one of these such companies that does not offer even a $1 match for their employees.
The funds are contributed from the employee’s paycheck BEFORE taxes. The fund will accumulate completely tax free until it is withdrawn. Most businesses or companies have these retirement plans in place or they can create them.
There are a lot of advantages of having a 401K plan:
1. Employees can contribute pre-tax money which helps reduce the tax owed from their paychecks.
2. Any company contributions are also tax free until withdrawn.
3. As the funds are compounding, you are attaining a good profit on your invested funds.
4. The money you have funded in the plan can be moved around from one company to another. This isn’t available in a pension.
5. Your 401K is also protected from garnishments and is protected by pension laws because it is a personal investment plan. The only time it is not protected from garnishments is in domestic caes or cases of child support, but it IS protected from creditors.
6. You can borrow against your own 401(k) and the payments you make are put back into your own account along with the interest. The interest you pay on the loan is paid to you as well. You are actually borrowing the money from yourself and paying yourself back with interest. Most plans only allow you to borrow up to 50% of your fund account and only 2 loans at a time. You can borrow more than once if you find yourself in a financial hardship.
You should note that it is hard to get your contributions, (aside from a loan), before the age of 60 without paying a lot of penalty fees. The penalty fees can take a lot of the interest profit you may have received over the years. The plan is not insured by the Pension Benefit Gauranty Corporation, also known as the PBGC.
You do have many options for investing in your 401K plan. You will usually be investing in mutual funds. This helps protect you from having all your eggs in one basket. Mutual funds can consist of:
Money market funds
Treasuries
Stock funds
Bond funds
Since the 401K plan is a long term investment, it should be able to handle market fluctuations without damage to your fund. Since stocks usually outperform other types of investment this is a great option for retirement security.

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FHA Reverse Mortgage May Be Just The Ticket

FHA Reverse Mortgage May Be Just The Ticket

You had it all planned out, just when you were going to retire and how much money you were going to have to do it with. Now with everything and everyone losing money instead of making money you are worried that you may not have enough money to live on at all. Look into getting an FHA reverse mortgage.

If you have owned your home for the last 30 years or so and have built up quite a bit of equity and are at least 62 years old you can qualify for an FHA reverse mortgage. Using the equity in your home can help with anything you need it for. The possibilities are endless, medical expenses, investing, vacations, fixing the old place up or anything else you can think of.

If you do your research and find that this type of situation will be to your benefit then check out two or three different lenders that offer reverse mortgage packages and see if you can find one that fits your needs.

The criteria for being eligible to receive this type of loan, in addition to being 62 and having the equity, are continually residing in the home, having the home be your only residence, and agreeing to pay the insurance and the property taxes on the home. Your home also must be completely paid off or be very nearly so. The FHA will take into consideration homes that have very small balances left on the original mortgage if need be.

It is mandatory that homeowners attend an educational session hosted by the FHA to learn about reverse mortgages, other loan alternatives and any and all financial pros and cons of opting for a reverse mortgage.

You will find out about loan limits and that they are based on several things like your age, your home’s value and current market trends. This educational session is of course offered before you agree to sign any loan papers or anything so you can then make an informed decision and even talk to family members before making your decision.

The FHA will take care of selling your home when you are no longer living in it, either by moving or your death and any leftover equity will be given back to you or will become part of your estate.

Personally, I do not think there is any reason anyone age 62 or older with a home that is paid off would not elect to have a reverse mortgage. You could benefit so many ways and not have to worry about how you will afford being retired. You can use the money any way you like and still have enough money to live on year after year after you retire.

You can choose to take your money as a lump sum payment or as a line of equity or as monthly payments. You can combine the line of credit and monthly payments, too. that way you can keep some money in reserve to use as you need it to fix up the old homestead. An FHA reverse mortgage may help you stay in your home a lot longer than you had intended after retirement.

The post FHA Reverse Mortgage May Be Just The Ticket first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

Retirement Quotes

Retirement Quotes

Retirement is one of the celebrated moments of anybody’s life and a stage in which brings so many emotions. You can ask anyone how they might feel about retirement and majority of young individuals and old alike will see it as the time to relax, enjoy and be happy for the remainder of their golden days. Although, there are some who might feel otherwise, but one thing for sure, retirement will always be something to look forward to, at least for many. This maybe is the reason why many poems, sayings and quotes are made known to pay tribute to retirees. All these quotes are taken from different people’s idea and feelings about the time when work is no longer a part of daily routine.

Retirement quotes that you can find in books or over the internet are shared by those who already had their own experience of what retirement entails. These quotes serve a lot of purpose. In fact, you can use them to be included in your retirement speech or to be written on your invitation card for a retirement party. Or, you can just simply read them to get inspiration for they are surely fun to read and you can get wisdom from them, as well. Some retirement quotes are humorous enough to make you smile. You may say you are not that crazy about them, but once you start reading even one quote, you’ll find out how interesting and amazing it is to know how people see and understand retirement. Not convinced? Well, I can’t blame you for I, myself, wasn’t that exited when I first decided to read some, probably because I didn’t know what to expect.

You can never be too young or too old to take pleasure in reading retirement quotes. To fully understand what I am talking about, why not try reading them. The secret to enjoy reading depends on the material, right? So, if you enjoy business, entertainment, and lifestyle issues, by which relates only to present issues, there’s no reason why you can’t like retirement quotes when in fact they concern the future – your future! Here are some examples of retirement quotes that you may want to share with your colleagues, co-workers, and friends:

Retirement is wonderful. It’s doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.
– Gene Perret

There are some who start their retirement long before they stop working.
– Robert Half

The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income. – George Foreman

Retirement means no pressure, no stress, no heartache…unless you play golf.
– Gene Perret

I’m retired – goodbye tension, hello pension! – Author unknown

The challenge of retirement is how to spend time without spending money.
– Author unknown.

Sooner or later I’m going to die, but I’m not going to retire.
– Margaret Mead

It is a time I stepped aside for a less experienced and less able man.
– Scott Elledge

The post Retirement Quotes first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

Smart Moves for Retirement Readiness

Smart Moves for Retirement Readiness

With health care costs continuing to increase, the future of Social Security unclear and pension plans available to fewer and fewer workers, America’s retirement readiness is a major concern for both individuals and the nation as a whole.

Since June 2004, Fidelity Investments has completed about 200,000 income plans for retirees and pre-retirees who faced the daunting task of gauging their preparedness for retirement. Fidelity learned that some simple, yet often ignored, investment strategies can help ensure a more comfortable retirement. Here are some basic strategies to consider.

* Make it work while you’re still working. Investors in their peak earning years should take full advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and deferred annuities.

Asset allocation should be age appropriate and investors should avoid two common retirement savings mistakes: being overly cautious or taking excessive risks when deciding how much of their assets to invest in cash, stocks or bonds. Remember, though, that this does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss.

Individuals also may want to take into account simple tradeoffs that can reduce expenses and increase savings, such as holding on to the family car a few extra years once it has been paid off.

* Make it last as long as you do. Once you reach retirement, stretching retirement savings to make it last is very important. Some investors are planning to work in retirement while others are postponing retirement to take advantage of added income and continued health care benefits.

Pre-retirees may want to consider putting their salaries into income annuities, which some call “self-made pensions” because they provide guaranteed lifetime income.

Finally, given that Americans are living longer, and that market returns are unpredictable, smaller withdrawals in the early years of retirement could lead to greater long-term financial security.

* Make it count to live the lifestyle you want. Typically, investors who are able to achieve the retirement lifestyle they want have created a detailed, realistic budget for retirement living expenses. Investors should plan for rising health care costs and other financial contingencies. To help stay on track, individuals and their spouses should review their plans annually, including expenses, investments and asset allocation.

Creating a successful retirement takes more than a one-step solution. Whether it’s finding a “fun” part-time job, eliminating one of the family cars or taking a vacation locally, retirees have implemented multiple strategies to extend their incomes, control their spending and maximize their savings. – NU

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How To Avoid Mortgage Scams

How To Avoid Mortgage Scams

With record numbers of individuals seeking home loans these days, it’s no surprise that scam artists have developed new ways to separate borrowers from their money. Mortgage scams are on the rise and typically target people who are overextended, have bad credit, or are in need of financial relief. These scams can cost a lot – in fact, they can result in the loss of your home. Guard yourself against con artists with a little background on common mortgage scams:

Slight-of-Hand Signings

There are documented cases of homeowners who unwittingly signed away the title to their homes because they were confused by paperwork. With any decision involving your finances, get everything in writing and insist on reading the documents carefully before signing. Ask questions and make sure you understand the answers. Be sure you never sign paperwork with blank spaces or allow someone to rush you through the process.

High-Priced Home-Buying Seminars

You’ve seen ads in the newspaper (and on bus benches) for those home-buying seminars or programs catering to people with less-than-perfect credit. If you’re considering such services, check out their fee structure first, and make sure you’re not buying into a scam. If you’re required to pay large fees in advance, chances are the service is not legitimate. Consult the Better Business Bureau before taking action.

The Reconveyance Racket

Say you’re struggling with mortgage payments or in foreclosure. A business or individual offers to buy the property and sell it back to you, once you get your finances back in shape. The process is called “reconveyance,” and there are legitimate companies offering these services. If you encounter a scammer, however, you could find yourself unable to repurchase your home.

Target: Reverse Mortgages

If a member of your family is considering a reverse mortgage, they should protect themselves against scams specifically targeting reverse mortgages and speak with a HUD-approved counselor first. Make sure they get at least three separate offers in writing, and that they understand the terms and conditions before signing. Remember, borrowers generally have up to three business days in which they can cancel a loan document.

Home Equity Hard Knocks

In this type of scan, the homeowner is approached by a contractor offering home renovations at an affordable price. When the homeowner protests that they can’t afford the work, the contractor suggests he arrange financing through a lender acquaintance. The homeowner agrees, the contractor commences work, and then presents the homeowner with a bunch of paperwork. Some of the papers may be blank or incomplete and the contractor threatens to walk off the job unless they are signed immediately. After the fact, the homeowner discovers they’ve applied for a home equity loan with high rates and accompanying fees. At this point, the contractor has all the leverage because the work is underway and he’s probably received a kick-back from the unscrupulous lender.

The post How To Avoid Mortgage Scams first appeared on Reverse Mortgage United.

It seems like each generation has a different idea of what they want to do for their retirement years

It seems like each generation has a different idea of what they want to do for their retirement years

Once social security started and people began retiring with an income they wanted to do things in their retirement years, especially since we were living longer. A few generations ago the retirement dream often included the purchase of a mobile home so that the couple could travel to different part of the country and have their belonging with them. Then there were the developments of gated communities or adult communities. People would have less work in these and often times would have two homes in different parts of the country so they could enjoy more moderate weather through out the year. As this idea took hold there were many camping trailers for sale because the retirees no longer wanted them. Many young families began purchasing the camping trailers for sale to use on weekends. The campers became a way for families to travel and see the country without the expense of lodging. The camping grounds began to be more family friendly by providing pools, game rooms and other activities that children enjoy. Now that people are making more money at an earlier age families are starting to use facilities with more amenities than a camper can provide.

Once again there are many camping trailers for sale because the price of gas makes it difficult for families to travel on a regular basis. Also the price of lots and lake shore properties that were popular parking spaces in the past have become quite expensive. Camping trailers are still a great option to travel in as well as take family vacations. Because of the number of them on the market they can be purchased quite reasonably. Families can still stay cheaper in a camp ground and if they are visiting relatives or friends it is nice if they can bring their own lodging with them. My cousins often do this. They drive their recreational vehicle and park in our yard. We visit and have meals together and then they go to their recreational vehicle to sleep.

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The Reverse Mortgage-Fact & Fiction

The Reverse Mortgage-Fact & Fiction

Planning for retirement can be a daunting task, long-term care, investments or annuities, lack of retirement income. These all lead to unnecessary frustration. A reverse mortgage could settle some of that headache. Since most seniors will have need to reduce their current spending while retired, a reverse mortgage may provide the added cushion most people feel they need even before retiring. Social Security, IRA’s, 401k’s, and other methods of retirement income usually provide enough for living expenses and recreational activities, but do not leave much room to improve your financial future. A Reverse Mortgage is an increasingly popular solution to access a large amount of tax-free funds to safely allocate for higher interest investments and securities.

Reverse Mortgages are federally regulated and guaranteed financial vehicles that allow someone age 62 or older, to pull out equity locked in most senior’s largest asset: their home. A Reverse Mortgage will provide a percentage of the home’s appraised value, up to 60%, in a variety of different payout methods, but the borrower is not required to make a single payment as long as they continue to live in the home. All repayment, closing cost, and interest are repaid when the senior either moves or the home is sold, so it produces a large amount of capital with absolutely no risk of default or foreclosure on the home.

One of the key benefits to the reverse mortgage is that the funds are completely tax-free. A reverse mortgage will also not will NOT impact social security or Medicare benefits in any way. A reverse mortgage becomes even more impactful when used as a revenue generator by increasing your investment portfolio. For example, a couple who are both age 65, with a home value of $200,000, zero mortgage, and are looking to either purchase an immediate annuity or a joint long-term care insurance policy. A reverse mortgage could potentially provide over $100,000 to fund the annuity or a single premium insurance policy, with interest growth and a long-term care rider.

The true power of the reverse mortgage as an investment tool lies in two aspects of the product. The first is that any funds generated from a reverse mortgage are completely tax free, and will not affect the tax bracket of the applicant. The problem to the senior or anyone for that matter, is that they have to remove themselves from the asset they are liquidating in order to access the proceeds. Not with a reverse mortgage! A reverse mortgage is a true win win.

A reverse mortgage lets you unlock the value of your single largest asset without having to dispose of it or pay for it in any way. As more and more seniors reach their mid to upper 60’s and 70’s, they will look to increase the dollars available to them. Once again, this is why a reverse mortgage is going to continue to be a popular financial strategy in the years to come.

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