Americans More Afraid of Retirement Health Care Costs than Death

by Maggie Callahan Americans of all ages are more worried about future health care costs and their finances than they are about death, according to a recent online survey by TD Ameritrade. Completed by Harris Poll on behalf of TD Ameritrade, the survey “Redefining Aging” asked about 2,000 Americans over the age of 18 for…

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Forbes Offers Detailed Rebuttals to Perceived Reverse Mortgage Risks

by Alex Spanko Forbes over the holiday weekend published a point-by-point rebuttal of a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article that questioned whether reverse mortgages were too risky for older homeowners. Jack Guttentag offered his more upbeat assessment of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, eventually concluding that all of the potential downsides involved are plainly explained to the…

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American Homeowners Don’t Want to Move, Plan for Home Repairs Instead

by Maggie Callahan As recent home value appreciation reports have pointed out, homeowners in America are not selling, and a recent analysis from Zillow said that many — 63% — are not looking to move at all. The Zillow Group’s Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018 surveyed 13,439 current renters, buyers, sellers, and homeowners about their housing attitudes during…

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MoneyWise: Reverse Mortgages Can Help Fund Aging Place

by Maggie Callahan Seniors have made it known through numerous surveys that they desire to age in place, but keeping the home safe and accessible can require expensive upgrades and improvements. MoneyWise editor-in-chief Doug Whiteman wrote in a recent article ‘How to Find Financial Assistance for Aging in Place’ about the many options out there to help…

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USA Today Lists Reverse Mortgages as a Key Nest Egg Booster

by Alex Spanko  USA Today listed reverse mortgages among multiple potential options for retirees to build their nest eggs, specifically pointing to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage’s line-of-credit feature. Citing Kerry Uffman, founder of TWRU Private Wealth Management in Baton Rouge, La., writer Robert Powell positioned the product as a potential solution for long-term savings shortfalls. “Having…

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Home Equity Crucial to Health Care Planning as Costs Rise 4% Each Year

By Maggie Callahan As health care costs are expected to keep rising, reverse mortgages and other home-equity tapping solutions can play a vital part in planning for health expenses for seniors. HealthView recently released its 2018 Retirement Health Care Costs Data Report, which showed that retirees can expect their health care costs to rise annually by…

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Financial Columnist Changes Mind on Reverse Mortgages

By Alex Spanko A financial columnist this week detailed the ways in which his opinion has evolved on reverse mortgages, moving from mild distrust to solid acceptance in certain scenarios. Writing for the San Antonio Express-News, columnist Michael Taylor noted that before digging into the products in response to a reader question, he hadn’t known…

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Advising Reverse Mortgage Borrowers on Aging in Place

By Reverse Mortgage Daily For the many seniors who want to age in place, structural upgrades can become essential for living with accessibility and safety. A commonly promoted use for the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, these upgrades are something retirees should start planning for sooner than later if staying in their current home is the…

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Reverse Mortgage Loans: New Options are Available for Homeowners

If you are an experienced homeowner, you’re also likely near retirement or looking at retirement in the near future. You may have retired years ago, but your cost of living expenses are increasing to the point where you don’t know if your life will outpace your income. A reverse mortgage loan might be the perfect…

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Enhancing Your Credit Score BEFORE Purchasing a Home

Below is an email I received from a lady wanting advice about enhancing her credit. “My mom mentioned she’s heard how you help people quickly enhance their credit on your radio show.  I had an instance where my monthly mortgage payment changed and because I was doing auto pay through the bank vs through the…

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