economy
Boomers and Seniors Financial Insecurity
The news out of Washington to resolve the nation’s debt ceiling continues to drag on due to the inability for the Republicans in the House to come to a majority vote to pass their proposal, which as we all know will not get passed in the Senate.
What a mess and the financial markets are negatively reacting to this continued uncertainty as to whether or not the country will be able to pay their bills next month. And if this does happen, this may mean that Social Security checks will not be going out to seniors which is unthinkable. And now the latest figures are indicating that the Boomer generation is very worried about their financial future as well as their retirement funds have dropped to such low levels, that they will be unable to retire.
My personal feeling is one of frustration but I do feel that in the future the importance and value of Reverse loans will finally gain some respect. As the population ages into the future, more people will make a Reverse mortgage part of their over-all financial plan & will be simply become another option for additional funds to live life and pay the bills each month.
Following is the remaining portion of the article that I posted yesterday:
Percentage of Economically Insecure Senors Surges to 75% and Counting
“Not only are 36% of seniors economically insecure, but also 40% of seniors are classified as financially vulnerable, meaning they’re neither secure nor insecure, for a total of 76% of seniors in what IASP calls an “economically precarious position.” And minorities have been hit especially hard, with 52% of African-Americans and 56% of Latinos experiencing economic insecurity.
Nearly half of single female seniors are at risk, too, at 47%, as women generally outlive men and thus face a higher chance of outliving their resources. This, says IASP, is especially true since women generally earn less than men and often spend less time in the workforce due to raising families and fulfilling caregiving duties.
In order to alleviate and even reverse these trends, says IASP, action must be taken. However, contrary to some proposals to “dramatically alter” Social Security or Medicare benefits, IASP says it’s better to work on policies and interventions designed to reduce expenses and boost income.
Suggestions along these lines include increasing asset-building opportunities throughout the life-course, expanding low-income housing options for seniors, and strengthening Social Security for vulnerable groups.”
By Elizabeth Ecker Published in Data, News, Reverse Mortgage 7/26/2011
Financially Insecure Seniors
These are the most difficult times I have ever seen our country experience and no one is immune to the financial and economic insecurities that our nation is struggling through at this time. Every day it seems as though we only hear more bad news…layoff’s, mass murders, another politician being exposed for some sort of sexual impropriety, climate change and on and on it goes.
I would prefer to post something cheery and encouraging here, as we all need something to make us laugh a little and put a smile on our face. However, we are pretty powerless over the events that are unfolding each day and it simply comes down to ourselves and our families to make the most of where we find ourselves.
Some may find having those options more unlikely, especially if you happen to be a senior citizen. More bad news….I am going to re-post and article in two parts that discusses the latest findings regarding how many seniors find themselves very, very financially insecure.
Percentage of Economically Insecure Seniors Surges to 75% and Counting
July 26th, 2011 | by Elizabeth Ecker Published in Data, News, Reverse Mortgage
“Circumstances for retired seniors have gone from bad to worse, according to a July 2011 Research and Policy Brief, as household budgets are increasing while household assets drain away. The Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) released a brief titled From Bad to Worse: Senior Economic Insecurity on the Rise, which examines the economic security of seniors and an increasingly common fear of outliving resources.
Declining household assets, inadequate household budgets, and increasing housing costs are the three main trends driving economic insecurity, says IASP. The number of households experiencing financial burden due to increased housing expenses rose to 50% in 2008, defined by the federal standard as 30% or more of a senior’s annual income going toward housing. And although many seniors have equity in their homes, says IASP, many of those homes require extensive—and expensive—maintenance, while other seniors are renters and don’t own their own properties.
Additionally, retirement assets are no longer as substantial as they once were, especially with the shift from defined-benefit plans to defined-contribution plans, and many senior households end up with a negative balance after taking care of necessary expenses.
Overall, economic insecurity among senior households experienced a notable rise from 27% to 36% between 2004 and 2008, the IASP found through using the Senior Financial Stability Index. And, says IASP, this began to happen even before the Great Recession, leaving the concern that seniors’ future prospects may get even worse.”
I will post the remaining part of this article on 7/29/11
Wells Fargo & Reverse Loans
In an effort to catch up on the latest news in the Reverse mortgage industry, I just found out that Wells Fargo is exiting it. Long considered to be the leading lender for the FHA/HUD product, I was very surprised to hear this news. Along with Bank of America who earlier stepped away from offering the loan, we see two very big players disappearing from the Reverse loan industry, along with Financial Freedom who left in March of this year.
With the continued uncertainty due to the wobbly economy and the housing market, they apparently feel that they would rather not risk originating loans when property values continue to decline, even though there is a greater need for it them now then in previous years. With the economic uncertainty, concerns about Medicare and Social Security, more senors could be utilizing the funds from a Reverse loan to pay their monthly obligations and particularly any medical expenses.
The economy future is murky and my personal feelings are that we are a long ways from any recovery. And as the need for the Reverse loan grows ( And it will), the amount of funds that a senior could receive will shrink. The continual slide of the housing sector is directly affecting future of the government program and the financial security of seniors financial safety net.
The housing crisis and it’s inability to recover is mainly due to the continual foreclosure activity and is having a direct effect on Reverse mortgages. Currently the HUD lending limit it set at $625,500 but as of this writing, they are considering reducing it back to a previous limit of $417,000 this coming October.
The immediate effect of the reduction will mean less money will be available to the senior homeowner and if anyone is “thinking” about using the loan, it’s imperative that they do so before the change in October.
The first step is to complete the counseling that is required by HUD and then meet with a Reverse Loan Consultant for further information. Once this has been done, those who are considering the option of a Reverse mortgage will be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not to move forward on an application.
Fear, hesitancy, inertia or not making an effort to be informed only hurts ourselves. Life will move on and it’s up to us whether or not we do too.