reverse loans Los Angeles County
Social Security Increase for Seniors
The increase in Social Security benefits for seniors is the largest in four decades and on the average will increase monthly checks by about 5.9%
However, it won’t offset inflation or the cost of living, plus it will be taxed as income.
Initially some seniors might be excited to see their checks increase, but all in all, it will be “zeroed” out as the costs of goods, food, utilities, and medical care continue to increase.
It is a bit depressing, but there are many seniors who own and live in their homes, and they are now more than any other time in the past, using funds from a reverse loan to pay their ongoing expenses, and eliminate making a mortgage payment.
Eliminating a mortgage payment, increases their cash flow each month, and may slow down withdrawing funds from savings and investments and leverage the longevity of their cash reserves, plus possibly avoid paying tax penalties for the withdrawal of funds from their accounts.
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Reverse loans are highly regulated, safe, and a sensible way for seniors to age in their homes and have some peace of mind. They can afford to continue to do so without possibly running out of their investments or savings, and they can refinance them in the future for additional funds without any prepayment penalties.
Considering a reverse loan for financial stability should always be considered and part of a retirement plan, and it is a wonderful option to have for older Americans who wish to remain in their homes.
The Pandemic
The last 18 months of life for everyone has been very hard and uncertain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was particularly frightening for seniors because they were more likely to become ill with it and possibly die.
No one was left untouched by it, either by death or the loss of employment and most certainly the loss of structure and a feeling of safety.
I received many calls from seniors during this time, very afraid about running out of money and trying to take care of themselves, and at the same time, cut off from their families and feeling isolated.
Some had entered into forbearance agreements on their mortgages and the payments for them were paused, but they were now being notified by their Lender to resume them, and many did not have the income to start making payments again.
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I received many calls for help, and I was able to provide everyone a reverse loan and at the least, make them feel a bit safer and and less anxious about what was going to happen to them.
It was challenging when we couldn’t meet personally, but I made it work for each client and we got through it together.
I am grateful that it seems we are moving forward with more confidence and less fear, and I am also grateful that I was able to help many seniors last year by providing them with more money and peace of mind and we survived the pandemic together.
Reverse Mortgage Application
What are the steps to apply for a reverse loan? Is it the same as applying for a traditional mortgage or is it different?
It is just like applying for a regular loan, except the borrower won’t have to make any mortgage payments but they will still be responsible for maintaining their home, paying the property taxes, and Homeowners insurance.
The loan application is standard, but there are many lender, state, and federal disclosures to sign in the application package. It does require quite a few signatures and a complete copy of it is left with the applicants to save and review.
Along with the signed application, copies of bank statements, Social Security card, Drivers License, Declaration page for Homeowners insurance, Trust ( if there is one), and any mortgage statements for the property, plus a signed HUD Counseling Certificate.
The file and documents are sent to a loan processor, Escrow is opened and a Title Policy is ordered, along with an order for an appraisal to be scheduled.
When the loan processor has all the necessary items to make the file complete, it is sent to a Lender for Underwriting.
They review it and make sure it is complete prior to giving it an approval. Sometimes they may request a few additional items, but nothing that is unusual.
The next step is to order the loan documents and coordinate with Escrow, assign a Notary to meet with the clients and have them sign the documents.
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The documents are returned to the Closing Department of the Lender, they review them for all signatures, communicate with Escrow to finalize closing figures and after the 3-day Right of Recession, the loan funds and closes.
The entire process takes approximately 45 days as long as the borrower has provided all of the necessary documents that are needed for the file.
Appraisals can cause a delay, or issues with the Title of the property, and sometimes the lack of cooperation from the borrower will cause the loan to take longer to complete.
Applying for a reverse loan is generally not difficult and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.
Unplanned Life Events
We can never know what might or could happen in our lives from day to day. Recently it has been the pandemic of Covid-19 that has killed almost 200,000 Americans as I am writing this and the extreme fall-out from it which has created a massive amount of people who have lost their jobs and businesses.
Then there are the weather events. Massive killer fires in the western half of our country and the East and the South have to face more hurricanes and flooding. No one feels safe anymore and if you are a senior, even less so.
And that is why more seniors are seriously considering using a reverse loan so that they have money that is “banked” and available to them no matter what happens.
One example would be they have an insurance claim for damage to their home and the insurance company is fighting with them over it, at least they have money in the meanwhile to take care of their personal needs until they reach a settlement.
Add in isolation for seniors due to Covid-19, and anxiety about money is not a positive situation, but at the least having enough money reduces some of it, and about how to pay for food, care giving and other monthly expenses.
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If a senior has been relying on income from being employed to pay their mortgage payment, but now they are unemployed, they could refinance into a reverse loan that doesn’t have a monthly payment.
But reverse loans have a reputation for being expensive, but are they? They have the same costs as a traditional loan, but many people have heard they are expensive, but in truth, they are not.
Now more than any time in the past, is the time to learn about reverse loans, how much money you could receive, and if doing one is your best option to eliminate your worries and fears about the future.
Contact me for a chat about your situation and find out if a reverse loan be of value to you.