According to statistics, there’s a 70% chance seniors over 65 will need some sort of long term care such as in-home care, skilled nursing, or assisted living at some point during their lives. Although there are various ways to pay for such care, like Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance, these options often come with limits and additional costs.
For homeowners 62 and over reverse mortgage should be another option considered to fund long-term care. These tax-free loans convert a portion of home equity into cash without incurring a loan payment. Borrowers can access the funds via monthly installments, line of credit, a lump sum, and even to purchase a home.
The reverse mortgage line of credit is a great option when facing the future needs of long term care. This option allows homeowners to secure this FHA insured loan at the current interest rate, then only use the funds when needed – and the line of credit grows as the borrower ages.
Unlike a traditional loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), there are no loan or mortgage payments as long as the borrower lives in the home. The line of credit comes due either when the last borrower permanently moves out or passes away, in which case the heirs or the estate could pay the loan back either through sale of the home or other means. Depending on how much of the line of credit has been tapped, this could result in significant equity left to heirs. If you never used the line of credit, the equity would still be in place and would pass to heirs along with the home.
Janis Layman is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Seattle, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Shoreline areas of Washington. Contact Janis and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.
