{"id":8240,"date":"2023-11-27T12:04:21","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T01:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adelaideprivatewealth.com.au\/reverse-mortgage-and-home-equity-release\/"},"modified":"2023-11-27T12:04:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T01:34:21","slug":"reverse-mortgage-and-home-equity-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adelaideprivatewealth.com.au\/reverse-mortgage-and-home-equity-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Reverse mortgage and home equity release"},"content":{"rendered":"
If you\u2019re age 60 or over, own your home and need to access money, releasing equity from your home may be an option.<\/p>\n
There is risk involved and a long-term financial impact. Get independent financial or legal advice before you go ahead.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2018Equity\u2019 is the value of your home, less any money you owe on it (on your mortgage).<\/p>\n
\u2018Home equity release\u2019 lets you access some of your equity, while you continue to live in your home. For example, you may want money for home modifications, medical expenses or to help with living costs.<\/p>\n
Ways to access equity in your home include:<\/p>\n
reverse mortgage<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
home sale proceeds sharing (home reversion)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
equity release agreement<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
the Government\u2019s Home Equity Access Scheme (formerly the Pension Loans Scheme)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The amount of money you can get depends on:<\/p>\n
your age<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
the value of your home<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
the type of equity release<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Your decision could affect your partner, family and anyone you live with. So take your time to talk it through, get independent advice and make sure you understand what you\u2019re signing up for.<\/p>\n
Before making the decision to apply for any home equity release, consider how it will affect:<\/p>\n
your eligibility for the\u00a0Age Pension<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
your ability to afford\u00a0aged care<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
your ability to pay for future living expenses, medical bills and home maintenance<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
what you leave for others when you die<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
if someone lives with you, whether they will be able to stay in your home when you move out or die<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you are\u00a0borrowing to invest, it puts your whole home at risk \u2014 not just the portion you are investing.<\/p>\n
Talk to someone qualified and independent who can help you make an informed decision:<\/p>\n
Get independent advice from a\u00a0financial adviser \u2013 we can help,\u00a0or legal professional.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Ask the Services Australia\u00a0Financial Information Service<\/a>\u00a0how it will affect your pension or government benefits.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n A reverse mortgage allows you to borrow money using the equity in your home as security.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re age 60, the most you can borrow is likely to be 15\u201320% of the value of your home. As a guide, add 1% for each year over 60. So, at 65, the most you can borrow will be about 20\u201325%. The minimum you can borrow varies, but is typically about $10,000.<\/p>\n Depending on your age and lender policy, you can take the amount you borrow as a:<\/p>\n regular income stream<\/p>\n<\/li>\n line of credit<\/p>\n<\/li>\n lump sum, or<\/p>\n<\/li>\n combination of these<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n How a reverse mortgage works<\/strong><\/p>\n You stay in your home and don\u2019t have to make repayments while living there. Interest charged on the loans compounds over time, so it gets bigger and adds to the amount you borrow. The interest rate is likely to be higher than on a standard home loan.<\/p>\n You repay the loan in full, including interest and fees, when:<\/p>\n you sell your home<\/p>\n<\/li>\n you move out of your home, or<\/p>\n<\/li>\n your deceased estate sells your home<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n You may be able to make voluntary repayments earlier, if you wish. You may also be able to protect a portion of your home equity from being eroded by the loan. For example, to ensure you have enough money left to pay for\u00a0aged care.<\/p>\n What a reverse mortgage costs<\/strong><\/p>\n The cost of the loan depends on:<\/p>\n how much you borrow<\/p>\n<\/li>\n how you take the amount you borrow (for example, a lump sum will cost more due to compounding interest)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n the interest rate and fees (for example, loan establishment, ongoing fees, valuation)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n how long you have the loan<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Over time, your debt will grow and your equity will decrease (see the case study below).<\/p>\n Use the reverse mortgage calculator<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n See how much a reverse mortgage would cost over different time periods, such as 10 or 20 years.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Your lender or broker must go through reverse mortgage projections with you, showing the impact on your home equity over time. Get a copy of this to take away, and discuss it with your adviser. Ask questions if there\u2019s anything you\u2019re not sure about.<\/p>\n Negative equity protection<\/strong><\/p>\n Reverse mortgages taken out from 18 September 2012 have negative equity protection. This means you can\u2019t end up owing the lender more than your home is worth (market value or equity).<\/p>\n If you took out a reverse mortgage before this date, check your contract. If it doesn\u2019t include negative equity protection, talk to your lender or get independent advice on what to do.<\/p>\n \u2018Home sale proceeds sharing\u2019 (or home reversion) allows you to sell a proportion (a \u2018share\u2019 or \u2018transfer\u2019) of the future value of your home while you live there. You get a lump sum, and keep the remaining proportion of your home equity.<\/p>\n How home sale proceeds sharing works<\/strong><\/p>\n The provider pays you a reduced (\u2018discounted\u2019) amount for the share you sell. How much you get for the share depends on your age.<\/p>\n Terms and conditions vary. The provider may offer a \u2018rebate\u2019 feature. This means you (or your estate) get some money back if you sell your home (or die) earlier than expected. The amount you get back depends on when you sell your home and how much you got for your sold share. You may also have the option to buy back the sold share later, if you wish.<\/p>\n For example, suppose your home is currently worth $500,000 and you sell a 20% share of the future value. Depending on your age, the provider may offer you $37,000 to $78,000 to buy that share today. When you sell your home, the provider receives their share of the proceeds. Say in 20 years time you sell your home for $800,000. The provider gets 20% of the sale price ($160,000), minus any rebate (if applicable).<\/p>\n What home sale proceeds sharing costs<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not a loan, so you don\u2019t pay interest. You pay a fee for the transaction and to get your home valued (as a guide, around $2,000). You may also have to pay other property transaction costs.<\/p>\n Home sale proceeds sharing costs you the difference between:<\/p>\n what you get for the share of your home you sell now, and<\/p>\n<\/li>\n what it\u2019s worth in the future (minus any early sale rebate)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The more your home goes up in value, the more the provider will receive when you sell it.<\/p>\n Get the provider to go through projections with you, showing the impact over time. Get a copy of this to take away, and discuss it with your adviser. Ask questions if there\u2019s anything you\u2019re not sure about.<\/p>\n An equity release agreement allows you to sell a portion of the value of your home. You get a lump sum or instalment payments in return. You live in your home and pay fees for the portion you\u2019ve sold. A bit like paying rent on it. Your proportion of equity reduces over time, to cover the fees you pay.<\/p>\n How an equity release agreement works<\/strong><\/p>\n One option is for one or more investors to buy portions of your home\u2019s equity through a property investment fund. You pay fees which are periodically deducted from the remaining equity in your home. The investor\u2019s share of your home\u2019s equity goes up over time, and yours goes down.<\/p>\n For example, suppose your home is currently worth $500,000. You sell 20% of your home\u2019s equity in return for a lump sum of $100,000. The fee charged by the fund may vary, depending on your circumstances and the agreement. If the fund charges an initial fee of $30,000, it may take $130,000 of your equity to cover both the lump sum and periodic fee.<\/p>\n Additional amounts of equity are deducted each time the periodic fee falls due (such as every 5 years). The fee is a set percentage of the fund\u2019s equity in your home. So, as the fund\u2019s share of equity increases, the fee goes up.<\/p>\n When the equity release agreement ends, and your home is sold, the fund gets their share of the proceeds. That is, the proportion of your home\u2019s equity they have accrued. You or your deceased estate get the remainder of the proceeds, if any.<\/p>\n The proportion of home equity you keep will reduce over time, and could even go down to zero.<\/p>\n \u00a0Check your agreement to see what happens if your equity goes down to zero. Make sure you can continue living in your home, until sold by you or your deceased estate.<\/p>\n What an equity release agreement costs<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not a loan, so you don\u2019t pay interest. Instead, you pay fees such as:<\/p>\n an application fee<\/p>\n<\/li>\n periodic service fees, potentially deducted in advance from your home\u2019s equity<\/p>\n<\/li>\n a fee to end the agreement<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Get the fund to go through projections with you, showing the impact on your home equity over time. Get a copy of this to take away, and discuss it with your adviser. Ask questions if there\u2019s anything you\u2019re not sure about.<\/p>\n The Home Equity Access Scheme (formerly the Pension Loans Scheme) is provided by Services Australia and the Department of Veterans\u2019 Affairs. It lets eligible older Australians get a voluntary non-taxable fortnightly loan from the Government. You and your partner can use the loan to supplement your retirement income.<\/p>\n How the Home Equity Access Scheme works<\/strong><\/p>\n The loan is secured against real estate you, or your partner, own in Australia. You can choose how much you offer as security.<\/p>\n You can choose the amount you get paid fortnightly. Your combined pension and loan payments cannot exceed 1.5 times the maximum fortnightly pension rate.<\/p>\n From 1 July 2022, you can get an advance payment of your loan (that is, a lump sum). This is in addition to, or instead of, your fortnightly loan payments. Taking up this option may reduce the fortnightly loan payment you get for the next year (26 fortnights).<\/p>\n There is a maximum amount of loan you can borrow over time. This is based on your (or your partner\u2019s) age and how much you offer as security for the loan.<\/p>\n What a Home Equity Access Scheme loan costs<\/strong><\/p>\n You must repay the loan and all costs and accrued interest to the Government. You can make repayments or stop your loan payments at any time.<\/p>\n All loans have a negative equity guarantee. This means you won\u2019t repay more than your home is worth (equity). Exceptions may apply.<\/p>\n For more information about the Home Equity Access Scheme, visit\u00a0Services Australia<\/a>\u00a0or the\u00a0Department of Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you need money, other options to consider include:<\/p>\n Government benefits<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Check if you\u2019re eligible for the\u00a0Age Pension or government benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n No interest loan<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Lets you borrow a small amount of money quickly for essential goods or car repairs. There are no fees.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Downsizing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 If you\u2019re thinking about\u00a0selling your home and downsizing<\/a>, consider the cost of buying and selling. Check if it affects your government benefits.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n If you\u2019re considering any of these options, contact us today for more information.\u00a0<\/p>\n Source: Important note: This provides general information and hasn\u2019t taken your circumstances into account.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what\u2019s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete.\u00a0You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person.\u00a0 Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.<\/span><\/p>\n Important<\/span> The post Reverse mortgage and home equity release<\/a> appeared first on MLC Contemporary<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nReverse mortgage<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
Home sale proceeds sharing (home reversion)<\/h3>\n
\n
Equity release agreement<\/h3>\n
\n
Home Equity Access Scheme<\/h3>\n
Consider other options<\/h3>\n
\n
Reproduced with the permission of ASIC\u2019s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at\u00a0https:\/\/moneysmart.gov.au\/retirement-income\/reverse-mortgage-and-home-equity-release<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Any information provided by the author detailed above is separate and external to our business and our Licensee. Neither our business nor our Licensee takes any responsibility for any action or any service provided by the author. Any links have been provided with permission for information purposes only and will take you to external websites, which are not connected to our company in any way. Note: Our company does not endorse and is not responsible for the accuracy of the contents\/information contained within the linked site(s) accessible from this page.<\/span><\/p>\n