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Reverse Mortgages

Question of the Day on ElderCareMatters.com: "I am an Elder Care Professional with 15 years experience in helping families with their elder care matters. Should I be listed on ElderCareMatters.com?"

Answer:  If you are a professional who helps families plan for or deal with ANY of their elder care matters, then you owe it to yourself to be listed on America's #1 online source for "Elder Care Experts"….

ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com is where you will find more than 2,000 competent, caring elder care experts located across America, including:

  • Elder Law Attorneys
  • Estate Planning Advisors
  • Financial Planners
  • Investment Advisors
  • Geriatric Care Managers
  • Insurance Professionals
  • Life Care Planners
  • Professional Organizers
  • Reverse Mortgage Lenders
  • Senior Move Managers
  • Senior Real Estate Professionals
  •  Tax Advisors
  • Aging in Place Professionals
  • Daily Money Managers
  • And other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families

This is also where you will find some of America's best:

  • Assisted Living Communities
  • Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
  • Continuing Care Retirement Communities
  • Home Care Agencies

Together, we provide families across America with:

  • Unparalleled professional expertise
  • Up-to-date elder care information & answers to your elder care questions
  • Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care services

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional who helps families with ANY of their elder care matters, then request today an Application for Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and get listed on ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 source for "Elder Care Experts" plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com

 

 

 

Question of the Day on ElderCareMatters.com: "My elderly in-laws have a 1st and 2nd mortgage on their home. Would they still be eligible for a reverse mortgage?"

Answer:  With Reverse Mortgages, it doesn’t matter how many mortgages have previously been placed on the property.  The couple must be at least 62 years old.  Actually, the amount of money you might get extended as a reverse mortgage is based upon the age of the couple and the value of the home.  The older you are, the more money you can qualify for.  This is because you can continue to live in the home for the rest of your life and never have to make a mortgage payment.  So, if the elderly couple in the question are more advanced in age, it greatens the chance that the amount they qualify for can pay off both of the two prior mortgages.  It needs to because a reverse mortgage won’t be extended unless it will occupy a “first” position. 

One of the best things about reverse mortgages is that they are non-recourse. The concept began in 1988 under Ronald Reagan, an oldster himself.

Russell Hodges, Esq., Managing Partner
Hodges Law Firm, LLC
Atlanta, Georgia  30040
404-824-4225 or 770-888-0015
www.RHodgesLaw.com
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

 

Question of the Day on ElderCareMatters.com: "Would you please provide me with a list of all the 87 different elder care services that the members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance provide on ElderCareMatters.com?"

Answer:  It is my pleasure to provide you with the following list of the 87 different elder care services that are currently provided by the members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance on ElderCareMatters.com:

  1. Accounting Services
  2. Adult Day Care
  3. Advance Medical Directives
  4. Aging in Place Services
  5. Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
  6. Annuities
  7. Arbitration
  8. Asset Protection Planning
  9. Assisted Living Communities
  10. Assisted Living Referral Services
  11. Bankruptcy
  12. Bill Paying
  13. Budgeting
  14. Caregiving Education
  15. Companion Care
  16. Conservatorship
  17. Consumer Law
  18. Continuing Care Retirement Communities
  19. Cremation Services
  20. Crisis Intervention
  21. Daily Money Management
  22. Dementia Care
  23. Disability Income Insurance
  24. Disability Planning
  25. Elder Abuse Litigation Services
  26. Elder Law
  27. ElderCare Planning
  28. Estate Administration
  29. Estate Liquidation
  30. Estate Planning
  31. Family Law
  32. Financial Planning
  33. Funeral Services
  34. Geriatric Care Management
  35. Guardianship
  36. Health Insurance
  37. Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services
  38. Home Care
  39. Home Downsizing Services
  40. Home Health Care
  41. Home Modifications
  42. Hospice Care
  43. Independent Living Communities
  44. Investment Services
  45. Life Care Planning
  46. Life Insurance
  47. Litigation
  48. Long Term Care Insurance
  49. Long Term Care Planning
  50. Medicaid Planning
  51. Medical Services
  52. Medical Alert Systems
  53. Medical Claims Processing
  54. Medical Equipment & Supplies
  55. Medical Malpractice Litigation
  56. Medicare Consulting
  57. Medicare Supplemental Insurance
  58. Medication Management Services
  59. Moving Services
  60. Nursing Homes
  61. Personal Finance
  62. Powers of Attorney
  63. Probate
  64. Professional Organizing
  65. Public / Non-Profit Resources
  66. Real Estate Services
  67. Rehabilitation Services
  68. Residential Psychiatric Care
  69. Respite Care
  70. Retirement Planning
  71. Reverse Mortgages
  72. Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services
  73. Senior Housing
  74. Senior Move Management
  75. Senior Move Planning
  76. Senior Relocation Services
  77. Social Security Disability Services
  78. Special Needs Planning
  79. Tax Law
  80. Tax Planning
  81. Tax Preparation
  82. Transportation Services
  83. Trustee / Fiduciary Services
  84. Trusts
  85. VA Benefits
  86. Wills
  87. Wound Care

The goal of ElderCareMatters.com is to provide families across America with the help they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  Let us know if there are other elder care services that you would like to have us list on ElderCareMatters.com – America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO, ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Question of the Day on ElderCareMatters.com: "I noticed this morning that ElderCareMatters.com now has a total of 72 different elder care / senior care services that are included on this wonderful website. Can you tell me how these services are selected, and are there a maximum # of services that will be included on ElderCareMatters.com?"

Answer:  ElderCareMatters.com is an elder care resource to help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  With this goal in mind, we will continue to add more elder care-related services to ElderCareMatters.com in order to make this online elder care resource invaluable for families looking for help in planning for and/or dealing with their elder care matters.

Below are the 72 different elder care services currently listed on ElderCareMatters.com (with more services soon to be added): 

  1. Adult Day Care
  2. Advance Medical Directives
  3. Aging in Place Services
  4. Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
  5. Annuities
  6. Arbitration
  7. Asset Protection Planning
  8. Assisted Living Communities
  9. Assisted Living Referral Services
  10. Bankruptcy
  11. Caregiving Education
  12. Consumer Law
  13. Continuing Care Retirement Communities
  14. Crisis Intervention
  15. Daily Money Management / Bill Paying
  16. Dementia Care
  17. Disability Income Insurance
  18. Elder Abuse Litigation Services
  19. Elder Law
  20. ElderCare Planning / Long-Term Care Planning
  21. Estate Administration
  22. Estate Liquidation
  23. Estate Planning
  24. Financial Planning
  25. Funeral Services
  26. Geriatric Care Management
  27. Guardianship / Conservatorship
  28. Health Insurance
  29. Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services
  30. Home Care
  31. Home Downsizing Services
  32. Home Health Care
  33. Home Modifications
  34. Hospice Care
  35. Independent Living Communities
  36. Investment Services
  37. Life Care Planning
  38. Life Insurance
  39. Litigation
  40. Long-Term Care Insurance
  41. Medicaid / Disability Planning
  42. Medical / Healthcare
  43. Medical Alert Systems
  44. Medical Claims Processing
  45. Medical Equipment & Supplies
  46. Medicare Consulting
  47. Medicare Supplemental Insurance
  48. Medication Management Services
  49. Moving / Relocation Services
  50. Personal Finance / Accounting / Tax Preparation
  51. Powers of Attorney
  52. Probate
  53. Professional Organizing
  54. Public / Non-Profit Resources
  55. Real Estate Services
  56. Rehabilitation Services
  57. Residential Psychiatric Care
  58. Respite Care
  59. Retirement Planning
  60. Reverse Mortgages
  61. Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services
  62. Senior Move Management
  63. Senior Move Planning
  64. Social Security Disability Services
  65. Special Needs Planning
  66. Tax Law
  67. Tax Planning
  68. Transportation Services
  69. Trustee / Fiduciary Services
  70. Trusts
  71. VA Benefits
  72. Wills

If you need help with your family's elder care matters, you can count on ElderCareMatters.com to provide you with the experts, information & answers you need to plan for and deal with your elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

www.ElderCareMatters.com – Experts, Information & Answers

At last, families across America have one resource they can tap into daily to relieve the stress of aging…

ElderCareMatters.com

 

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,350+ members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the elder care resources they need to plan for and deal with their issues of aging.  In fact, here is where you will locate, by state, some of America's top elder care professionals who provide a total of 68 different elder care services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging, including:

  1. Advance Medical Directives
  2. Aging In Place Services
  3. Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
  4. Annuities 
  5. Arbitration 
  6. Asset Protection Planning
  7. Assisted Living Communities 
  8. Assisted Living Referral Services
  9. Bankruptcy
  10. Caregiving Education 
  11. Consumer Law
  12. Continuing Care Retirement Communiities
  13. Crisis Intervention
  14. Daily Money Management / Bill Paying
  15. Disability Income Insurance
  16. Elder Abuse Litigation Services
  17. Elder Law
  18. ElderCare Planning / Long-Term Care Planning
  19. Estate Administration
  20. Estate Liquidation
  21. Estate Planning
  22. Financial Planning
  23. Geriatric Care Management
  24. Guardianship / Conservatorship
  25. Health Insurance
  26. Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services
  27. Home Care
  28. Home Downsizing Services
  29. Home Health Care
  30. Home Modifications
  31. Hospice Care
  32. Independent Living Communities
  33. Investment Services
  34. Life Care Planning
  35. Life Insurance
  36. Litigation
  37. Long-Term Care Insurance
  38. Medicaid / Disability Planning
  39. Medical / Healthcare
  40. Medical Alert Systems
  41. Medical Claims Processing
  42. Medical Equipment & Supplies
  43. Medicare Consulting
  44. Medicare Supplemental Insurance
  45. Medication Therapy Management
  46. Moving / Relocation Services
  47. Personal Finance / Accounting / Tax Preparation
  48. Powers of Attorney
  49. Probate
  50. Public / Non-Profit Resources
  51. Real Estate Services
  52. Rehabilitation Services
  53. Residential Psychiatric Care
  54. Respite Care
  55. Retirement Planning
  56. Reverse Mortgages
  57. Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services
  58. Senior Move Management
  59. Senior Move Planning
  60. Social Security Disability Services
  61. Special Needs Planning
  62. Tax Law
  63. Tax Planning
  64. Transportation Services
  65. Trustee / Fiduciary Services
  66. Trusts
  67. VA Benefits
  68. Wills

 

If you and your family need help with your elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you who provide a total of 68 different services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging.  Whether you are looking for:

  • an elder law attorney in Philadelphia
  • a geriatric care manager in South Florida
  • a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth,
  • a home care provider in Southern California, or
  • an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)…

you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts and services that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).


 

Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 125 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of lifetime membership.

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.   

To request a Membership Application, send an email to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

Question of the Day: "How can I become one of the Elder Care Experts on www.ElderCareMatters.com and help families across America plan for and deal with their issues of aging?"

Answer:  If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out to thousands of families across America in a cost effective way about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging", then you should join our 1,250 elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  And, now, if you are one of the next 250 members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.

This 25% discount is available only to the next 250 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters, LLC
1-877-379-4500
www.ElderCareMatters.com

Special Offer: Next 250 Professional Members Receive 25% Discount

If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out to thousands of families across America in a cost effective way about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging", then you should join our 1,250 elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  And, now, if you are one of the next 250 members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.

This 25% discount is available only to the next 250 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters, LLC
1-877-379-4500
www.ElderCareMatters.com

Question: When you need a quick answer about an elder care matter, who can you ask?

Answer:  The experts of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

ElderCareMatters.com is now offering a NEW Ask an Elder Care Expert service.

Each week one of our 1,200 experts will answer your family's important questions about elder care matters – from legal, financial, housing, health care, etc.

If you would like to ask one of our Elder Care Experts a question about his/her areas of expertise, just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to:  Questions@ElderCareMatters.com

Every day we will post one of your questions along with an answer provided by our Featured Elder Care Expert of the Week to the homepage of www.ElderCareMatters.com (which is currently visited by thousands of families each week).  Yours may be one of the questions posted.

So bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and visit us daily as questions about a wide range of elder care matters are answered by some of America's top elder care professionals with years of experience helping families plan for and deal with their issues of aging.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters
1-877-379-4500
www.ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCare Matters Alliance now has 1,200 professional members

The ElderCare Matters Alliance is a national organization of 1,200 elder care experts who help families across America plan for and deal with their issues of aging, including providing families with a host of elder care resources that can be found on www.ElderCareMatters.com

If you are a competent, caring elder care professional – you need to belong to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

To request a Lifetime Membership Application to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, send an email to psanders@ElderCareMatters.com

www.ElderCareMatters.com – America's online source for elder care experts who help families plan for and deal with their issues of aging.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters
www.ElderCareMatters.com

"Are the proceeds from a reverse mortgage viewed as a countable asset by Medicaid when making application?"

Answer:  Medicaid is a Federal/State program where the Federal government puts up most of the money, and the States administer how the money is spent.  The States must follow Federal law and regulations, but the law and regulations allow for some leeway in how different rules are interpreted and applied in given situations.  Thus, Medicaid is administered differently from State to State, and it is important to consult a Medicaid expert in your State any time you need accurate information.

That being said, the proceeds from a reverse mortgage may be “countable” as long as they remain in cash and as long as the amount of cash exceeds the amount that an individual or couple may possess without undermining Medicaid eligibility.  The law allows States to set that amount within a range prescribed by Congress.  Some States opt for the maximum amount, some for the minimum, and some opt for a level in between the allowable extremes.

Where an individual or couple owns “excess” cash, often they can spend the cash on exempt assets in order to bring themselves within the prescribed limit.  Thus, for example, if a State allows a couple to have $111,560 in cash but they have $150,000 in reverse mortgage proceeds sitting in the bank, they can spend enough of the cash on exempt assets to bring themselves within the $111,560 limit.

Exempt assets may include such things as their home, a car, normal household furniture and appliances, a funeral plan, a burial plot, and life insurance with a cash value of no more than $1,500.  Thus, if some of the reverse mortgage proceeds are spent on needed improvements to the home (to make it more habitable for the spouse that is not entering a nursing home), on a car (no Ferraris, please), or on typical household furnishings, they can essentially turn nonexempt cash into exempt property.  Note that various States have different caps on the amount of home equity will be considered exempt, and a reverse mortgage can be used to convert excess equity into other kinds of exempt assets in order to assure that the home will be exempt.

As you can see, the rules can be complex and they vary from State to State, so it would be to your advantage to consult a Medicaid expert in your State.  Have a look at http://www.eldercarematters.com/statechapters.htm for a link to experts in your locale.

Scott A. Makuakane, Esq., CFP
Est8Planning Counsel LLLC
Honolulu, Hawaii  96813
808-587-8227
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Hawaii chapter

"I am a 71 year old widow who lives in California. I have very few financial resources other than my home, which I own free and clear. I am considering applying for a reverse mortgage to help me pay off some medical expenses that I have incurred over the last couple of years. Please share with me some information about reverse mortgages so that I can make an informed decision about this type of loan."

AnswerA reverse mortgage is the opposite of a traditional mortgage. With a traditional mortgage, you borrow money and make monthly mortgage payments.

However, in a reverse mortgage, you basically receive money from the lender and don't have to pay it back for as long as you live in your home. Instead, the loan must be repaid when you pass away, sell your home, or no longer live there as your principal residence.

The eligibility requirements are quite simple. There is no income, employment or credit qualifying.

  • All homeowners must be 62 or older and occupy the property as their principal residence
  • The home must be owned free and clear, or have a remaining mortgage balance which can be paid off by a reverse mortgage
  • The property must be a single-family or a two-to-four unit dwelling
  • Townhomes, detached homes, condominium units, planned unit developments and some manufactured homes are eligible
  • The home must meet HUD minimum property standards

The maximum amount that can be borrowed is based on the several factors:

  • The age of the youngest borrower when loan is taken out
  • The appraised value of the home
  • The current interest rate
  • Amount of equity in your home
  • Mortgage program and options chosen

Usually, the more your home is worth, the older you are, and the lower the interest rate is, the more you'll be able to borrow.

Four Important Things You Should Do Before Getting a Reverse Mortgage

  • Determine if you really need a reverse mortgage or if another type of loan would be better for you. Depending upon your needs and your financial situation, you may be able to meet your goals with another financial solution.
  • See a HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselor – for a fee – to help you decide if a reverse mortgage is for you, or to help you choose among the different types of reverse mortgages. The Federal Government has made it mandatory that each Reverse Mortgage applicants go through independent third-party counseling. This is simple and stress-free process, and can be done in person or over the telephone. We can provide you a list of names and phone numbers of HUD counselors in your area.
  • Shop around and compare! Not all reverse mortgages are created equal. They vary substantially in how much cash you can get, what they cost and other features.
  • Consider whether a reverse mortgage might make you ineligible for any public benefits you now receive or may be eligible to receive in the future. For example, if you currently receive or expect to be eligible for any "needs-based" benefits such as Medicaid, MediCal, or Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), reverse mortgage payments will have to be structured so that monthly payments will be spent within the month they are received. If not, such payments will be considered "income," and may make you ineligible for public benefits. You should always contact your benefits provider to ask about how a reverse mortgage may affect your eligibility.

Consumer Protections

  • Asset protection – non-recourse loan – the HECM borrower (or his or her estate) will never owe more than the loan balance or value of the property, whichever is less; and no assets other than the home must be used to repay the debt. This applies only when the borrower or estate choose to sell the property to pay off the reverse mortgage loan. If the borrower or estate want to retain the property the balance must be paid in full
  • Approved counseling required for all reverse mortgage loans
  • Adjusted interest rates have lifetime caps
  • After estate pays lender, any remaining equity is paid to heirs or estate
  • No maturity date – a reverse mortgage cannot become due during the borrower's lifetime

Philip B. Goss, Reverse Mortgage Professional
Generation Mortgage Company
Glendora, California  91741
626-691-0135
More Information about this ElderCare Matters Alliance member