5 Reasons to Consider a Reverse Mortgage … Even Before You Retire!

This article was originally published on ETFTrends.com.

By Lauren Klein via Iris.xyz

When you live in Southern California, the equity in your home is often one of the most valuable assets in your portfolio. Not only are property values above the national average, but also home prices have tended to rise quickly (just talk to anyone who bought a home even five years ago!). Yet, few people see home equity as a “spendable” asset. But if you’re looking for a reliable source of cash today or 10 years hence, a Reverse Mortgage can be an ideal tool to turn your home equity into a tax-efficient source of income—even if you still owe money on your home.

Surprised? So was Lucy when we talked last month. I had already done the research and knew that she could qualify for a Reverse Mortgage. It seemed like the perfect way to access the cash she needed to take care of a half dozen home repairs she had been putting off since her husband died two years ago. As a retired widow, paying the $2,000 mortgage was cutting deeply into her resources, and she felt too cash constrained to set herself up for more bills to pay.

I suggested a Reverse Mortgage because I knew it could give Lucy the financial comfort she needed to maintain her home—whether she decided to stay put for the next 15 years or sell—and that it would also allow her some much-needed financial freedom. When I mentioned the idea, her eyes got wide. She couldn’t believe her ears. “Before Jack died, he told me a Reverse Mortgage was the last thing he would do,” she told me. “He said they were a scam.” She went on to say that using a Reverse Mortgage wasn’t something she even wanted to consider. “It’s too much of a gamble. I don’t want to risk losing my home.”

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