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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
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Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
April 16, 2007
/ 28 Nissan, 5767
Reverse mortgage one solution for financial woes
By
Jan L. Warner & Jan Collins
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
To our readers: Last week, we replied to an adult child of a retired couple in their late 60s. He was concerned that his parents on fixed incomes were having problems making ends meet, owing not only to rising costs of living but also to large homeowner's insurance payments, property taxes, life-insurance premiums and the like.
They had gone more than $40,000 into debt on high-interest credit cards and were able to make only minimum payments. Their home, purchased years ago, has been reassessed by local government to be valued at more than $750,000, thus increasing their property taxes substantially. They were concerned not only about current debt but also about what would happen if one of them became seriously ill.
We pointed out last week the significant increases in the cost of long-term care based upon the "2007 Cost of Care Survey" by Genworth Financial. This week, we offer options on how seniors can handle the onslaught of increased costs without affecting their monthly cash flow.
There was a time when a person's home was his castle, and the equity was sacrosanct. Not today. But it's not only rising costs of eating and driving that are affecting those on fixed incomes. Property taxes are also being increased without mercy by city and county governments, not to mention school districts. The inability of local and county governments to stay within budgets rivals both Congress and state legislatures. And the less money that flows from Washington down to states and from states to cities and counties, the more property taxes will increase.
What to do? High-interest credit cards are certainly not the answer. Nor, for most seniors on fixed incomes, are first mortgages and home-equity loans with attendant monthly payments.
But the FHA-insured reverse mortgage, available to homeowners age 62 and over who live at home, allows seniors to transform home equity into monthly income streams and/or credit lines, depending on family needs. The mortgage is repaid when the senior no longer occupies the residence.
While tapping home equity to meet current needs and quality of life may not be the option of choice for many seniors because that is not how they were raised for folks like our reader's parents, a reverse mortgage may be the best solution.
Prior to receiving these loans, homeowners must receive counseling by Housing and Urban Development-approved counselors who educate not only about eligibility but also about financial implications and alternatives. This prerequisite allows seniors to make informed determinations of whether a reverse mortgage will meet their needs.
The percentage available is determined based on a formula that includes such factors as the age of the youngest owner (if jointly titled), the current interest rate and the value of the residence. The older the owner, the higher the percentage of equity, up to the maximum that is governed by where you live.
Should the residence require repairs, sufficient funds to make those repairs will be taken from the loan amount. There are no credit qualifications, and closing costs can be financed as part of the transaction. The residence may include everything from single-family homes to approved condominiums to manufactured homes on leased land. There are a number of payout options that can be changed for a small fee.
At the time the residence is no longer occupied, the loan principal and interest is paid from the sales price with the remaining equity being paid to the owner's will beneficiaries or legal heirs. If a residence goes down in value, there is no way the mortgage will ever be more than the sale price of the home.
Taking the NextStep: If our reader's parents secured a reverse mortgage, they could establish a line of credit and use it to pay off credit cards and pay annual taxes, automobile and homeowner's coverage and property taxes, not to mention long-term-care insurance, without impacting their fixed-income budget.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JAN L. WARNER received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from the University of South Carolina and earned a Master of Legal Letters (L.L.M.) in Taxation from the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a frequent lecturer at legal education and public information programs throughout the United States. His articles have been published in national and state legal publications. Jan Collins began co-authoring Flying SoloŽ in 1989. She has more than 27 years of experience as a journalist, writer, and editor. To comment or ask a question, please click here.
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