Retirement & Eldercare

Cash Flow Options for Seniors

Cash Flow Options for Seniors

Older Americans face a number of financial challenges. Fixed incomes and rising prices lead to economic insecurity, and sometimes even to debt. For those who are homeowners, even making mortgage payments may become a struggle, or at the very least can add to their burden. Reverse mortgages can offer a palatable solution, not only eliminating the need to make a monthly mortgage payment, but even providing much-needed cash.

How Does a Reverse Mortgage Work?

Most retirees have been paying their mortgages for years, and have built up large amounts of equity. Some have even paid their loans in full, but now find themselves in need of cash. A reverse mortgage provides homeowners who have equity in their homes to take out a loan against that equity, without the burden of monthly payments. No repayment is required until the borrower either moves or dies, at which time they either repay it themselves or their heirs do when they sell the house.

If the debt is paid off and there is still equity that remains following the sale, it would be retained by those heirs. By contrast, if the sale does not generate enough money to cover the loan balance, the heirs do not have to pay the balance.

Am I Able to Take Out A Reverse Mortgage?

There are certain eligibility requirements for taking out a reverse mortgage. These include a minimum age of 62

In order to be eligible for this loan, the borrower must be at least 62 years of age. The calculation of the amount that can be borrowed will depend upon the borrower’s age: the older you are, the lower your interest rate will be, ad the more you will be permitted to borrow.  Other factors used to determine the amount that can be borrowed include interest rates, how much equity the homeowner has built, and the value of the home itself.

People who take out reverse mortgages have tremendous flexibility in terms of what they do with the money as well as how they want it paid. There are no restrictions on what the money can be used for and they can arrange to use the loan as a line of credit, to receive monthly payments to supplement income, or as a single payment lump sum of cash.

What About Interest Deductions?

One of the most common tax deductions taken in the United States is the deduction for mortgage interest, so it comes as no surprise that people considering a reverse mortgage want to know whether the interest on this specialized type of loan offers a similar tax advantage. There are two things you need to know:

  • First, even standard mortgage interest can’t be deducted until it’s actually been remitted to the lender. The same is true of reverse mortgages. The interest can’t be written off until the loan has been repaid, which is either when the home is sold or when the homeowner dies.
  • Second, the interest on a reverse mortgage is an equity loan. This means that interest is only deductible up to the first $100,000 except in rare instances such as when the loan has been used to repay an acquisition debt loan. Also, just as is true of standard mortgages, if a taxpayer is subject to the AMT, then they are not eligible to write off equity debt interest in any case.

There is also a question as to who is actually able to deduct the interest on a reverse mortgage. The answer depends upon whether the loan is paid by the debtor (as would be the case if the home is sold) or as a result of the homeowner dying.

When the debtor is still alive then they are entitled to take a deduction on interest for each year that the interest would have accrued, while if the debtor dies and the estate pays it off, then the interest would be written off on the estate’s income tax return. In the latter case, the deduction would again be for the amount that would have accrued for each year, had it been paid.

If, however, the heir inherits the home and makes the decision to pay off the mortgage, then the interest would be shown as an itemized deduction on their 1040 and the deduction would be the amount that would have accrued as interest for each year had the loan been paid. Multiple heirs can apportion the deduction on their individual returns if they itemize based on their contribution to paying off the loan.

In all cases, the deductions are limited as cited above.

There is no doubt that there are very real advantages to reverse mortgages. They provide older adults with a way to supplement their income with monthly payments, have access to much-needed credit, or even to pay off existing loans in a way that reduces their monthly debt.

Still, even in the face of so many benefits it is important to do your due diligence, as interest rates can be much higher than that of traditional mortgages and there can be costs that do not make financial sense depending upon your specific situation and how long you plan to stay in your home. To speak to somebody who can address your particular situation, contact a tax professional to set up a personal consultation.

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Steward Financial

Steward Financial

Jon Osborn is a tax preparer based in San Dimas, California. His company, Steward Financial Services, offers a broad range of tax preparation, accounting and business consulting for small businesses. He loves to work with clients who are looking for answers to complex tax and business planning issues. He has owned several small businesses and worked with over one hundred small business owners. He helps his individual and business tax clients find the best ways to spend their money in order to minimize IRS tax. Small businesses looking to grow, sell or just increase cash flow are one of Jon's specialties.

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