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Q&A: The dark side of reverse mortgages

March 26, 2018 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: I have had a reverse mortgage on my condo since 2009, due to financial necessity. The interest rate on my mortgage keeps going up. Could the interest rate be reduced by changing lenders or would there be exorbitant fees involved in the process? My financial standing is not good, and I am in credit card debt. However, I do pay the minimum payment each month on each card. Being retired, I need some guidance on relieving the financial pressure I am currently experiencing.

Answer: Please consult a bankruptcy attorney.

Changing reverse mortgage lenders would indeed involve considerable expense and wouldn’t relieve any financial pressure because you don’t have to make payments on this kind of loan. (For those who don’t know, reverse mortgages allow people ages 62 and older to tap their equity in a lump sum, through a stream of monthly checks or via a line of credit. The debt grows over time, typically at a variable interest rate, but the borrower doesn’t have to make payments. The loan is repaid when the borrower moves out, sells the home or dies.)

If you can pay only the minimums on your credit cards, you probably have more debt than you’ll be able to repay. Some people manage to dig themselves out of such debt, often by working two jobs and dramatically cutting their expenses. They may use a debt management plan offered by a credit counselor to reduce their interest rates. Sometimes they sell their homes and use the equity to pay off the debt.

You can explore these options, of course, but chances are they won’t be a solution for you.

You may not be able to find a job, or have the stamina to work. Selling your home to pay off the debt would leave you without a house in your old age and may leave you without income, if you’re getting monthly checks from your reverse mortgage. If you borrowed a lump sum instead, your debt may have grown to the point where you don’t have much equity left anyway.

Your situation is one of the reasons many financial planners are leery about reverse mortgages. They can be an extremely helpful tool in retirement, but sometimes people use them as a way out of a financial jam without addressing the spending or other issues that got them into the jam in the first place.

Filed Under: Credit & Debt, Q&A Tagged With: interest rates, q&a, reverse mortgage

Q&A: Credit scores come in many forms

March 26, 2018 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: I am now getting my credit score from three different places: my bank, one of my credit cards and a free online site. Why are all three of the scores always different?

Answer: You don’t have one credit score, you have many and they change all the time. Furthermore, you’re probably looking at scores created with different formulas that may be using information from different credit bureaus.

The FICO 8 is the most commonly used score, but the number you see may vary depending on whether the data is drawn from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion credit bureau and when the score was created. Your scores will change as lenders update the information in your credit report. FICO scores may also be tweaked for different industries, such as credit cards or auto loans, and be on a 250-to-900 scale rather than the 300-to-850 scale of other FICO scores. FICO scores also come in different generations, so your FICO Bankcard Score 2 may be different from your FICO Bankcard Score 5.

Free sites typically offer VantageScores, created by the three bureaus to be a rival to FICO. These scores are also used by lenders, but not to the same extent as FICO scores.

Filed Under: Credit Scoring, Q&A Tagged With: Credit Score, q&a

Friday’s need-to-know money news

March 23, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: The single parent’s guide to life insurance. Also in the news: How to pay your taxes with a credit card if you must, life insurance and suicide, and how to prepare your kids for “adulting.”

The Single Parent’s Guide to Life Insurance
Protecting your children’s future.

If You Insist on Paying Taxes With a Credit Card, Here’s How
Don’t pay more than you already have to.

Does Life Insurance Cover Suicide?
Practical issues to address.

Here’s how to prepare your kids for ‘adulting’
Having the “money talk.”

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: adulting, credit card, kids and money, life insurance, paying taxes, single parents, suicide, Taxes

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

March 22, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: What the Fed rate hike means for your CDs. Also in the news: Steps to take if you don’t trust your spouse at tax time, 3 women you should know in investing, and 6 personal finance rules to live by in your 40s.

What the Fed Rate Hike Means for Your CDs
Look for higher rates.

5 Steps to Take If You Don’t Trust Your Spouse at Tax Time
Watch what you sign.

3 Women You Should Know in Investing
Leaders in investing.

6 Personal Finance Rules to Live By in Your 40s
Time to bulk up your retirement savings.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: 40-somethings, CDs, couples and money, finance rules, interest rate hikes, Savings, Taxes, women in investing

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

March 21, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: The 3 reports you haven’t frozen yet. Also in the news: United halts the transport of pets in cargo holds, how to protect your 401(k) from rising interest rates, and how much your personal data is worth on the dark web.

The 3 Reports You Haven’t Frozen Yet
Beyond the Big 3.

United Halts Transport of Pets in Airplane Cargo Holds
Protecting your pets while flying.

Protect Your 401(k) From Rising Interest Rates With This Plan
Interest rates are on the rise.

Spooked by the Facebook privacy violations? This is how much your personal data is worth on the dark web
A Facebook account is cheaper than you’d think.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: 401(k), credit freeze, Credit Reports, dark web, interests rates, personal data, pets, United Airlines

Why reverse mortgages are a harder sell now

March 21, 2018 By Liz Weston

The millions of Americans who haven’t saved enough money for retirement still have a potential safety net: their home equity. But recent changes to reverse mortgages mean seniors and their families may have tougher decisions to make.

In my latest for the Associated Press, the changes to reverse mortgages that are causing people to think twice.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: mortgages, reverse mortgage, reverse mortgages

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