Category: Elder
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What Today’s Senior Home Buyers Should Know
Retirees and seniors are active in the U.S. real estate market — and everything else! Turning 65 once meant retiring on a pension. Today, for many, it means financial independence, self-actualization, and enjoying life for a few more decades. How does this impact an older adult’s real estate plans? Is it better to rent or…
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Unlocking Your Home’s Equity Without Selling: A Guide for Retirees
Options at Retirement Age and Earlier The closer we get to retirement age, the more we start thinking about how to avoid pulling from our retirement accounts too early or too much. For many homeowners, home equity is starting to look like a key retirement planning resource. What’s the best way to tap into it?…
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Buying Versus Renting for Active Adults
The baby boomers are now driving a booming business. Retirement real estate is a big part of what marketers are calling the longevity economy. Sure, many seniors just want to live where they already are. But not everyone wants to (or can safely) age in place at their long-time homes. That’s especially true when the…
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Should Your Child’s Name Be on Your House Deed?
Compare the Alternatives Thinking of putting your child’s name on your house deed? If that’s the person who will get the home after you pass in any case, it might seem sensible. And maybe it is, in certain circumstances. After all, probate can be time-consuming, and even contentious. But before making this decision, do you…
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Hold On, Maine Seniors. Property Tax Relief Is Coming
Maine will cover property taxes for homeowners aged 65+ who have annual incomes under 40K. Thousands of homeowners — most of Maine’s residents who receive Social Security benefits — will be eligible for the benefit. The provision, LD 1638, takes effect on Oct. 18, 2021. There is a catch for these eligible owners, though. Here’s…
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After You’re Gone, Does Your Mortgage Live On?
You might be wondering about that house or condo you’ve left in your will. Often, after a homeowner passes on, the real property is sold from the estate to pay off debts. But maybe you have a relative who would like to have and keep your home. For the sake of exploring the question, say…
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Should a House Be in an Irrevocable Trust?
A home can go into an irrevocable trust. But giving up control over a primary residence is not something most owners want to do. The owner lets go of the “incidents of ownership” and the house goes under a separate tax ID, with taxes filed by a trustee. The owner might continue living in the…
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Is It Time to Place Your Home in a Living Trust?
With a revocable (living) trust, you can assume the role of trustee, and stay in control of your real estate during your lifetime. After you pass away, your living trust becomes a substitute for probate. This is especially helpful if your estate would otherwise face multiple probate processes because you have real estate in several…
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Don’t Be the Intestate Homeowner: Write Your Will
No homeowner should die intestate. In plain English: Every homeowner needs a will. By now, everyone knows life is fragile. Nobody has forever and a day to put an estate plan down in writing. And if you do leave things hanging, and you do pass away without a will, or without some combination of a…
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Elders and Real Estate Fraud: A Burgeoning Problem
Evelio and Milagros Esteban are in their 70s and they’ve been homeowners for years. But recently they ran into trouble paying their mortgage. That was when they mistakenly transferred their home deed to another Miami resident, who offered to help them rent out their home. Thinking they were signing a Section 8 housing application —…
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What Happens If the Mortgage on Your Home Outlives You?
Mortgages can span decades. Naturally, not all homeowners outlive these long-term loans. Here, we discuss what happens when a homeowner passes away with a loan still on the home. This can be a tough topic to confront, but reviewing the potential scenarios will help you prepare for the possibility.
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If You Inherit a House, Act. A Cautionary Tale About Putting Off Probate
Five years ago in Texas, John died, willing his house to a nephew, A.W. Today, A.W. wants to get ready to sell the house, and pay off some debt. Here’s the rub. The will never went through probate, and a different relative of John’s has been living in the home all this time. Who gets…
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When a Spouse, Partner, or Relative Dies: What’s Next for the Home?
Homes are complicated assets. When a homeowner dies, this becomes obvious. When loved ones are experiencing grief and loss, the real estate details can border on overwhelming. If someone in your life died holding an interest in real estate, here is some general guidance. You might have some actions to take, depending on the situation.
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Age-Restricted Communities: How They Affect Your Real Estate
Looking at homes in a 55+ community? You might wonder: Will I be able to leave my age-restricted condo home to my children? Before buying your new home in an age-restricted community, check the homeowners’ association rules on inheritance. Your realtor might have mentioned two pertinent guidelines these communities follow: the nationwide 80/20 rule, and the property’s own minimum age rule. We’ll…
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Medicare and Medicaid: Can They Take Your Home?
States can go after the assets of people 55 and older who have relied on government-funded medical services. Do states actually wield this authority? If they do, can people protect their homes from these recovery actions? Here are the basics to explore with your estate planning expert.
