Financial advisers should avoid error by omission and consider reverse mortgages

by Jamie Hopkins

InvestmentNews logo

Over the past few years, I have been very outspoken about the need for financial advisers to incorporate reverse mortgages into their practices, especially those acting under a fiduciary duty of care or doing retirement income planning.

As a professor at The American College of Financial Services, I have woven material about reverse mortgages into the coursework for the CFP, CLU, ChFC and RICP. Of these, the RICP, which focuses specifically on retirement income planning, has had the greatest impact on advisers with regard to reverse mortgages. I have seen eyes open, policies change, and financial planning practices include reverse mortgage conversation in their process.

https://www.investmentnews.com/article/20180122/BLOG09/180129987/financial-advisers-should-avoid-error-by-omission-and-consider

The 6.0 Percent Rule

The 4 percent rule has come under scrutiny because of lower expectations about future security returns. Monte Carlo simulations using expected asset class risks and returns that reflect the current economy show that the first-year withdrawal can be 3.75 percent and increased for inflation each year. At 3.75 percent, portfolios with a 60 percent or higher equity exposure give a 90 percent chance of “spending success” over 30 years.

The cash proceeds from various reverse mortgage plans can be taken in different ways. Scheduled monthly tax-free advances reduce the need for portfolio withdrawals and can give better “spending success” levels than line-of-credit draws.

The increase in spending success levels depends on the relative value of the home and the portfolio. Given a portfolio value, higher home values raise success rates.

With a 30-year spending horizon and first-year withdrawal of 6.0 percent, reverse mortgage scheduled advances as a portfolio supplement give “spending success” levels of 88 to 92 percent. Even with a first-year withdrawal of 6.5 percent, success levels are still 83 to 86 percent. This paper provides financial planners with a review of the relative merits of using a reverse mortgage as a retirement spending supplement.
https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/The%206.0%20Percent%20Rule.aspx

Spring Brings a Rise in Reverse Mortgage Endorsements

by Chris Clow

Reverse Mortgage Daily logo

Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements rose by a figure of 12.7 percent to 2,901 loans for the month of April 2019. This figure is the first in several months not to be accompanied by the disruptive statistical noise generated by the 2018-19 partial federal government shutdown, according to the April HECM Lenders report compiled by Reverse Market Insight (RMI).

Full story at https://reversemortgagedaily.com/2019/05/05/spring-brings-a-rise-in-reverse-mortgage-endorsements/

D.C. housing agency launches program to help delinquent reverse mortgage borrowers

by Jessica Guerin

HOUSINGWIRE logo

A D.C.-based housing agency recently launched a program to help reverse mortgage borrowers facing foreclosure because of their failure to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance.

Full story at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/48976-dc-housing-agency-launches-program-to-help-delinquent-reverse-mortgage-borrowers