Sunday, January 25, 2009

How An Equity Release Results In A More Comfortable Lifestyle

By Chris Channing

Equity releases are the new way to generate a great amount of income with few drawbacks. Mostly reserved for senior citizens or for those who are terminal, and equity release allows the person opting for the release to enjoy a very large initial lump sum of money or periodic payments of said sums.

The key benefit of an equity release is that they offer large amounts of money in return for a piece of property. The key here is that the borrower usually retains ownership of the property until his or her death, so the money may be enjoyed in the meantime. Because there is usually a variable amount of waiting time, most lenders like to make offers to those who are elderly or ill, although the healthy may apply.

First, the applicant is able to lead a very financially comfortable life as a result. Best yet, most types of equity releases allow the applicant to keep his or her property until death. In addition, this can reduce the amount of inheritance tax that would otherwise be owed by the descendants or relatives of the one applying. Certain other guarantees and benefits are also available from one provider to antoher.

Before obtaining an equity release, family members should congregate to see if this is right for them. Family members will receive much less inheritance on average as a result of an equity release, which may put strain on family finances. This could also impact any charities that were set to receive money as a result of a will put into law. Usually there are ways around each negative, so careful planning should be done before blindly applying for an equity release.

There are several different flavors of equity releases to keep in mind. The lifetime mortgage, for instance, is one of the most common. It allows for a loan to be secured against the borrower's home, which is then repaid upon death as the lender resells the property to recover lost capital. This method also allows for borrowers to keep the house ownership until death.

Home reversions are another popular means of obtaining the right solution to one's finances. It allows a third party to receive ownership of the property, whether part ownership or full. In return, the borrower receives a considerable sum of money. Most cases allow the home owner to still live on the property, up until time of death.

Final Thoughts

Obtaining an equity release is a relatively painless process- most of the work is in deciding on the options and how to handle finances upon death. If you think an equity release may be right for you, consider going to a local lender or go online to seek out the best offer for your situation. - 16738

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