Many senior citizens opt for equity release schemes to encash a part of their equity on their property. This can be a wise decision in more ways than one; however most home owners aren’t aware of the nitty-gritty of how a financial institution works, and how their equity is calculated. Financial institutions offer customers an equity release calculator, which can help them find out the releasable equity on their property and then decide if it is financially viable for them to go for an equity release plan.

Equity

Equity is the difference in the amounts of the value of your house in the current market, and the amount you owe on your mortgage, or home loan. Simply put, it is the share in value of the house that the home owner actually owns.

Equity release

Out of the total equity on a home, a home owner can only release a part of it in an equity release scheme. Equity release is a means of releasing a part of a home owner’s equity to a financial company who will in turn pay out a lump sum or a fixed monthly installment (or both) to finance the home owner’s daily expenses.

What is an equity calculator?

A number of financial institutions provide home owners with a free tool to calculate the amount of equity that can be released on their property. Based on this calculation they can deduce the amount of money they can receive, if they sign up for an equity release scheme.

How it works

An equity release calculator is a free service and can be found online on the websites of various financial organisations. Firstly the home owner is required to provide information about the property in question, based on which the calculator will predict how much equity can be converted to a cash payout. More advanced calculators will provide in-depth information about the various possibilities and payouts possible with various types of equity release schemes. The availability of such information is subject to the financial institution providing such a service. Home owners are always advised to try out at least two calculators to be able to procure the best deal.

What information would a home owner need to provide?

A home owner will need to provide some information about the property in question. The most common questions are the current market value of the property, the home owner’s age, and the amount owed on the mortgage. Questions vary from calculator to calculator, however these are the most commonly asked questions. Home owners should always ensure to key in correct figures to avoid false results. It is very important for the exact current value of the home to be keyed in. If this figure is unknown, a property appraiser should be called in.

Can a home owner trust an equity release calculator?

All equity release plans are strictly regulated by the FSA (Financial Services Authority), so home owners can rest assured that their best interests are protected. In case of any discrepancy the home owner should contact the financial ombudsman service for assistance.

Based in the UK, Retirement Solutions Limited is an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). They give specialist advice on equity release schemes and you can use their equity release calculator – Call them on 0800 043 6701

The simplest explanation for an equity release scheme is a loan on your property. This “loan” is taken in lieu of the equity that you have on your house. The equity of a property is the amount actually owned by the owner, and not the financial institution financing it, or where the owner holds a mortgage. For simplicity’s sake, you can say it is the difference in the values of your house in today’s market, and the amount the home owner owes the bank.

Many older home owners decide to release a part of their built up equity via equity release schemes, in lieu of a cash payment. Senior citizens opt for equity release schemes as a means to sustain themselves financially till the time of their death. Depending on the reason provided at the time of application for an equity release scheme the borrower can either obtain a lump sum, or have the ability to receive a steady cash flow every month for a fixed number of months.

Benefits

The benefits of equity release schemes are plentiful

* It provides tax free income in the form of monthly installments, or a lump sum to the home owner. * It can drastically reduce the amount of inheritance tax. * Home owners are protected by the No Negative Equity Guarantee, which ensures their stake in the house never turns negative.

Mortgage

A mortgage is a loan of sorts secured against the borrower’s home. The bank or financial institution owns a part of your house, and the home owner owns the rest of the equity.

Provisions

There are five options you have at the time of signing up for an equity release scheme.

Lifetime mortgage

A lifetime mortgage is a mortgage that was taken by the home owner to generate income. The home owner receives monthly payments until the time of their death, or vacation of premises upon which the financial institution sells the house to redeem their investment which was paid to the home owner over the past few years. While residing in the home, the home owner retains the title to the home, and is responsible to bear all the costs of maintenance and ownership.

Interest only mortgage

A mortgage is taken out on the home, for which the home owner makes regular monthly payments to the financial institution. The home owner receives a lump sum or a regular flow of cash; or both. The amount owed to the financial institution needs to be paid upon death of the home owner.

Home reversion

A part of the home, or at times the whole property is sold to a third person, or a financial institution. The said home owner can continue to live in the home, and will continue to receive a regular flow of income or a lump sum; or both.

Shared Appreciation mortgage

The financial institution lends the home owner a sum in lieu for the future increase in the property’s worth. The homeowner can continue to live in the property until death.

Home income plan

A mortgage is taken out and the sum derived is retained by the financial institution, and paid in installments to the home owner.

Based in the UK, Retirement Solutions Limited is an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). They give specialist advice on equity release schemes and you can use their equity release calculator – Call them on 0800 043 6701