Equity release & lifetime mortgage are the two most commonly used phrases to explain the discharge of equity from a property – however which time period is technically appropriate?
Expertise has shown that confusion arises when each terms – equity launch & lifetime mortgage are utilized in the identical sentence. Folks have been known to request an equity launch plan, but not a lifetime mortgage!
This article will try and allay misconceptions & confusion around the usage of these two mortgage terms.
The word ‘equity release’ is used as a generic time period figuring out the withdrawal of capital from your property. ‘Equity’ being the worth of an asset, less any loans or costs made towards it.
By releasing equity out of your property, you’re liberating the spare amount of capital available within the property, to use for personal expenditure purposes.
Nonetheless, the time period equity release can apply to varied methods of releasing equity. These could embody a further advance on a conventional mortgage, or, as discussed specifically in this article, a special type of mortgage for the over fifty five’s.
So what is the difference between equity launch & a lifetime mortgage & how can they be differentiated?
Well, this is where the additional definitions of equity release come into play & determine the product variations. Equity launch for the over fifty five’s encompasses the two types of schemes available; lifetime mortgages & residence reversion schemes.
Of these two schemes a lifetime mortgage is the most typical & is basically a loan secured on the house which releases tax free cash for the applicant to spend as they wish.
The tax free money could be released within the form of an income or more commonly a capital lump sum.
With a lifetime mortgage, the original amount borrowed is charged a fixed rate of interest which is then added yearly by the lender. Nevertheless, unlike a conventional mortgage there are not any monthly repayments to make.
This process continues at some point of the occupants life, until they die or move into long term care. At that point the beneficiaries will sell the property. The sale proceeds will then repay the lender, with the remaining balance distributed in accordance with the estates wishes.
The second type of equity release is a Home Reversion scheme. In essence, you sell all or part of your property to the scheme provider (reversion firm) in return for normal income or a tax free lump sum or each, and proceed to live in your home. You receive a lifetime tenancy within the property & often live there hire free until dying or moving into long term care.
At this level, the property is then sold & the reversion firm will accumulate its money. The quantity they receive shall be a share of the sale proceeds, dependent upon how much of the property was sold to them initially. e.g. if 60% of the property was sold to the reversion firm, they’ll then receive 60% of the eventual sale proceeds, whether or not this is lower or higher than the original value.
Home reversion schemes are more suitable for the older age group; typically age 70+. The reason being, the older you’re, the shorter your life expectancy & thus the lender doubtlessly realises their capital quicker. As a consequence, the reversion firm can due to this fact offer more favourable terms.
These schemes due to this fact assure a percentage of the eventual sale proceeds to the beneficiaries & generally will probably be used for this reason.
Quite the opposite, a roll-up lifetime mortgage has generally no such assure as to how a lot equity, if anything, can be left for the beneficiaries.
This is because of the fact that the rolled-up curiosity compounds annually & will proceed to do so as long as the occupier is resident. This could eventually outcome within the balance surpassing the value of the property, which in effect would lead to negative equity situation.
Nevertheless, all SHIP (Safe Home Earnings Plans) approved products include a no negative equity guarantee, which implies that ought to the balance of the mortgage be higher than the eventual sale of the property, then the lender will only ask for the value of the property. This assure ensures the beneficiaries never owe more than the worth of the property.
The no negative equity guarantee is provided at no additional cost to the borrower.
Therefore in summary, the time period equity launch is a generic term commonly used to encompass both lifetime mortgages & home reversion schemes.
It could possibly be excused for a member of the general public to get confused as to which time period is appropriate, nevertheless a certified equity release adviser should know the difference & clarify accordingly!
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