Tag Archives: Equity Release Calculator

Is an Enhanced Equity Release Calculator Available Yet?

Enhanced equity release calculator tools are available online. These calculators are specific to the enhanced, impaired, or ill health lifetime mortgage schemes on the market rather than home reversion or other lifetime mortgage products. Given the specific nature of these mortgages, the calculator has to take into account more information than the standard lifetime mortgage.

History of Enhanced Equity Release Plans
A decade ago enhanced equity release plans were on the market through Hodge Lifetime and Partnership Assurance. They provided enhanced options through home reversion plans. However, with changes made by the then Financial Services Authority, now the Financial Conduct Authority, the plans were discontinued, leaving the market without any enhanced home reversion or lifetime mortgage schemes.

In more recent years, new lenders have joined the market offering enhanced lifetime mortgage plans. Partnership re-entered followed by new companies like More2Life, Aviva, and Just Retirement. By new we mean new to the enhanced equity release plan, and not necessarily to the market as a whole.

Following the principles of enhanced annuity, enhanced or impaired equity release schemes use health as a way to provide the maximum equity release amount, which is where the enhanced equity release calculator comes in. Be aware that the more severe the illness is the greater the maximum equity amount will be.

Lenders Supplying Tools
Some brokerages and websites have developed the enhanced equity release calculator to help supply the maximum lump sum an individual may be able to take out of their home. Unfortunately, accuracy is difficult to predict due to the myriad questions on the health and lifestyle questionnaire which determines a person’s life expectancy. This questionnaire is coupled with a mortality indices table based on age and illness to give an applicable value.

This means the calculator is designed to give you the maximum amount based on the worst case scenario. You may or may not be a person in the worst case scenario, but that is the result you will get, therefore, you need to speak with a broker before deciding if this loan is truly right for you.

What can Brokers Do?
An independent financial broker specialising in equity release schemes should be contacted once you have a beginning figure for an enhanced equity release product. The adviser will take the enquiry beyond the standard calculator questions to see if there are any other factors that could release the maximum lump sum or if you will only be able to get a smaller amount. The enquiry is based on a Key Facts Illustration (quote) from relevant providers in the market.

A broker is able to discuss your situation with financial companies lending the money for lifetime mortgages. They can discuss whether there are other factors that might release more or see what current products are available to you.

You should be aware that even if something is advertised on TV, the Internet, radio, or through a calculator calculation, you may not be able to get that same product. This is where the broker comes in. They have resources you do not have available.

Why Use the Calculator
You are probably asking why you should use the calculator at all if you still have to speak with a broker. The main reason to use it is to see the potential maximum lump sum. If the maximum lump sum is not anywhere close to the funds you hope to unlock, it gives you an idea of whether lifetime mortgages and other equity release products are right for you.

Additionally, it tells you whether your ill health is a qualifying factor to release more equity than a standard lump sum. It might be a guide number that results, but it does prove whether going on to the next step and speaking with a broker is worth your time.

While the value might change to a lower one, the original calculation result gives you enough of an answer to get started. There are also times when the calculator is not giving you a high enough number because you have multiple health factors. If you can find a maximum lump sum that works for you based on what you input into a calculator and a broker can get more released it might work out better for you. Of course, as you use the enhanced equity release calculator, you do need to remember it is only an estimate. You always want to speak with a qualified professional who is independent to ensure you are getting the very best product for you.

What Results does an Online Equity Release Calculator Show?

An online equity release calculator is pretty smart now that we have a good number of technology and website designers willing to provide you with as much information as you can get all from one site. You can get up to four results using an equity release calculator. Some websites may offer only one; another might offer lifetime mortgage standards versus home reversion; while the last one you visit offers up to three. The results you may receive will be explained, but first be wary.

Most websites are trying to get your information. They want to look at the results for marketing purposes, as well as to get you on the phone or via email to sell you their product, versus one of the other company’s on the market. You will want to be careful who you give your information to. Make certain you trust the website and avoid any that say they will show you the results in the next step. In reality, all the calculator needs to know is your age and your home value.

Home Reversion Determiners
Home reversion is a sale of a home you own. It has to be your primary home or at least the home you use as your main residence. You must be 65 years of age. You cannot have a mortgage outstanding on the home or some companies will allow you to use the home reversion funds you receive to pay it off.

The idea is that you live rent free under a lifetime tenancy agreement in your home until death. If you need to leave the home, you will sell the remaining part and you cannot move back in. The home is sold in full to the buyer, a home reversion company. This company offers you a percentage for the home based on the full value of the home, less the percentage they consider as their investment. You never receive full value for the home whether you sell in part or full. The idea is that the money you are given, less the full value, is the investment the company gains from you plus any appreciation that occurs while you are living in the home. If the house is not sold in full and it appreciates you benefit too.

So the older you are, the higher the percentage you gain in funds on the premise that the investment will not be outstanding for as long. There is no interest involved.

Lifetime Mortgage Determiners
For an online equity release calculator offering lifetime mortgage results, there are differences from a home reversion calculator including the fact that you are now dealing with interest. It is not a percentage of the home you decide to sell, but a percentage you can gain in return for making a capital lump sum payment, plus interest at your death or when you decide to sell and move out of the house.

If you are in perfect health, you will want to use the standard ER model as this shows you what a healthy adult, at your age, with your home value, can get as a maximum capital sum.

A person that is in ill health is expected to die earlier than most, which means they will pay back the loan quicker and thus the investment is not outstanding for as long. With interest accrual to factor in and a company wanting to make as much as possible, they are willing to increase the lump sum awarded due to your lower life expectancy.

The third type of result is with an interest only mortgage. This is provided to borrowers who have money to make a monthly payment. The payment is only the interest accruing in a month based on an APR. It keeps the capital lump sum the same throughout the loan. Again, age and home value factor in. With an interest only loan there is concern over the individual being able to keep paying on the mortgage, so usually the amount is lower. It leaves the option of converting to a standard lump sum product open for the future.

Do Your Research and Get Armed with Information
There is nothing better than being armed with information when you go to speak with an independent broker regarding possible products and actual maximum amounts available to you. Always remember the online equity release calculator provides an estimate to use as a guide. It simply states whether it is possible to get a loan at affordable terms for your retirement, versus something that is not feasible.

Equity Release Calculator Video

Equity Release Calculator

Invest Time Finding an Equity Release Calculator to Determine the Maximum Release

When people have reached their retirement age, despite careful retirement planning, they may find that their income is not sufficient for their desired lifestyle or to cover plans for long term care. The prospect of costly long term care can be a worry for many retired people and few will have the level of income or savings to cover this eventuality. Equity release schemes can offer a potential solution for this dilemma and provide a lump sum, which can be used for any reason. However, many people are hesitant about consulting professional advice without knowing what is the maximum equity release sum available.

Find an Equity Release Calculator

If you have considered equity release, it can be worth investing the time to find an equity release calculator. This will help to determine the maximum release possible, which can allow you to explore whether this option would provide sufficient finance for your needs. The calculator will collate your details including your age, property value and current mortgage balance to provide an illustration of the schemes which could be best suited to your requirements.

Tailored Examples

A great number of calculators assist not only with what is the maximum equity release available, but can also provide tailored examples of the way in which you could choose to receive the funds. For people aged fifty-five and over, equity release provides a tax free sum. However, many schemes offer flexibility about whether you receive the funds in one lump sum or as flexible monthly payments. This can assist you in your retirement planning, and assist you in ensuring that you have not compromised your qualification for other forms of financial assistance that might be available to you. Since the equity release schemes are designed to run as a lifetime mortgage, this means that the loan balance only becomes due for repayment on death or if you move into long term car. At this time, the home is sold with the balance of loan being settled and any remaining funds are passed on to your beneficiaries.

Why Calculators Are Helpful

The equity release industry has flourished over the last few years, with new providers and household names now offering some great deals and schemes. However, it can be difficult to explore your available options and by calculating what is the maximum equity release, home owners can adequately make plans. These online tools can help to establish the limitations of equity release and provide figures to assist the decision making of whether or not to proceed. There are a number of online companies such as CompareEquityRelease.com, which offer different calculators showing the figures involved in conventional roll up plans and lifetime mortgages which are interest only. This enables a comparison to be made and helps in determining which schemes may be better suited to your needs.

Comparing equity release schemes can be challenging, but by finding a good online calculator, it can help you to make comparisons with just the click of a button. There are many independent companies, which offer calculators with access to the entire equity release market without any bias towards certain providers or products. This can help you to find the best possible deal and obtain real time figures to help you in your long term planning.

Help Taking the Next Step

Online tools such as equity release calculators can provide great help in taking the next step. Once you have determined what is the maximum equity release possible for your circumstances, you can then make an informed decision about whether you would like to proceed further. For many people, obtaining this figure can instantly provide information about whether equity release is feasible and optimal for their individual needs. This can save a great amount of time for those who would not qualify and enable those looking to apply, a clarification of the scope and possibilities offered.

Deciding to proceed with equity release can be a huge decision and the anonymity of online calculators allows home owners to explore their options without committing to an appointment with a broker. This can provide assurance that they are making the right decision and supply figures which can be used in discussions with their families. Equity release schemes can provide an excellent financial solution for a great number of retired people. However, it is a new financial commitment and it is important to understand what is the maximum equity release available for your circumstances in order to make informed choices. If you have considered equity release, it can be worth taking the time to find a good equity release calculator to determine your options and the size of release which could be available for you.

How to Calculate the Maximum Equity Release

Equity release plans can offer a flexible way to optimise your financial assets. With new, more secure equity release plans available today, it is possible to manage the amount of equity in your home exactly as you intend to; while also protecting your inheritance. But after all is said and done, equity release ultimately works by devaluing your main asset – your home.

While equity release plans do provide a valuable solution to many, it is not suitable for everyone. It can involve selling a portion of your home in the case of home reversion, and having a life-long mortgage secured on your property in case of lifetime mortgages, so there are many implications to be aware of that on the face of it may not be obvious. An equity release plan is therefore something that has a major effect, not only on your life but ultimately also for your beneficiaries. As such, it is important to be fully sure that it is the best possible way to help you achieve your goals.

Just enough for your needs

The starting point is to assess where you stand in relation to the amount you actually require. Therefore, a good way to do this is to calculate the maximum equity release that you can take in the context of your individual needs and circumstances. It would therefore be prudent to discuss what you actually need the extra cash for by itemising your expenditures. Not only this but are these expenditures ALL required during the initial spending phase? Some proposals may have longer term goals which can be set aside for now, others more immediate. These later life expenditures can be incorporated into the longer term goals of your plans.

However, by at least knowing the maximum release possible, you can then either build your spending plans to fit, or curb your expenditures to fit in with this budget provided by the online equity release calculator. The tool should be used for guidance purposes only and never literally so as to pin all your hopes on the outcome of its results. There are still many variables along the way that could still affect the ultimate goal, therefore prudence should be taken.

Often people who consider a release of equity think only about which equity release plans are available and which plan would suit them best. But the more fundamental question in reality is how much can they actually release with an equity release plan, and given the amount they can release, is equity release the right way for them to go?

An independent and qualified equity release adviser can ultimately offer you the best advice and guide you through the different options available. But using an equity release calculator to find out how the maximum you can release is the first step to finding out whether equity release can help you.

Maximum enhanced lifetime mortgage calculation

An equity release calculator requires you to enter your age and property value in order to work out how much money you could potentially release. Bear in mind however, that another determinant in calculating the maximum lifetime mortgage is due to one’s health conditions; both current and past. Therefore, of the best equity release calculators around, of the online varieties, the best will be able to afford to provide two sets of answers; one for a healthy person and the other for an enhanced lifetime mortgage customer.

As you can see the equity release market is evolving at a pace and the industry tools must keep pace with these changes. For this reason, an enhanced lifetime mortgage calculation should always be included in any set of results to ensure that the full picture is presented and those who are eligible to qualify for an enhanced product are aware of its benefits. This is where a full set of tools and advice from an independent source is essential for the calculation of the maximum equity release.

Getting an idea of the largest amount they could release at their age and given their property valuation, helps many people to decide whether equity release plans may be suitable for them, and whether equity release may even help them raise the amount they need!

Using an equity release calculator to calculate a maximum release is therefore the first step to finding out whether equity release is right for you.

Will an Equity Release UK Calculator Work for People Aged Under 55?

Equity release plans offer flexible solutions for a common problem that many pensioners in the UK face today. Changing social circumstances have led to problems that we see increasingly more often in society today. Longer life expectancy, rising costs of living, probability of needing self-funded long-term care and shrinking pension funds mean that many older people face a severe cash crunch during retirement. While there is a problem of cash flow, many pensioners are homeowners with a hefty untapped equity built into their property. Equity release offers a way to tap into this equity without selling the house or moving.

Today, the UK equity release sector has expanded and offers more flexible and innovative plans than before. The industry and indeed its main voice – The Equity Release Council has admitted that more providers, concepts and flexibility are required to maintain the momentum equity release & lifetime mortgages have now found. It is also much more secure now, being regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and following strict SHIP (now under the guise of the Equity Release Council) standards of service. As the demand for equity release has grown, so have the tools designed for potential customers to understand and negotiate their way around the equity release sector.

Mechanics of the equity release calculator UK

One such tool that could be invaluable is the equity release calculator UK as it offers a simple, quick and convenient way to calculate the maximum amount of money that could be released from your property. An equity release UK calculator takes into account the information that you provide, including your age and current valuation of your property to calculate this amount based on its database of available lifetime mortgage plans.

As such, an equity release calculator UK can only work within the set eligibility criteria of equity release plans. Most equity release plans are only available to people 55 years or over. This means that the equity release calculator can only accept age values that are 55 or above. Many equity release calculators have a lower limit of 55 on their age menu, but some don’t. In any case, an equity release calculator will not work if one enters an age value of lower than 55 years or higher than 100 years! Most sites will default to a minimum age of 55 to ensure calculations are correct.

Could equity release be a possible to the under 55′s?

Whether one day the UK equity release mortgage market will accept lower ages than 55 is yet to be seen. The problem with accepting an age below 55 is the protection provided by the ‘no negative equity release guarantee’. This ensures that at the end of the day the beneficiaries will never end up owing any more than the sale price of the property upon death or moving into long-term care. The cost of this guarantee has to met and is paid for by the customer by way of a slight increase in the equity release interest rate. With no guarantee in place, then we would see lower interest rates in this sector.

However, upon meeting the standards laid down by the Equity Release Council, all equity release companies must facilitate this feature within their schemes; otherwise their scheme cannot meet the SHIP criteria. This is a mandatory requirement and has helped the industry build confidence back up within the equity release mortgage market.

Therefore, until these issues are addressed there are currently no equity release schemes for people under 55 years offered by any of the mainstream equity release providers that are certified by the Equity Release Council. Equity release UK is a good way to raise money to meet pressing demands, but releasing equity impacts your entire life savings and potential inheritance of your beneficiaries so it is always advisable to consider it very carefully – especially if you’re young and expect to live long. P.S. Don’t we all!

What is an Equity Release Eligibility Calculator?

As equity release has become more and more popular in recent times and the interest in equity release plans has increased, new tools are emerging to help users make sense of whether people meet the eligibility test to meet the wide variety of equity release plans available. Every bit of help is needed when trying to find the best equity release plan that could suit them and the first port of call would be to establish eligibility.

Equity release is a potentially life changing financial concept, so it is always best to seek advice from a qualified independent equity release adviser. But before you do that, let’s look at the many convenient tools that could help you negotiate your way around the world of equity release schemes.

There are two main types of equity release plans: lifetime mortgages and home reversion plans. Different plans have different eligibility criteria and terms of lending. An equity release eligibility calculator is an application that, based on the information you provide, can quickly work out whether you are eligible to apply for a certain equity release plan.

For instance, a lifetime mortgage eligibility calculator can help you understand if you are eligible to apply for a lifetime mortgage, and if so, the maximum amount you could potentially release from your home. Eligibility for a lifetime mortgage is based on the applicant’s age and property value. The longer the term of the loan, the more the value would need to be. The shorter the expected term, the lower the value of the property can be. Therefore, in general, the younger the applicant, the higher the property value will need to be.

Who offers an equity release eligibility calculator?

Let’s look at the Aviva lifetime mortgage as an example. The minimum age to apply for this is 55 years, and the minimum property valuation is £75,000. Aviva’s lifetime mortgage eligibility calculator requires the user to enter their age, the value of the property, whether it is a single or joint application, certain details about the property, and whether you want to set any percentage of the equity as an inheritance.

Based on these details the eligibility calculator can tell you not only if you are eligible to apply for this lifetime mortgage but it also works as an equity release calculator and can tell you the maximum amount you could release through a lifetime mortgage. An equity release eligibility calculator is therefore simply a quick and convenient way to find out if you qualify to apply for a certain equity release scheme, and if so, how much you could potentially release.

Another equity release eligibility calculator is offered by another of the prominent equity release companies – Hodge Lifetime. They provide an equity release eligibility calculation to provide information on whether they could qualify for any of the Hodge Lifetime flexible lifetime mortgage products. Additionally, the calculator will provide not only the amount one can borrow, but also what the future balance is likely to be. This is ideal if you wish to see the effect the compounding yearly interest will have on your inheritance when the house is eventually sold.

For a free check to establish eligibility for any of the current range of equity release schemes from the whole of the market, call Freephone 0800 471 4796.

How Does the Aviva Equity Release Calculator Compare to Independent Equity Release Calculations?

An equity release calculator is meant to calculate the maximum release equity that you could potentially release from your property. While only a few companies offered an equity release calculator until a few years ago, today, most independent advice companies, as well as providers, have followed suit and offer equity release calculators on their respective websites. So when using an equity release calculator, is it better to go directly to a provider, or use an independent calculator from the whole of the equity release market?

The best way to get the most out of an application such as an equity release calculator is to have a calculator that provides a free and simple way to calculate maximum potential release, and gives up-to-date and impartial results. However, specific equity release providers such as Aviva are bound to have only their own products on the database of their calculator, and can therefore show a very limited picture of what could be available to you.

The point of an equity release calculator is to get a fair idea of the most you could get and this is in essence a way to shop around and find the highest possibility in terms of equity release. Therefore going to only one single provider for this seems to beat the entire purpose of the exercise! It is important to use an independent equity release calculator that can sift through its database and give you up-to-date and impartial results.

The cons of using Aviva’s equity release calculator

As an example, consider that you live in a flat and use the Aviva equity release calculator. Simply on knowing that you live in a flat, the Aviva will immediately make a deduction of 15% in the valuation before making a calculation, and use only 85% of the entire valuation. An independent equity release calculator will never make such a deduction at the start of the calculation. It will address this issue by using the maximum loan to value figure from the entire equity release market. Not all lenders use this ruling and therefore the importance of independence shines through.

Another example of the negative aspect of using the Aviva equity release calculator would be the locality of the property. Using modern sourcing systems including Environment Agency data flood check risks, Aviva will accept or decline a property on this basis. Only a couple of other equity release providers will use this data in accepting or declining equity release applications. Therefore, the majority of lenders that do not use these criteria maybe could be the best route for an equity release calculation. Again, evidently independence wins the day over tied equity release providers.

An independent equity release calculator has the advantage of having access to all the information that is available, as opposed to concentrating only on one single provider. By using an independent equity release calculator, you could also potentially get a much better deal. For instance an independent equity release adviser will have Aviva rates starting from 5.62%, while Aviva’s direct rate is nearer 6%!

Aviva direct closed its salesforce

In fact Aviva has price differentials for those people who contact them directly. Should you contact Aviva regarding making an equity release enquiry, you cannot get assistance from any of their direct sales force – it has been closed down on 1^st July 2013. Aviva now will farm you out to three separate equity release brokers, but not with the benefit of the independents interest rate, but a higher rate than other specialist equity release brokerages such as Equity Release Supermarket get. This effectively means that the long-term cost of seeking advice from Aviva Direct now is higher than going to one of the independent equity release brokerages.

Another significant benefit of using an independent equity release calculator is that you could have access to attractive deals and offers, such as up to £1000 cash-back deals, as well as free valuations which Aviva directly themselves do not offer currently. So not only will there be a lower interest rate, but going to someone like Equity Release Supermarket will save on your initial set up costs.

In summary, Aviva, although are one of the better equity release companies, going directly to Aviva maybe does not offer the best terms. Going to an independent resource could provide you with exactly the same product which is the Aviva Flexi Plan, albeit on preferential terms by using an independent equity release calculator and adviser.

What Criteria is Required for a Home Equity Calculator?

A home equity loan calculator can be useful to find out how much equity will be built into your home after a certain period of time over the short and long-term. An equity calculator can be useful in a variety of scenarios and is available on a number of financial, comparison and advice websites. A home equity calculator is not the same as an equity release calculator and is designed to give you a slightly different information calculus.

A home equity calculator will need some basic information about your property, including the current value of the property, its location, and the yearly rise and fall in the property, in order to work out the equity built into your home. A home equity calculator is therefore a way to calculate simply the amount of equity expected to be built into your home over a certain period of time.

Online equity release calculators

However, an online equity release calculator is a different tool in that it can calculate how much equity one could potentially release from their property. An online equity release calculator therefore needs to work out the maximum amount an equity release mortgage provider could potentially afford to lend, based on the expected term of the loan, and the value of your home.

An equity release calculator is therefore likely to require some basic information about you and your property in order to provide such a calculation. This includes, the age of the youngest enquirer and the current valuation of the property. The calculator can use this information and based on its database of equity release plans available, can give you a fairly good idea of the maximum release available to you.

An equity release calculator is an application designed specifically to calculate maximum potential release of equity, but there are many other financial tools designed to calculate different things. For instance, there are mortgage repayment calculators that, based on the loan amount, the rate of interest, and term of the loan can calculate how much your payments will be.

There is also a general lifetime mortgage calculator based on the age and income of the enquirer which can work out how much they could potentially borrow. Newer calculus allows some more advanced equity release brokerage’s to offer the interest only mortgage calculator which requires slightly more information such as income details, and details of any adverse credit, in order to ascertain eligibility.

An equity release calculator is therefore just one of the many calculation tools available today within the mortgage sector. Depending on what type of application you are using, you may be needed to enter different information relating to your age, health and property, which is relevant to that particular calculation.

With home loans equity is key to the borrowing allowance, therefore always consult a home loans specialist who can advise on the many forms of home equity mortgages available.

Will a Free Equity Release Calculator be Truly Free?

Equity release schemes have gained much popularity in recent years, and this demand has fuelled the arrival of several new flexible and secure schemes on the market. This surge in demand and popularity can be illustrated by a simple fact – until a few years ago, clients would have had to visit the equity release provider just to find out the maximum amount they could release.

Then, leading comparison websites like Equity Release Supermarket started offering equity release calculators on their website that allows users to quickly find out the lifetime mortgage and enhanced lifetime mortgage maximum availability; and now more websites offer this nifty little application to the potential customers.

What’s the point?

The point of an equity release calculator is to have a simple way for users to get a rough idea of the maximum amount they can release with a particular provider, or through a particular equity release specialist. By having a free and transparent system, not only do users get a fair idea, but providers and specialists also gain from being able to show users how much money they could potentially raise by doing business with them. So providing a truly free, fair and honest service by way of an equity release calculator benefits all parties.

The equity release calculator is always marketed as a free, impartial and very convenient tool. As such, one simply needs to enter some basic information and the calculator shows you the maximums you could release. But while many reputable companies do provide a transparent and objective service, are all equity release calculators equally transparent? For one, what do companies use your personal data for?

The fact is that some lenders and equity release providers misuse the equity release calculator and use it to gain valuable personal data from unsuspecting users. Your personal details are then used for unsolicited marketing and advertising! While this is a commonly used marketing strategy, it is imperative that these motives be made clear to the public, and not many companies do this.

Thus, equity release calculators are potentially a very convenient, objective and free way to get an approximate idea of how equity release could work for you; but some companies misuse this application for data mining and luring potential customers into their marketing ploy. However, there are reputable companies like Lifetime Mortgages.org.uk that do offer a fair, objective and truly free equity release calculator service.

Multi-functional calculators

However, Compare Equity Release.com also offer two calculators, but uniquely provide their customers with 3 equity release solutions in their answers. Firstly, they offer the standard maximum equity release based on a healthy person and at the same time offer the maximum enhanced lifetime mortgage maximum release aswell. This helps people with adverse health conditions to see the ‘benefit’ in equity release terms that impaired health can offer them by way of an extra tax-free lump sum.

Lastly, Compare Equity Release.com will also offer the usage of their interest only lifetime mortgage calculator. So if you are over age 55 and looking to find out how much an interest only retirement mortgage from the likes of Stonehaven, more2life and now Hodge Retirement Mortgage Plan can offer then visit their website at www.compareequityrelease.com or call them on 0800 028 3104.