The average U.S. mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan is 2.87% this week, dropping one basis point from last week’s 2.88%, Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday. The rate is now one basis point from an all-time low set in mid-September. The average fixed rate for a 15-year mortgage was 2.37%, rising…

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A reverse mortgage can be thought of as similar to a conventional mortgage, but where the “roles are switched,” according to a new column at Forbes. They’re best suited for seniors encountering mounting costs late in life and those without heirs, and are not well-suited for those who hope to leave their home to an…

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Consumers at or over the age of 62 reported less difficulty in paying for a bill or expense, though other factors including household income and whether or not they live in metropolitan areas also affected the standing of a person’s savings. This is according to the “Making Ends Meet Survey” conducted by the Consumer Financial…

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After a brief lull to start the month, mortgage demand surged ahead yet again — even with the highest interest rates in several weeks. Total mortgage application volume increased 6.8% last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Refinance demand came roaring back, up 9% for the week…

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Mortgage rates sank to an all-time low — again. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped .07 percentage points for the week ending Sept. 10, reaching 2.86 percent — a new low since Freddie Mac began conducting the survey in 1971. This time last year, the mortgage rates averaged 3.56 percent. Fifteen-year mortgages…

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Because of the new realities that have afflicted the American healthcare system and its capacity to provide care during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, many seniors may be looking at options beyond nursing homes or care facilities out of a desire to remain as far away from the risk of infection as possible. Seniors in general…

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Health expenses in retirement remain a major influence on the ability for seniors to maintain stability in their post-working lives, but remain surprisingly overlooked as seniors plan out their retirement finances. This is according to financial planner Eric Brotman in a new column at Forbes. In citing a recent study on healthcare retirement saving patterns…

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In the first five years of retirement, American seniors are likely to face significant financial challenges in making ends meet. According to a survey of Americans who retired between 1992 and 2014 conducted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), over half (51%) had income, savings or other non-housing assets allowed them to maintain the…

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Reverse mortgages aren’t cheap for seniors and should be avoided particularly for short-term needs, but recent research has identified an effective use of the product concept for those who have investments during volatile periods of market activity. This is according to Liz Weston, a certified financial planner and finance expert at NerdWallet. “Stay-at-home orders may…

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These days, things are changing so fast, it’s tough to keep up. That’s especially true in the mortgage industry, where interest rates and the overall home loan landscape are shifting with such head-spinning speed, it’s easy for outdated information to circulate, leading home buyers and homeowners astray. You may have heard, for instance, that everyone…

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