One of the most stressful aspects of retirement is managing cash flow. Here are some ways to improve your cash flow and manage your stress.
Research indicates that many seniors are concerned about retirement. They worry about cash flow and wonder how they can possibly live comfortably. While the best way to ease your retirement and reduce money-related stress is to plan well ahead and save up for many years, it might be too late for you to do that.
If you didn't save as much as you should have in a retirement account, there are other ways to improve your cash flow and manage your money-related stress. Here are three unconventional (but surprisingly effective) ways to boost your retirement cash flow:
Senior Life Settlements
Many retirees and those approaching retirement have life insurance policies they no longer need. With dependents grown up and gone, there isn't a real need for life insurance in some cases. So, why continue paying premiums? Instead, you can use a life insurance settlement to get cash flow now. The entire senior life settlements process has been streamlined over the years to be quick and easy. Now, you can avoid the steep premiums, easing cash flow and managing stress. The right life insurance settlement structure might be able to help.
Reverse Mortgage
If you own your home, one of the ways you can get the most out of your property is with the help of a reverse mortgage. With a reverse mortgage, you can receive regular payments based on the equity you have in your home. While the fees and interest can be high, a reverse mortgage can provide a piece of the missing income puzzle in retirement if you are in a tough situation. You end up with improved cash flow, and you don't have to worry about repaying the loan since reverse mortgages are set up so that the lender is repaid after you die and your estate sells your home.
Downsize
Another way to improve your cash flow is to downsize. Do you need a big house now that everyone is gone? How much of your stuff do you need? Downsizing can improve your cash flow by helping you save money on costs ranging from utilities to property taxes to other money payments. It also relieves stress because you don't have to worry about upkeep. Moving to a smaller living space, perhaps in an adult community, can help you reduce costs and stress. You get extra monthly money, and you have less to worry about in terms of maintenance and repairs.
Due Diligence
However, before you make any money move, it's important to do your due diligence. Check the costs and legalities of what you're doing, and make sure it's the right answer for you.
Great to see you mention a reverse mortgage as an option. It’s not always the perfect solution for everybody, but it’s a great solution for many seniors. Many seniors are carrying large mortgage payments and still have 25+ years to pay them off. They could be paying on their mortgage payments for the rest of the lives and still never pay off the mortgage. A reverse mortgage can be a great way to get rid of the mortgage payment and improve their monthly cash flow now instead of waiting years and years to pay off the loan.