New HomeEquityAdvisor.org Helps Seniors Make the Most of Their Home Equity in Retirement

Website Provides Personalized Resources to Help Older Adults Use their Home Equity Wisely

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Older adults looking for answers on how to make the most of their biggest financial asset – their home - now have a new educational tool at their disposal: www.HomeEquityAdvisor.org.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100615/NCOALOGO)

This user-friendly website is designed to help older middle- and low-income homeowners make sound decisions when using their home equity to achieve a wide range of financial goals. The tool helps when considering an immediate financial challenge or when planning ahead for the future.

HomeEquityAdvisor.org offers resources for people who want to:

• Use their home equity to take out loans.
• Sell their home.
• Avoid selling their home and preserve home equity.
• Find respected and unbiased information, and more.

The site is managed by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and made possible by a grant from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation.

Homeowners who visit the site can take a "Quick Check" to define exactly what help they might need or want. They can specify their current situation, such as 'at risk of foreclosure' or 'preparing for unplanned expenses,' to view a range of possible solutions. Based on their answers, they receive an individualized report offering information, tools, and consumer advice designed to help protect the value of their home.

The Quick Check also helps seniors determine the consequences of using their home equity in their retirement, assess timing and retirement issues, explore options such as renting a room to earn extra income, learn how to avoid home equity scams, and take family, health, and financial considerations into account in their decision.

"Home equity can represent a substantial part of household wealth among low-income seniors," said Gerri Walsh, president of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. "The Home Equity Advisor offers timely and unbiased information to older homeowners so they can use one of their most valuable financial assets, while avoiding financial pitfalls."

"It used to be that the only way to access your home equity was to sell your house," said Barbara Stucki, vice president for home equity at NCOA. "Now there are many more options for older adults, and it's best to pick a strategy that makes financial sense for you. Remember that the decisions you make today about this valuable asset could have a big impact on your financial well-being in the future."

A toolkit of information about the site for media, partners, and the aging service network can be found at www.HomeEquityAdvisor.org/toolkit. For more information, please visit www.HomeEquityAdvisor.org.

About NCOA  
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.ncoa.org |www.facebook.com/NCOAging | www.twitter.com/NCOAging

About FINRA Investor Education Foundation
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation is the largest foundation in the United States dedicated to investor education. Its mission is to provide investors with high-quality, easily accessible information and tools to better understand the markets and the basic principles of saving and investing. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

SOURCE National Council on Aging