Published on: 21 January 2021
Last Updated on: 24 December 2024
Although it seems like equity release plans have been around forever, this sector of finance has only been regulated since 2004. However, this has not dented their popularity among over 55s wishing to free up a sum of money rather than leaving it tied up in their property.
Many have used the money to fund home DIY projects, help a child onto the housing ladder, or simply for a blowout holiday or new car. Increasingly though many are seeing equity release as a good way to pay for care in their own home in old age. Equity is the value of your home minus any loans or mortgages secured against it which haven’t been fully paid off.
If you’re wondering whether this would be right for you read our advice on the advantages and pitfalls of equity release and how the equity in your home could pay for a comfortable old age.
What is Equity Release and How Does it Work?
This is a method for releasing some of the untapped wealth tied up in your home. Being able to unlock the value of your home and turn this into cash is a way to remain in a much-loved family home. There are two main types of equity release – a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan, which is the sale of part or all of the property.
A lifetime mortgage is a loan against the value of your home which is not repaid until either the homeowner dies or goes into long-term care, or the property is sold. If you decide to go down this route you must choose carefully between the two types of lifetime mortgage which are:
The interest roll-up mortgage, which is the most popular option. With this, you receive either a lump sum or regular amounts, and interest is added to the loan at a fixed or capped rate.
An interest-paying mortgage is similar to a standard mortgage in that you pay monthly or ad-hoc payments, and some plans allow you to pay off the capital, to reduce the sum owed at the end.
The home reversion plan is only available to those aged at least 65. With this, you can sell all or a percentage of your home to a provider at below the market value and you become a rent-free tenant in your home. You can even sell percentages of the home at off-set intervals.
Another, less well known and potentially more risky option is the sale and rent back scheme where you sell your home, at a discount and become a rent-paying tenant in your home.
Points to Consider
Home care services are increasingly seen as preferable to standard nursing home care for many reasons, not least among them being able to carry on living in your own home being looked after by a trusted live-in carer who becomes your friend.
Lifetime mortgages are considered the most popular option for equity release because it allows you to retain full ownership of your property and some come with an option of paying back some of the loans over time in order to reduce the build-up of interest and retain as much of the value of your property to benefit your estate when you die.
You can only apply for equity release once you are over 55 and the amount you receive is dependent upon the value of your home (minimum value £70,000) as well as your age. Your property must be in the UK.
Benefits of Equity Release
For today’s older homeowners who have seen the value of their homes rise significantly over recent years and with the added benefit of current low-interest rates, equity release gives you an amount of cash to spend now or to put towards a live-in care plan.
Risks and Pitfalls of Equity Release
The biggest problem with equity release is that you do not receive the full market value for your home, indeed the amount you can access would be much less than you would get by selling your home on the open market in the traditional way. Another disadvantage is that any inheritance your beneficiaries expect to receive would be reduced.
The upfront costs and fees involved in setting up an equity release plan could be as much as £3000.
If you opt for a lifetime mortgage there is a real risk that when the time comes for your home to be sold the amount owed may be more than you borrowed because of the compound interest charged on the mortgage, unless you can pay off some of the debt as you go along. So, if you want to leave a decent inheritance for your family you need to act with caution.
Be aware that if you have a substantial amount of cash in the bank this could affect any means-tested benefits you may be entitled to. The upper threshold is currently £16,000 so above this you are ineligible for means-tested benefits. Your tax situation could be impacted.
If you choose to pay off the whole of the lifetime mortgage early you could incur penalties.
Risks of Home Reversion Scheme
You may only receive between 30-60% of the market value of your home and there may be a clause in your contract which forbids you from moving home. Distressingly, once you die the property usually has to be vacated within one month which causes unnecessary upset to the family at a distressing time.
Protections from the Equity Release Council
You should look for an equity release provider who is a member of the Equity Release Council to ensure that any lifetime mortgage you take out will never exceed the total value of your property. You are also assured that:
You can remain in your home until the end of the mortgage term
You are provided with an independent solicitor who explains everything clearly to you
Interest rates must be fixed or capped and the product must have a ‘no negative equity guarantee'.
Always get the best independent adviser who is regulated by the FCA and discuss things with your family before signing on the dotted line.
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Bitcoin has officially been introduced at the traditional stock exchange. The first country to make this significant move was Canada. Before that, the only way to buy and sell BTC was by using a digital currency stock exchange, which is still the most popular way to trade Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The Great White North officials authorized a Bitcoin fund that was immediately introduced to the stock market. This event will pave the way for many investors to access the popular cryptocurrency and try to make a profit with its help.
The Bitcoin index fund was proposed by a company called Purpose Investments.
The Toronto Stock Exchange approved the start of the fund on February 18. As announced by the spokesperson from the Ontario Securities Commission, the fund uses the acronym BTCC.
The role of the fund’s administrator belongs to a Canadian company called CIBC Mellon Global Securities Company. The sub-custodian is the Gemini Trust Company. There are no similar traded Bitcoin funds anywhere in the world. It means that Canadian stock traders could start a trend where many other stock exchanges will introduce a cryptocurrency-backed fund.
Purpose Investments issued an official press release declaring that the fund was the first in the world to be physically settled in BTC and not derivatives. It means investors will access cryptocurrencies conveniently without self-custody risks and all associated dangers that digital cryptocurrency wallets bring.
The main risk brought by digital wallets is the usage of keys. A private key is the only thing that allows you access to your cryptocurrencies. This key is like a password, but it’s irretrievable, meaning your Bitcoin storage will be lost forever if you forget the key.
For instance, if you lose your Facebook password, you can always send a request to change it. The platform, being a centralized entity, will grant you that request. Unfortunately, that option isn’t available when it comes to digital wallets, meaning a lost key is gone forever.
Many people don’t feel confident about this arrangement and believe handling your own keys brings a certain risk. That is why an exchange-traded fund seems like a better option at the moment.
In other words, being in charge of your own fortune requires having a high level of responsibility and keeping your private keys safe and secure.
Bitcoin Reaches New Heights:
When Bitcoin was introduced to the world in 2009, it was worth almost nothing. You could buy hundreds of Bitcoins for a couple of dollars. The first time that the cryptocurrency peaked was in December 2017, when the price reached almost $20K. After that, the price started going down, with many pessimists predicting the ultimate fall of BTC.
However, there was no reason to worry. After a somewhat quiet period in 2018, when the BTC rate reached as low as $3,500, a slight bump happened when the price increased to more than $10k in 2019.
Then, the Covid-19 pandemic started, and people started looking for a way to store their wealth. At that moment, Bitcoin turned out to be one of the most lucrative solutions.
Therefore, they joined a stock exchange cryptocurrency and started massively buying BTC. The price first reached around $30K, and it is currently being traded at about $45K. This was a reason good enough for many people to consider buying “digital gold.”
Another reason why this cryptocurrency increased in value was the fact that big companies started investing in it heavily. For example, Tesla invested approximately $1.5 billion in bitcoin, and many smaller investors followed its steps.
What About Other Cryptocurrencies?
So far, Bitcoin has been the most popular cryptocurrency, traveling the longest distance on the road to widespread adoption.
However, it’s definitely not the only crypto out there, as many other altcoins are pretenders to BTC’s trone. Some of them might even get a similar treatment by traditional stock exchanges. The most likely candidate for that is Ethereum, a cryptocurrency supporting the Ethereum platform.
Besides Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash is doing a pretty good job, as well as Tether, Binance Coin, Ripple, Litecoin, and more.
Final Thoughts:
The introduction of Bitcoin to the traditional stock exchange gives Canadian investors more room to access the cryptocurrency.
They’ll be the first ones to test how that works and whether one can make a profit by investing in the Bitcoin ETF. If all goes well, we could expect other exchanges to do the same.
All eyes are now on the Wall Street exchange, which is expected to copy the homework from the Canadian stock exchange. Will there be additional Bitcoin funds used by investors to trade on stock exchanges around the globe? At this moment, everything seems possible.
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If you are an investor in Australia, it's likely you have come across the term "franked dividends." But what exactly are franked dividends, and why are they important to understand? This article will provide a comprehensive guide to franked dividends, including what they are, how they work, and why they can be a valuable addition to your investment portfolio.
What is a Franked Dividend?
You may be wondering, “what is a franked dividend?”A franked dividend is a type of dividend payment made by an Australian company that has already paid corporate tax on its profits. The term "franking" refers to the process of crediting the tax already paid to the shareholder who receives the dividend.
The Australian tax system allows companies to pass on the benefit of the tax they have already paid to shareholders through franked dividends. This means that shareholders receive the full value of the dividend, as well as a tax credit for the amount of corporate tax paid by the company. The tax credit can be used to offset the shareholder's own tax liability, reducing their overall tax bill.
How Franked Dividends Work
To understand how franked dividends work, it's important to understand the basic structure of the Australian tax system. Companies in Australia pay corporate tax on their profits at the rate of 30%. When a company declares a franked dividend, it passes on some of these profits to shareholders, along with a tax credit.
The tax credit is calculated as the amount of corporate tax paid by the company, divided by the number of shares outstanding. For example, if a company pays $100 in corporate tax and has 1 million shares outstanding, each shareholder would receive a tax credit of $0.10 per share.
Shareholders can then use the tax credit to offset their own tax liability. If the shareholder's marginal tax rate is less than 30%, they will receive a cash refund for the difference. For example, if the shareholder's marginal tax rate is 20%, they would receive a cash refund of $0.10 for every $0.50 of franked dividends received.
Why Franked Dividends are Important
Franked dividends can provide several benefits to investors, including:
Increased income: Franked dividends provide shareholders with a higher level of income compared to unfranked dividends, as the tax credit increases the overall value of the dividend.
Tax benefits: As mentioned, shareholders can use the tax credit from franked dividends to offset their own tax liability, reducing their overall tax bill.
Lower risk: Companies that pay franked dividends are typically well established, with a proven track record of profitability. This makes them a lower-risk investment compared to companies that do not pay dividends.
Diversification: Adding franked dividend-paying stocks to your investment portfolio can provide diversification, as these stocks tend to come from different sectors and industries compared to other types of investments.
Long-term growth: Companies that pay franked dividends are often focused on long-term growth, which can benefit investors in the form of capital appreciation and future dividend payments.
Conclusion
Franked dividends are a valuable component of the Australian tax system, providing investors with increased income, tax benefits, and diversification opportunities. By understanding how franked dividends work, you can make informed decisions about your investment portfolio and take advantage of the benefits they offer. Whether you are a seasoned investor or just starting out, franked dividends can be a valuable addition to your portfolio.
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One of the best and most common ways to buy and sell cryptocurrencies or exchange one crypto to another is by using cryptocurrency exchanges.
Numerous exchanges have already carved a reputation for impeccable service and terms while others are pretty much starting up. Because of this, crypto investors often wonder which instant cryptocurrency exchange is the best.
The prices of cryptocurrencies are far from stable. This provides an opportunity for investors to benefit from price rises and finding an instant cryptocurrency exchange offers the ideal opportunity to sell at the right time. The best platform not only allows you to buy or sell crypto but also exchange it for a different cryptocurrency.
There are a lot of other factors you should look into when looking for an instant cryptocurrency exchange. The sign-up process, trading charts complexity, trading volume, and the various digital currencies you can buy or sell at the exchange are some of the things you should look into. So, what is the best instant cryptocurrency exchange? Here are some of the best.
Nakitcoins:
When searching for a platform where you can buy instant cryptocurrency, Nakitcoins easily tops the charts. The fact that you can walk into any of their physical offices with cash and buy Bitcoin or any cryptocurrency differentiates them from other crypto exchanges.
Apart from their low fees and high transaction limits, Nakitcoins offers instant cryptocurrency exchange services for cash or other cryptos.
Additionally, if you decide to create an account, signing up with Nakitcoins is extremely easy, as just your email address is required. If you are also looking for an exchange where you can transact safely and securely without limits, Nakitcoins should be your top option.
With Nakitcoins, you can also exchange one crypto for another without an account, perform instant cash deposits or withdrawals, buy crypto with credit or debit cards and even buy bitcoin with cash vouchers such as Neosurf.
CoinSwitch:
CoinSwitch is another popular option when you are looking for instant exchange crypto.
With CoinSwitch, you can buy and trade bitcoin instantly, and not just that; CoinSwitch supports 300 cryptocurrencies you can buy or sell and over 45,000 pairings you can choose from if you want to exchange one crypto for another.
One of the reasons why you should consider CoinSwitch is that you can use your credit card to buy crypto. This allows you to perform crypto to crypto exchanges instantly. You can do crypto to crypto exchange without having an account with them.
ChangeNOW:
With ChangeNOW, you can buy or sell over 170 cryptocurrencies. This makes it one of the few instant crypto exchanges with such a huge and diverse opportunity to invest in digital currencies. In addition, you can conduct an instant BTC exchange, either for cash or to other cryptos without even signing up with ChangeNOW.
In addition, ChangeNOW does not have a limit for the number of transactions you can do in a day. Its user-friendly interface makes ChangeNOW one of the simplest instant crypto exchanges for crypto investors. You also will get crypto exchanges at ChangeNOW with the best exchange rates.
Conclusion:
There are several crypto exchanges in the market, each having its terms and exchange rates varying slightly. If you are a crypto investor and looking to make profits from crypto trading, instant crypto exchanges such as Nakitcoins should be your first choice. We believe you now have your answer if you have constantly been wondering, "What is the best instant cryptocurrency exchange?"
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This is a method for releasing some of the untapped wealth tied up in your home. Being able to unlock the value of your home and turn this into cash is a way to remain in a much-loved family home. There are two main types of equity release – a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan, which is the sale of part or all of the property.
A lifetime mortgage is a loan against the value of your home which is not repaid until either the homeowner dies or goes into long-term care, or the property is sold. If you decide to go down this route you must choose carefully between the two types of lifetime mortgage which are:
For today’s older homeowners who have seen the value of their homes rise significantly over recent years and with the added benefit of current low-interest rates, equity release gives you an amount of cash to spend now or to put towards a live-in care plan.
