Are you considering equity release, but don’t know what happens when you die? This is a very important question, but luckily we have all the answers.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the most common scenarios and talk about what you should do in each case.
Continue reading to find out more!
What Should My Beneficiaries Do When I Die?
Your beneficiaries1 need to take several steps when you die. The first thing they’ll do is provide a death certificate and the original will of your equity release plan if one exists. They’ll also need proof that they’re qualified as executors2 or administrators for your estate before going any further with it.
Your beneficiaries may be able to contact the company you borrowed money from to inform them about your death so that the loan can go through its normal process without interruption.
Once this has been done, they can start making decisions about how best to use what funds are available. In addition, they can prepare themselves for whatever expenses there might be at some point down the line, based on what form of treatment you received through your equity release plan.
How Quickly Must the Plan Be Repaid?
If you don’t know by now, you are not obligated to make any repayments after releasing equity from your home.
When you pass away or move into long-term care, there will need to be someone designated to working with your equity release company to settle your plan.
The equity released from your home needs to be repaid immediately from the sale of your home or alternatively, by your family members, using additional means, if they wish to retain ownership of your property.
Great News!
The equity release council ensures that your family will never pay more than the sale value of your home.
Joint and Individual Plans on Death
You can release equity with your spouse, or alone. Note that you or your partner can remain in your home, even once the other has passed away. The plan will only come to an end when both parties are no longer with us.
Joint Plans Where the Last Applicant Has Died
Suppose you have a joint equity release plan with your spouse. In that case, both parties will need to pass away before it is due to be repaid. Just be sure that your family has both death certificates available when the time comes.
Both these certificates will be required, as well as original copies of the 2 wills3 so that everything gets taken care of properly.
Single Plans on Death
When you pass away, your family will need to provide your equity release company with a death certificate. They can contact your financial adviser to assist with this. From there, the process to sell your house will be actioned.
This entire process can take up to 6 months.
Will a Solicitor Need to Get Involved?
This will depend on what type of equity release plan you have.
Suppose you have a single equity release plan where the last applicant has died. In that case, it’s not necessary because death certificates and original wills won’t be needed with this type of repayment agreement.
If, however, you’re dealing with joint plans that require 2 signatures or more on the application form to qualify for an offer, then yes. In that case, they will need to get involved when one person from those who signed up before passing away dies.
In either case, your beneficiaries should contact your equity release company about how best to proceed after hearing about your death.
Should My Beneficiaries Speak to a Financial Adviser?
They should probably do this regardless of what type of equity release plan you had so that any decisions about how to use the remaining funds aren’t made without all the facts at hand.
After speaking with a financial adviser, your beneficiaries will want to decide how best to proceed based on whether or not treatment was being received through an equity release plan because there are different options available for them depending on which situation applies in this case.
Making the Final Arrangements
It depends on the company and the type of equity release plan you had, but usually, these things take about 6 months.
If your family doesn’t want or is unable to wait for this process. In that case, their beneficiaries will need to contact their estate lawyer or accountant who worked with your original solicitor if there was one involved when you signed up because they’ll be able to help them set everything else in motion without any problems arising afterward due to lack information.
This could also mean arranging final payments while working closely with any other assets4 leftover from your estate, which may include savings accounts or shares depending on how much you were left with as well as any other investments you may have had.
There’s not too much to do on the part of your beneficiaries in this case because it all depends on what type of equity release plan they had and whether or not treatment was being received through that arrangement when you passed away.
So make sure to discuss everything before deciding on how best to proceed from there based on these factors first, no matter if there is an estate lawyer or accountant involved or not at this point.
Common Questions
Can My Beneficiaries Take Over the Payments?
How Can I Be Certain That Nothing Goes Wrong After My Passing?
What Should Be Done First Before Applying for Insolvency?
What Happens If There's No Estate Lawyer or Accountant Involved at This Point?
In Conclusion
Equity release loans are different from most other forms of lending because they require property as collateral.
That means that the lender has more say in what happens with your home after you’ve died. Essentially, it will be sold and your loan will be repaid. Luckily, the Equity Release Council ensures that a no negative equity guarantee is in place. This means that your family will never owe more than the sale value of your estate, even if property prices have plummeted.
If you have any dependents like children or elderly parents, make sure they know about their responsibilities before signing up for an equity release scheme.
