Reverse mortgages have been surrounded by negativity. They were often mentioned alongside phrases like "last resort," "out of money," and "bad choice." In 2014, intrigued by the seemingly universal bad rap reverse mortgages had cultivated, Dr. Wade Pfau began researching them in depth. Over the course of the next year, he came to the conclusion that reverse mortgages aren't inherently a bad idea, though they are often misunderstood and not used in a most beneficial way. In fact, Dr. Pfau realized that reverse mortgages---when used correctly---can provide an added layer of security for retirees and allow them to enjoy retirement more by gaining liquidity from an illiquid asset. This second edition of the book is fully revised and updated for the modification of reverse mortgage rules affecting applications after October 2, 2017.

Reverse Mortgages: How to use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement

Business & Money

Pfau Ph.D., Wade D.

Finance

McLean Asset Management Corporation

Reverse Mortgages: How to use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement (The Retirement Researcher Guide Series)

Review\nReverse mortgages get bad press. But cleverly used, they can help provide you with a higher income for life. Wade Pfau tells you how. His books and blogs are the gold standard in personal finance. 
JANE BRYANT QUINN, personal finance columnist, and author of How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide\nYour book is invaluable - I used it earlier this year when researching and procuring my HECM. And I made sure to mention it to every loan provider that I interviewed. They all knew and respected your work, and I'm convinced that I got better treatment from them because they thought I was a well-informed consumer. 
MICHAEL HEANEY, A satisfied reader, posted at Retirement Researcher Basecamp\nA rare, unbiased analysis of how reverse mortgages can fit into a prudent retirement income plan from one of the nation's leading researchers. Both consumers and financial advisers can benefit from a fresh look at this often-dismissed option. 
MARY BETH FRANKLIN, CFP®, Contributing Editor, Investment News\nDr. Pfau has written the definitive book on reverse mortgages. American retirees will at last have access to a scholarly, unbiased, and quantitative overview of how reverse mortgages work and what their role in retirement income planning should be. With innovative insight, Dr. Pfau will put the financial planning community on notice that their clients are entitled to a thoughtful assessment one of their major assets - their home. 
SHELLEY GIORDANO, author of What's the Deal with Reverse Mortgages?\nOnce again Wade Pfau publishes a book that converts theory to the real world unlike so many books on the market. If you want to have a safer retirement by considering a reverse mortgage, it is imperative that you read this book. The stakes for success with increased longevity in our new baby boomer landscape are simply too high not to! 
HARLAN J. ACCOLA, author of Home Equity and Reverse Mortgages: The Cinderella of the Baby Boomer Retirement\nThis book is a must have for anyone heading into retirement with a home. Wade Pfau is a true thought leader in the retirement income arena and his research and writing can really change the way Americans prepare for retirement. 
JAMIE HOPKINS, J.D, LL.M., Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions at Carson Group\nReverse mortgages are an important retirement planning tool. This book provides an up-to-date understanding about reverse mortgages and how to use them as part of a complete and responsible retirement plan. 
I am a professor of retirement income. I may be the only author of a reverse mortgage book who does not work within the reverse mortgage industry. My focus is on finding ways to build strong retirement plans, and this is the perspective I bring to reverse mortgages. 
I know that reverse mortgages can look expensive in isolation. But reverse mortgages should not be viewed that way. We need to focus on their overall contribution and interactions with other retirement assets as well. 
Retirement is different from what people are accustomed to when working. Risks change. Retirees must sustain spending while not knowing how long their funds need to last, while managing the risks of a market downturn that can permanently derail a retirement portfolio, and while also being ready to manage unexpected spending surprises. 
Reverse mortgages can help to manage these retirement risks by providing an additional resource to support spending and to coordinate with other investments assets. 
My overarching interest is in building efficient retirement income plans to support the most spending potential for assets, both during life and as a legacy for the next generation. I demonstrate with case studies how reverse mortgages can contribute to better retirement outcomes in numerous ways: 
- Coordinate between spending from the investment portfolio and from the reverse mortgage to better protect investments from market volatility 
- Avoid the additional burden of fixed mortgage payme

Retirement Researcher Media

Real Estate

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Pfau Ph.D., Wade D.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Pfau Ph.D., Wade D.