Uptick in retirement withdrawals could signal opportunity for reverse lenders

DDA Mortgage • December 15, 2022


More Americans are turning to their retirement accounts in order to make ends meet, according to a report from investment company Vanguard — a sign that continuing inflationary pressures are impacting retirement plans in 2022.


The data indicates that Americans are struggling due to higher prices on essentials like food and gasoline, causing more damage to retirement accounts — which were already hit hard by both inflation and the COVID-19 p


“Investors are feeling more pessimistic about the short-term outlook for financial markets and more of them are having to tap their retirement savings for cash,” according to Vanguard researchers operating off of October 2022 data. “Our retirement research team’s analysis of retirement plan withdrawal behavior shows that more investors are turning to their retirement savings for cash in 2022.”


Despite the impact to retirement accounts, the rise in hardship withdrawals is sharp enough to warrant special consideration, according to Vanguard.


“Most concerning is the rise in hardship withdrawals, which have reached an all-time high,” the report states. “They are permitted only to cover an ‘immediate and heavy financial need,’ according to IRS rules, and are subject to income taxes and, potentially, a 10% early withdrawal penalty.”


Reverse mortgage educator and author Dan Hultquist noted that these types of issues may be resolved if a retiree entertains the prospect of using home equity from a reverse mortgage.


“The baby boomers are aging into a bracket where they have required minimum distributions, and people are drawing more money because they have to,” Hultquist said. “In Atlanta last month, Longbridge CEO Chris Mayer mentioned that when people feel like they can draw more money, they spend more money on things like medication. People tend to be afraid of drawing too much money from other sources, because it’s not sustainable. But once we open up a new bucket with something like a reverse mortgage, that can serve as a solution.”


Industry educators often describe assets available to seniors as coming from one of three “buckets.” The first is social security and/or pension benefits. The second is retirement accounts like a 401K and IRA. The third, and least-used, is home equity, Hultquist said.


“The third bucket is actually the cheapest,” he said. “There’s no tax hit, and while it does have closing costs, it also doesn’t devalue the underlying asset. If you take from bucket number two in dire straits, you’ll take a tax hit and the asset will take a hit.”



The uptick in borrowers tapping into their retirement accounts may also be a sign of renewed reverse mortgage product utility among needs-based borrowers, which the industry has been aiming to move away from in recent years by courting financial planner referral partners, he said.




Have A Question?

Use the form below and we will give your our expert answers!

Reverse Mortgage Ask A Question


Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

By Didier Malagies September 17, 2025
A new survey from Clever Real Estate shows that 61% of baby boomer homeowners say they “never” plan to sell their homes, a jump of 7 percentage points from 2024. The main reason? More than half want to age in place. That’s a big shift. Baby boomers now make up the largest share of U.S. homeowners, and if more than 6 in 10 say they’ll “never” sell, that has ripple effects: Inventory squeeze : With fewer boomers putting homes on the market, younger buyers have less supply to choose from, which can keep prices elevated. Aging in place trend : The desire to stay put often means investing in accessibility upgrades—things like stair lifts, walk-in showers, and smart home tech for safety. Generational divide : Millennials and Gen Z face higher borrowing costs and limited starter-home availability, while boomers are holding onto larger family homes longer. Long-term planning : Some experts note that many of these homes will eventually transfer through inheritance rather than sales, changing how housing stock re-enters the market. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
We're excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations. Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329 
Show More