Senior Homeowners in Hawai'i — Protecting your home while planning for retirement and senior care.

✅ Installment Sale Advantages

• Spread capital gains over years → lower IRMAA premiums
• Keep each year's MAGI below thresholds
• Reduce total Medicare costs by thousands
• Preserve SSI, Medicaid eligibility (smaller annual gains)
• Ongoing income stream instead of lump sum

⚠️ Installment Sale Trade-offs

• Buyer credit risk (must vet carefully)
• Promissory note carries interest (must comply with IRS rates)
• Longer to receive all proceeds
• More complex than lump-sum sale
• Requires experienced real estate/tax attorney

$160,000 exemption (65+) — proposed increase to $180,000 by fiscal 2028. File by September 30. Form: BFS-RPA-E-10.6

Additional $25,000 exemption available. Does not require residing on the property. Contact your county Real Property Assessment Division.

Once your exemption is approved you don't need to re-apply each year unless your status changes. Deadline is September 30 preceding the tax year.

You plan to stay in your home long-term, need supplemental income, have no heirs counting on the equity, and have explored all other options. HUD (U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development)-approved counseling is required before you can proceed.

Someone pressured you into it. You plan to leave the home to heirs. A spouse is NOT on the deed — they could lose the home when you pass. You're using the funds to invest or pay for unnecessary renovations. You can't keep up with taxes and insurance.

A forged signature on a deed transfer. A family member or caregiver pressuring a senior to sign documents they don't fully understand. A fraudulent power of attorney used to transfer property. A scammer posing as a buyer, investor, or government official. Identity theft used to record a fake transfer.

Sign up for property alert notifications from your county — you'll receive an email or text when any document is recorded against your property. Check your deed at the Bureau of Conveyances (BOC) or Land Court annually. Never sign a document you don't fully understand. Consult an attorney before signing any real estate document.

Contact the Hawai'i Attorney General's office immediately. Deed fraud can be reversed through court action — but speed matters. Contact the Hawai'i State Bar Lawyer Referral Service (808-537-9140) — many attorneys offer a free first consultation for deed fraud cases. File a police report and contact your county recorder's office.

Unsolicited contact about "necessary" repairs. High-pressure tactics. Asking you to finance repairs with a reverse mortgage or home equity loan. Always get multiple bids and verify licenses at pvl.ehawaii.gov.

Investors offering quick cash for your home, often far below market value, targeting seniors who may not know what their property is worth. Always get a current market valuation before signing anything.

Never give your Social Security number (SSN) to anyone who contacts you unsolicited — by phone, email, or in person. Your SSN can be used to take out loans against your home or steal your identity entirely.

Hawai'i's high rate of multigenerational living gives family members additional access. Pressure to add a family member to the deed, sign over power of attorney, or take out a reverse mortgage to give money to a relative are all red flags.

If you're behind on payments, predatory operators offer to "rescue" your home for an upfront fee — then disappear. Any legitimate foreclosure help is free. Never pay upfront fees to stop a foreclosure.

Never sign a document — especially a deed, power of attorney, or loan document — without reading it fully. If you don't understand it, don't sign it. A legitimate professional will always give you time to review and consult an attorney.

HUD-approved nonprofit — free foreclosure prevention counseling and one-on-one coaching statewide.

Elder abuse reporting, senior services, and advocacy across all islands.

Report elder financial abuse, deed fraud, or coercion involving a senior homeowner.

Free advance planning documents only — Advance Health Care Directive, Power of Attorney, and Simple Wills. Does not cover deed fraud, property disputes, or other legal matters.

Free independent reverse mortgage counseling — required before any HECM. Choose your own counselor.

Verify your deed and check for unauthorized recordings against your property.

View 25+ military, state, and nonprofit programs to help with mortgage payments, rent, utilities, and emergency housing needs.

Free market valuation, honest options review, and guidance. No pressure, no obligation.

• Can they bathe, dress, eat, and move independently? (ADLs)
• Can they cook, manage medications, pay bills? (IADLs)
• Is there cognitive impairment — dementia or Alzheimer's?
• Is there a medical condition requiring skilled nursing?
• Are they a safety risk to themselves at home?

• Monthly income? (Social Security, pension, retirement)
• Assets? (savings, investments — not the home)
• Does income/assets qualify for Med-QUEST?
• Veteran or surviving spouse? (VA Aid & Attendance)
• Long-term care insurance?
• What is the home worth — is selling an option?

Med-QUEST is the primary solution. Nursing Home Medicaid covers full nursing home costs with no waitlist. HCBS Waiver covers care costs in ALF or CCFFH but not room and board. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) payments help fill the room and board gap — up to $1,509.90/month for single residents in facilities with 5+ residents.

Too much income or assets for Med-QUEST, but not enough to privately fund $6,000–$12,500/month in care costs. The hardest situation. Options: Kupuna Care, VA Aid & Attendance if applicable, strategic spend-down with an elder law attorney, or sell the home and use proceeds while planning for eventual Medicaid eligibility.

Home worth $800,000 but monthly income is $2,000. The home is the primary asset. Options: sell and use proceeds to fund care, reverse mortgage (with significant caution — see above), or spend-down planning with an elder law attorney to preserve some assets for heirs while qualifying for Medicaid. This is where understanding the home's role is most critical — and where Barbara can help most directly.

For non-Medicaid eligible seniors 60+. Covers adult day care, personal care, meals, transportation, homemaker services. Priority given to greatest financial need and those at risk of nursing home placement.

Funding for employed caregivers of seniors — pays for adult day care, meal delivery, and home services. Designed to keep seniors at home or in the community longer.

Monthly cash payments to help cover room and board in assisted living. In facilities with 5+ residents: $1,509.90/month single, $2,981.80/month couples. In smaller facilities (≤5): $1,401.90/month single.

Monthly cash benefit on top of VA pension for veterans and surviving spouses who need long-term care. Can be used for assisted living, nursing homes, or in-home care. Often overlooked and unclaimed.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program — free Medicare counseling, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug coverage, Medigap, and Medicare Savings Program guidance. Trained volunteers, all islands.

Free housing counseling and affordable shared housing options for seniors 60+ on O'ahu. Funded through the Federal Older Americans Act.

Under the federal HOPA (Housing for Older Persons Act), communities can legally restrict occupancy to 55+ or 62+ residents. Typically offer amenities and services tailored to seniors. Resale is limited to age-qualifying buyers — which can affect your market.

A private home licensed by the State to provide 24-hour care to up to 2 adults in a family setting. Reflects Hawai'i's cultural tradition of family-based care. An alternative to both nursing homes and assisted living.

Licensed residential care in a home setting. Basic ARCH houses up to 5 residents; Expanded ARCH houses up to 8 with more medical support. Supervised by the State Department of Health.

Help with non-medical daily needs — bathing, dressing, meals, medication reminders. Some limited medical services. Med-QUEST can cover care costs through the HCBS Waiver but does NOT cover room and board.

24-hour medical supervision and skilled nursing care. Required when a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC) is determined. Med-QUEST (Medicaid) covers full costs for those who qualify financially.

Specialized care for Alzheimer's and dementia residents within assisted living or nursing facilities. Med-QUEST QI Program covers care costs in memory care ALFs for eligible participants.

Generates income to help pay for care. Preserves ownership and appreciation. However — if receiving Medicaid, rental income counts toward your income limit and can affect eligibility. Consult a Medicaid planner before renting.

Maximizes assets available for care. Once proceeds are spent down to the asset limit ($2,000), Medicaid can cover remaining costs. Capital gains exclusion ($250,000 single / $500,000 married) may reduce taxes if the home was your primary residence.

The home remains exempt from Medicaid assets if you intend to return. But carrying costs continue — taxes, insurance, maintenance. And if you use a reverse mortgage, entering a care facility may trigger repayment of the full loan balance.

If you have a reverse mortgage and enter a nursing home or assisted living facility for more than 12 consecutive months, the loan becomes due and payable in full. This can force a sale of the home at a time when you have no control over the process. Plan ahead.

HUD-approved nonprofit — free foreclosure prevention counseling and one-on-one coaching statewide.

Aging & Disability Resource Center — free guidance on all senior living options and HCBS Waiver applications. Apply for HCBS as early as possible — waitlists exist.

Apply for Medicaid long-term care benefits, check current eligibility limits, and get help navigating the QI Program.

Free advocacy for residents in nursing homes, assisted living, and care homes. Investigates complaints and protects residents' rights.