Equity Empower is a reverse mortgage that allows you to free up part of the value of your property without having to sell it.  With an Equity Empower loan, you aren’t required to make any repayments of principal or interest until the end of the loan.  Instead, interest capitalises so the loan balance increases over time, unless you choose to make voluntary repayments.

Equity Empower does not have a fixed loan term.  The loan balance is generally repayable in full only when the last remaining borrower permanently leaves the property, or the property is sold.  If the security property is your residential home, then you’re required to occupy the property.  However, if we have approved an investment property as security, then we waive this occupancy condition.

Equity Empower has flexible drawdown options: you can access the loan funds as an initial lump sum, a regular monthly or quarterly income payment, a line of credit, or a combination of these options. You’ll only be charged interest on the amounts that you draw down.

With Equity Empower, you’ll have the option to make repayments at any time.  If you do make repayments, then you’ll generally be able to re-drawdown those funds again at a later stage, should you choose to.

You can use the loan for a variety of purposes - to fund the trip of a lifetime, buy a new car, renovate your home, supplement your retirement income, consolidating debt, help your kids or grandkids. and more.

Our Digital Identity Verification process uses VirtualVOI, a secure third-party online verification platform that matches your face to your photographic identity documents and verifies your identity documents against government sources.

VirtualVOI is an accredited provider under the Australian Government’s Trusted Digital Identity Framework and any data that you upload through this service is stored securely in Australian hosted data centres.

VirtualVOI is operated by Dye & Durham and is used widely by many financial institutions and other businesses across Australia. However, if you do not wish to use our Digital Identification Verification process, we also provide a manual process for verifying your identity.

Equity Empower has all the key features of a standard reverse mortgage, allowing you to free up part of the value of your property without having to sell it.  With Equity Empower you aren’t required to make any interest or principal repayments until the end of the loan.  However, you have the option to make repayments at any time, and to redraw those funds at a later stage if you choose to do so.

Equity Empower comes with a ‘no negative equity’ guarantee, so you can never owe us more than the market value of the property.

Our key differences:

Unlike some other reverse mortgage providers, we will lend to borrowers aged 55 to 60.  We also typically allow you to borrow against properties other than your primary home such as an investment property or holiday home.  

You can use an Equity Empower loan for a variety of purposes, giving you with the flexibility you need to meet your goals.  This could include funding the trip of a lifetime, buying a new car, renovating your home, supplementing your retirement income, consolidating debt, helping your kids or grandkids, and more.  

You can choose to access the funds as:

• an upfront lump sum if you want the money now
• a line of credit if you want access to cash as and when you need it
• a regular income payment option if you are looking to boost your retirement cashflow, or
• a combination of any of the above options so you can live your retirement your way.

The amount of equity that you retain in the property depends on many variables including:

• The amount you borrow and how and when you draw the funds down
• Whether you choose to make any voluntary repayments
• The duration of the loan
• Changes in the rate of interest charged, and
• Changes in the value of your property over time
  

During the application process, we will provide you with Equity Projections to help you understand estimated impacts that potential changes may have on the amount of home equity you would have in the future.

We recommend that you obtain independent financial advice before taking out a loan, to help you understand how the loan will impact your longer-term lifestyle and financial needs and goals.  

Yes.   With an Equity Empower loan, if you choose to make repayments along the way, you can generally redraw the funds again at any time provided that you don’t exceed your original loan amount.  

Any amounts you repay will go into a line of credit that you can draw on as you need.  

As a licensed Credit Provider under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009,  (NCCP), Inviva provides a range of important protections for consumers:

• Inviva’s Home Equity Release Loan comes with a no negative equity guarantee so you will never owe more than the value of your home.

• For loans with no term secured against your residential home, we offer you and any co-borrower(s) a lifetime occupancy guarantee.  This means we promise that, provided you are not in breach of your obligations to us, and the property is owner occupied by you, you and your co-borrower(s) cannot be removed from the property by us, and we will never force you to sell the property while you reside in it.  

• With our home equity release loan, you are not obliged to make any loan repayments until the end of the loan, when the full amount owing (including any capitalised interest) becomes due and payable in full.  

• Inviva requires that you obtain independent legal advice before entering the loan contract, to help ensure that you understand the contract, and your rights and obligations associated with it. It is your responsibility to pay for this legal advice.

• During the application process we will provide you with Equity Projections that illustrate the possible impact of the loan on the equity that you will retain in the property over time, depending on the loan amount, interest rate and changes in the value of your property.  You can also access the Reverse Mortgage Calculator on the Government’s MoneySmart website (w/ link).

Like any lender, from time to time, Inviva may need to change the variable rate that applies to our loans. This is usually due to movements in the Reserve Bank cash rate or other market movements.

Inviva will email you (or notify you by some other method that we agree with you in your loan terms) of any interest rate changes on or before the date of the change.

Inviva offers loans from $50,000 up to $2,000,000 for borrowers aged 55 years or over.

The maximum Loan-To-Value Ratio (LVR) depends on your age and the value of your property.  A 55-year-old can typically borrow up to a maximum LVR of 15% (i.e., up to 15% of their property’s value). The maximum LVR then increases by 1% for each additional year of age.  For example, a 73-year-old may be able to borrow up to a maximum of 33% of their property’s value.  

As part of the application process, we’ll discuss with you if there are other circumstances that may impact the amount you can borrow or any other conditions.

Inviva loans are a type of equity release loan called a reverse mortgage.  Under Australia’s responsible lending laws, reverse mortgages are subject to certain age-based maximum loan-to-value ratios (LVRs).

The reason for this is that unlike a regular ‘forward’ mortgage, with a reverse mortgage the borrower isn’t required to make any repayments until the end of the loan.  Consequently, the loan balance can increase over time as interest capitalises.  

The LVR limits are an important consumer protection designed to reduce erosion of the borrower’s home equity.  By law, you also get the protection of a ‘no negative equity’ guarantee.

Inviva requires that you obtain independent legal advice before entering a loan contract, to ensure that you understand the contract, and your rights and obligations associated with it.  It is your responsibility to pay for this legal advice.

We encourage all customers to obtain financial advice. In some circumstances, at our discretion, we may require that you do so.

Taking out a reverse mortgage is likely to reduce the amount of equity you retain in your property, which means there may be less equity remaining to the beneficiaries of your estate.

For this reason, we recommend that you discuss the loan with your family and other beneficiaries and consider seeking independent financial and legal advice before taking out a loan.

If you are the sole owner of the property, and the loan is in your name only, there is no change to your loan.  

If you are joint owners and the loan is in both your names, please contact us so we can work through your options including how we can help modify or pay out your loan.

Inviva requires that you get independent advice from a lawyer before entering the loan contract, to ensure that you understand the contract, and your rights and obligations associated with it.  It is your responsibility to pay for this legal advice.

We recommend that you speak with Centrelink or relevant government agencies before taking out a reverse mortgage, as the loan may impact your eligibility for a pension or other benefit entitlements.  For example, if you elect to take your loan, or part of it, as a regular income payment but save that income rather than spending it, those savings may count towards the ‘income test’ (and assets test) for pension eligibility.

We recommend that you discuss the loan with your family and other beneficiaries, as taking out a reverse mortgage is likely to reduce the amount of equity you retain in your property, which means there may be less equity remaining to the beneficiaries of your estate.

We also recommend that you obtain independent financial advice before taking out a loan, to help you understand how the loan will impact your longer-term lifestyle and financial needs and goals.

We have a video call with all of our applicants.  The purpose of the video call is to fill in any gaps left in your application and to understand your situation and needs, to make sure an Inviva loan is the right choice for you.  

It’s also an opportunity for you to ask any questions that you may still have. Our friendly Inviva experts are more than happy to talk you through anything that may not be clear.

For Equity Empower loans secured against your residential home, we offer you and any co-borrower(s) a lifetime occupancy guarantee.  This means that we promise that, provided you are not in breach of your obligations to us, and the property is owner occupied, you and your co-borrower(s) cannot be removed from the property by us, and we will never force you to sell the property while you reside in it.    

If there are any other family members or residents in the property who are not borrowers under the loan, they will generally not be able to stay in the property after the loan ends (i.e., when you move, sell the property, or pass away).

Equity Empower has an upfront loan establishment fee of $995 to arrange settlement of the loan including a standard desktop valuation and documentation. If a full in person valuation is requested by you or required by us, this will be passed on at cost. As part of the application process, we will let you know in advance if a full in person valuation is needed, and you may be required to pay for this separately in advance. The loan establishment fee is deducted from the loan amount at settlement along with any government charges that apply.  There is no ongoing monthly fee, however there is a loan discharge fee of $300 to arrange discharge of the mortgage at the conclusion of the loan.

Our current Equity Empower interest rate is 9.20% (comparison rate 9.23%*).

As with any major financial decision, we recommend that you consider obtaining independent, professional advice to consider if the loan is right for you.  We also recommend that you discuss the loan with your family and any beneficiaries of your estate, as the loan is likely to reduce the amount of equity you retain in the property, which means there may be less equity remaining for the beneficiaries of your estate.

Depending on your circumstances, we may require that you obtain independent advice.  If this is the case, we will discuss this with you during the application process.

Equity release loans can be a great option for homeowners whose wealth is tied up in their home and who might not otherwise have the funds available to enjoy their retirement or achieve their financial goals.

However, before determining if a reverse mortgage is or isn’t right for you, it’s essential to consider both your current and likely future needs so that you can make an informed decision.

Firstly, make sure to think about how your needs may change in the coming years. This means assessing whether any choices you make today will still enable you to keep living a comfortable retirement down the track. Future financial requirements may involve medical expenses, aged care, home adjustments, or other unforeseen costs.

Secondly, consider how important it is to leave wealth to your family or other beneficiaries. Having an open discussion with family prior to taking out this type of loan is crucial to their understanding of your needs and your understanding of their expectations. An equity release loan will most likely reduce the amount of equity remaining in your estate so it’s best to make sure your family are on the same page before taking out a loan.

Finally, obtaining independent, financial and/or legal advice about the impacts of this type of loan, including impacts on your long-term financial situation and your pension eligibility, can help you to make the best decision.

Taking out a reverse mortgage may impact your eligibility for a pension or other benefit entitlements.  For example, if you elect to take your loan, or part thereof, as a regular income payment but save that income rather than spending it, those savings may count towards the ‘income test’ (and assets test) for pension eligibility.

We recommend that you speak with Centrelink or the relevant government agencies before taking out a reverse mortgage.

We also recommend that you speak with an independent financial advisor, who can help you understand the potential impact of the loan on your financial situation, now and over the longer term.

Inviva does not offer a Tenancy Protection Provision.   In the case of loans secured against your residential home, this means that any other residents in the property who are not borrowers under the loan will not be able to stay in the property after the property is sold or after the last borrower has left the property permanently.  If the loan is secured against an investment property, any tenants will be required to move out when the property is sold.

If your circumstances change and you meet our eligibility criteria, you are welcome to reapply.

We can also keep your contact details on file and are happy to contact you if we expand our product offering to include new loan types with different eligibility criteria.

Unlike a conventional ‘forward’ mortgage where a borrower is required to make regular, scheduled repayments of principal and/or interest throughout the loan term, with a reverse mortgage the borrower is not required to make any repayments until the end of the loan.  

This means that the lender may not get back any of the money they lend until many years later.  As a result, their funding costs are higher than those of other lenders, and this additional cost is reflected in the interest rate that reverse mortgage customers pay.  

At Inviva, we use technology to make our application process as quick and easy as possible. We only ask for the data we need, and your data is protected by the highest level of security at each step of the process.

To help us understand your financial situation, we ask you to provide 90 days’ worth of bank statement data. Unlike the old days of scanning and emailing statements, or sending paper copies through the mail, today the most secure and efficient way to do this online.  

We know that many customers are cautious about sharing their data. This is why we use a secure service provided by Illion, one of the most trusted providers of data services to banks and governments across Australia.

Using Illion's platform, your account transactions can be analysed in as little as 30 seconds, which allows us to process your application quickly.

How does it work? And what makes it secure?

During our online application, we ask you to authorise Illion to access your banks’ online portals (on a one-time basis only) with your login and password.   These details are encrypted before being passed to your bank, and then securely discarded.  Illion’s system then retrieves the statement data, to provide a report to Inviva, which we store securely with your application.  Inviva never has any access to your login details.  

If for any reason you are unable to upload your bank statements, just call our Inviva experts on 1300 222 223 who can guide you through the process.  

This can be done in two ways: either by you authorising Illion to access your banks’ online portal on a one-time basis to retrieve the data, or by uploading copies of your bank statements directly.

To meet our responsible lending obligations, we are required to understand your financial situation in order to assess whether the loan is right for you. Data from your bank statements allows us to verify certain aspects of your application, so that we can assess your application quickly.

Once we receive your application, one of our Inviva loan experts will be in touch to schedule a video call with you to discuss your application.   This person will be your personal contact throughout the application process.   You can contact them with any questions along the way.  They may also be in contact if we need any additional information to assess your application.

After the video call, we will assess your application in accordance with our credit policy and responsible lending obligations.  From there, we will be in touch within two business days to give you an update.

We will keep you updated throughout the process, but you can contact your personal Inviva expert at any time on 1300 222 223 or at info@inviva.com.au.

Inviva loans come with a ‘no negative equity’ guarantee.

This means when you take out an Inviva loan, you’ll never owe us more than the value of your mortgaged property, provided you continue to meet your obligations under the loan, which are set out in your loan agreement.  

Our online application process requires us to confirm your identity, collect information about your financial situation and the purpose of the loan. The application process is easy and can be completed in as little as 20 minutes.

To confirm your identity, you will generally need to provide a combination of identity documents. Most commonly, this will be your passport and driver’s licence, but you can also provide other documents.  

To understand your financial situation, we will need details of your property, your other assets and liabilities (e.g., superannuation, credit cards etc), and copies of your bank statements.

We will also ask you what the purpose of your loan is, and how you plan to repay the loan (e.g., selling or downsizing the property, using other assets etc).

If the security property is jointly owned, then both you and your co-applicant need to participate in the application process.

Our online application process is secure, fast, and easy, and you can always contact us on 1300 222 223 or email us at info@inviva.com.au if you wish to speak with our Inviva experts who can walk you through the application process.

You will be required to pay the outstanding balance and interest and any late fees or government charges applicable if you choose to repay or terminate your loan before the end of the term. We will provide you with a loan payout estimate so you are fully informed of any potential costs ahead of terminating your loan.