Author: Eustace L. Greaves Jr.

Builders Risk Insurance | E Greaves Jr.

I can’t emphasize enough the need to get the contractor’s firm estimate of the amount of time it will actually take to secure the necessary permits, materials, workers, and perform the work. Builders Risk Insurance policies are issued for terms of three (3), six (6), and nine (9) months, or one (1) year.

Builders Risk Insurance seems, like Flood Insurance before Hurricane Sandy, to be an afterthought.

My good friend, Jackson Robert, a Loan Officer with Prospect Lending, Inc., and a fellow member of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Real Estate Board, sends out weekly emails about trends and happenings in the mortgage industry.

This week’s email was an infographic about the 45-day Renovation Loan process. I was shocked to see no mention made of well, one of my favorite topics, insurance, and in this case, Builders Risk insurance.

So, I sat down and wrote this letter to Jackson. When I was finished, I realized I had the makings of a good blog. So here it is!

Greetings Jackson:

First, thank you for the great emails you send about mortgage lending. They are extremely informative, and when I share them with my clients, you make me look like a genius!

Regarding your latest entry about the 45-day renovation loan process I just have one question – What about the Builders Risk insurance?

Now, most people think they’ll just call a broker and get a quick quote over the phone.  Believe me, it’s not that easy.

A normal homeowner’s policy will not provide protection during any significant renovation. Many so-called “Insurance Experts” will convince your renovation loan clients that a regular homeowner’s policy is all they need. Once the company inspects the property, and believe me, nowadays they inspect every risk, the application will be rejected, and coverage cancelled. This can often make it more difficult to secure proper coverage because few insurance companies like to underwrite a risk once work has commenced.

The homeowner needs to secure a Builder’s Risk policy. Most insurance companies will require the following information in order to generate a Builder’s Risk insurance quote:

  1. A complete Scope of Work from the contractor who will be performing the work. This provides a room-by-room breakdown of the work to be performed, the cost for each job, and the time needed to complete the work, including required inspections.
  2. Certificates of Insurance for the contractor’s Worker’s Compensation, State Disability, and Commercial Liability insurance policies. The homeowner should be listed as an additional insured on these certificates. Your lending institution may also want to be listed on theses certificates. I’d suggest checking with your legal department about that.
  3. Copies of the contractor’s license. In New York City, this license is usually issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Caveat: The New York City license does not give a contractor the right to perform similar work in any other county. They must be licensed by each county or city.
  4. A copy of their listing on the New York City Department of Buildings website.
  5. The contractor’s resume or Statement of Ability regarding their past experience with the type of renovation you’re providing lending for and length of time in the business.
  6. Verifiable references from past clients the contractor has worked for in the last six (6) to 18 months.
  7. You also want to get the same information for any subcontractors involved in the renovation.I can’t emphasize enough the need to get the contractor’s firm estimate of the amount of time it will actually take to secure the necessary permits, materials, workers, and perform the work. Builders Risk policies are issued for terms of three (3), six (6), and nine (9) months, or one (1) year. The premium for these policies must be paid in full once bound and are fully earned.  So, if the client purchases a policy with nine (9) month duration, and the work is completed in seven (7) months, there is no pro-or-short rated return of premium.  One the other hand, if the work was supposed to take six (6) months and will, for various reasons, take longer, the homeowner will be forced to purchase another Builders Risk policy. Here’s a tip: If the contractor says the work will take six (6) months, purchase a policy lasting nine (9) months or a year. One good local disaster can set work and inspections back at least three (3) months.

For the insurance broker:

  1. Provide the insurance broker with a copy of any existing appraisals so they can prepare a before and after replacement cost estimator for the insurance company.
  2. Give the insurance broker at least five (5) business days to do their calculations, write-up and submissions.
  4. Inform the insurance broker whether this policy is being put out for bid so they can decide whether they want to offer one. These policies require a great deal of up-front work, on spec. Based on the type of risk, and the client’s relationship with other brokers or agents, an insurance broker may decide to not offer a quote.

A Final Thought

Don’t forget to discuss the need for purchasing flood insurance for these risks. Just imagine the catastrophe when, just a week before the job is done, the water main in the street outside the home breaks, or a severed rainstorm or hurricane and sends thousands of gallons of water rushing into your clients almost-completed home.

Jackson, I hope this information will improve your renovation lending success. Thanks again for the great emails.

You can contact Jackson Robert, Loan Officer with Prospect Lending, Inc. at 917-941-5018. You can also send him an email to [email protected]. 

BrooklynCovered.com is the online alias of none other than Eustace L. Greaves, Jr., LUTCF, a Brooklyn-based insurance agent and broker with more than 30 years of meeting his clients insurance needs. Send your insurance questions to Eustace at [email protected] or [email protected] .

Double Dees New Meaning | BrooklynCovered.com

This year, the cost to your employer to provide you with employer-sponsored health insurance (nontaxable, at least so far), is represented by the box 12 amount next to the DD’s. According to Notice 2011-28 in IRS Section 6051 employers are now required to show on each employee’s annual Form W-2 the value of the employee’s health insurance coverage sponsored by the employer.

Double Dee’s New Meaning, or, They Ain’t What They Used To Be

When I was a young lad, when somebody said “Double Dees”, it didn’t mean what double dees (DD’s) mean today. Today, the only place most people who aren’t artificially enhanced or children doing poorly in two (2) school subjects will find code DD is on the 2012 W-2 they received from their employer.

W-2 Wage and Tax Statement for 2012
W-2 Wage and Tax Statement 2012

Take a look at box 12 of  your 2012 W-2. If you work for an employer, large or small who offers a package of employee benefits, you’ve become accustomed to seeing the letter C, which refers to the taxable amount of group-term life insurance over $50,000. This is included in the amounts in boxes 1, 3 (up to the Social Security wage limit) and 5.

Another popular letter code is D, which refers to income deferrals you elected to make into a 401(k)  plan. This code can also include deferrals to SIMPLE retirement accounts that are a part of a 401 (k).

W-2 Instructions For Employees applicable to all, yet only read by a few
The W-2 Instructions For Employees applicable to all, yet read by only a few.

For those of you working for a local, state or federal agency, you’d see either the letter E or G. These letters refer to elective deferrals under a section 403(b) or 457(b) deferred compensation plan, respectively.

Back To The DD’s

This year, the cost to your employer to provide you with employer-sponsored health insurance (nontaxable, at least so far), is represented by the box 12 amount next to the DD’s. According to Notice 2011-28 in IRS Section 6051 employers are now required to show on each employee’s annual Form W-2 the value of the employee’s health insurance coverage sponsored by the employer.

Why Is This So Important?

Remember the 2010 Health Care Reform which finally became law on June 28, 2012? Well, the individual mandate requires all non-exempt U. S. citizens to maintain minimum health insurance coverage, beginning January 2014.  Failure to do so will result in their paying a penalty.

So Guess Where You’ll Pay The Penalty?

As a income tax professional, I will, beginning with the preparation of 2014 income tax returns, be required to confirm whether or not a client owns “minimum essential health insurance coverage. Doing returns for employees of firms with more than 50 employees will be easy – the information will be right there on the W-2.

I work with many sole proprietors and single-and-two person LLCs who will be required to show certain proof, such as a letter from the insurance company, cancelled checks, etc. In either case, proper proof must be submitted, or the penalty will be applied to your total tax liability on Form 1040.

Any preparer like myself, who fails to properly document the existence of this minimum essential coverage, will probably find themselves paying hefty fines for failure to conform to preparation rules. Here’s a hint: Additional rules will create additional forms to know and complete. Budget for certain increases in your income tax preparation fees. Just a word to the wise.

What If An Employer With More Than 50 Employees Doesn’t Offer Health Insurance?

Well, according to IRS Section 4980H, if they don’t offer their employees affordable health insurance, they will be subject to a penalty of up to $2000 for each employee.

Ouch.

So What’s So Good About The DD’s Now?

One of my clients came in for their tax preparation appointment just moaning and groaning about his job. When I explained what the DD code meant, he looked at me and said, “I will never complain about my job again.”

Amazing how little it takes for folks to appreciate all their job has to offer.

Even more amazing? These are the type of DD’s which turn me on now.

Oh, the humanity.

 

 

 

 

Your Duties After A Loss | Brooklyn Covered

If your policy includes coverage for additional living expenses (and if it doesn’t, go out today and buy a policy with this important coverage), you must again keep accurate records of your expenses for housing, food, and transportation.

Whether you rent or own your home, your insurance policy, in the Conditions section, lists your duties after a loss. Should you fail to comply with the duties which follow, your insurance company could deny you coverage.

  1. You must immediately notify your Broker, Agent, or your insurance company’s claims department of how, when and where the loss happened. Make sure to include the names, addresses and contact information of any witnesses and other injured parties.
  2. Notify the local authorities.
  3. You must protect the property from further loss or damage. This is where many people endanger their full indemnification after a covered loss. For example, if your roof has suffered damage, take as many photos as possible. Then, make reasonable and necessary repairs to prevent further damage. When this is done, take more pictures.
  4. Keep an accurate record of the expenses you incur to protect the property from further damage.
  5. If your home suffered water damage when the roof was compromised, make an inventory of the damaged property before you toss things out on the sidewalk, for example. Your inventory should include describe each item, and it’s cost. Again, take as many pictures as possible to prove your loss. Original receipts, and/or instruction manuals, are a terrific source of proof of ownership. I always tell my clients to prepare a complete Personal Home Inventory using a Travelers Insurance brochure as a guide. Your work at preparing a claim will go a lot faster and easier when you already have a prepared inventory.
  6. If your policy includes coverage for additional living expenses (and if it doesn’t, go out today and buy a policy with this important coverage), you must again keep accurate records of your expenses for housing, food, and transportation.
  7. Remember, you will be required to sign a sworn statement about all the damages and costs you’ve incurred. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you to inflate your loss and expense amounts. These are acts of fraud, and your company could refuse to provide coverage for any insured engaged in these acts.

Suffering a loss is tough, but you can make your recovery easier by following these tips.

Eustace L. Greaves Jr., LUTCF is a New York State licensed independent insurance agent and broker. To get a copy of the Personal Home Inventory Brochure, send Eustace an email to [email protected]. Or, stop by his office at 651 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11238, for a hard copy. Just give him a call at 718-783-2722 so he can tidy up the office before you stop by

Solutions For PIRP Fraud | Brooklyn Covered

Tell you what, I’d really like to know how many yellow taxi and livery car drivers actually take the PIRP classes they are supposed to complete every two years. I know I’d feel a lot better they actually sat through a class, and didn’t just do a “walk in and walk out” class.

Solutions For Fraudulent PIRP Activity

Before we examine solutions for PIRP fraud ( PIRP is the acronym for the New York State-approved Point / Insurance Reduction Program), I’d like to review some of the problems, both real and potential, for people getting credit for classes they never took.

  1. New York State licensed drivers who are the primary operators of a motor vehicle, receive a minimum 10% discount on their automobile insurance. These discounts are in a real sense a reward for supposedly improved knowledge of New York State vehicle and traffic laws, and safe driving techniques. When combined, these increased skill sets should, in the words of Empire Safety Council, one of New York State’s leading PIRP class providers, help drivers, “Survive the driving experience.”
  2. Drivers who would otherwise lose their licenses continue to drive on our streets and highways. Their poor attitudes towards the responsible operation of a motor vehicle, not modified through actual class attendance and participation creates an even greater threat with their feeling of having “beaten the system.” Tell you what, I’d really like to know how many yellow taxi and livery car drivers actually take the PIRP classes they must complete every two years. I know I’d feel a lot better if they actually sat through a class, and didn’t just do a “walk in and walk out” class.

Both scenarios are, in a word, frightening. Should fraudulent activity in the program continue, there is the real possibility New York State could make attending PIRP classes every three years a requirement for enjoying the privilege of being a NYS licensed driver. Without any accompanying discounts or point reduction. And, with you paying for the classes out-of-pocket.

Now, don’t scoff at the idea the state could do just that. As a licensed NYS insurance agent and broker, I must complete 15 hours of continuing education , either through self-study or actual classroom attendance, every two years. Should I fail to do so, I will lose my licenses.

As an Income Tax Preparer, I must now complete 15 hours of income tax continuing education every year to qualify for my federal Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). On top of this, I must study for and pass an exam to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer (RTRP), no later than December 31, 2013, or else I can no longer prepare income tax returns.

And yes, I pay, or will pay out-of-pocket for all the above.

So don’t think for a second we can’t lose this valuable means of legitimately lowering our premiums and reducing points on our NYS drivers licenses.

Hey, Wait A Minute. Didn’t You Promise Some Solutions?

Why, indeed I did. Here are a few solutions for PIRP fraud.

  1. Submit photocopies of each participant’s NYS drivers license in the package sent to the program providers.
  2. Require a group photograph of each class. And don’t try to tell me anyone’s camera-shy, or you can’t figure out how to use the time feature on your camera.
  3. Increase the number of random calls made to listed class participants of every class. Ask them “What do you remember about Mr. Jones?”, or “What did you think of the office decor?’, or “Where did you eat lunch?”, or “Who did you eat lunch with?”
  4. Increase spot checks to ensure classes are actually being conducted.
  5. Employ “shoppers” whose express purpose is to attend random classes and assess the content and conduct of each instructor.
  6. Increase the financial penalties for those Delivery Agents and Instructors who engage in fraudulent PIRP activities. And send some to jail, with the loss of every other state or federal license they now hold. You’d have to be a durn fool to risk everything for a few measly dollars.
  7. Finally, I’d impose severe penalties on those drivers who participate in any fraudulent PIRP activities. Again, fines and possible jail time should stop those looking for a “quick fix” for their auto insurance woes.

When enacted, you’d realize an immediate decrease in the number of student completions. It might hurt the pocketbooks of the state,  and provider agencies for a time. In the long run, however, we’d all enjoy safer roads, better able to “survive the driving experience.”

And, with all the people necessary for enforcement, we could solve a good part of the jobless problem here in New York  

Until my next post, make every day an outstanding day.

 

EITC and PIRP. Perfect Together | Brooklyn Covered

Tell you what, let’s apply the same penalties to everyone who’s ever claimed to attend and participate in a six-hour Point and Insurance Reduction Program class, but didn’t. They would lose both the 10% discount on their auto insurance, and the reduction of up to four points on their drivers license. And they would not qualify for either benefit for a period of no less than ten (10) years.

Let’s Apply EITC Penalties To PIRP

You may be wondering why I think EITC and PIRP ( Earned Income Tax Credit and Point and Insurance Program, respectively) share any similarities. Well, they don’t. At least not yet.

Under the current personal income tax law, if you claim the earned income tax credit, and it is later disallowed because you made a fraudulent claim, you lose the right to claim the EITC for ten, count ’em, ten years. Which means by the time you’re able to legitimately claim the EITC again, you’ll either be too old, or the children you would’ve used to qualify for it have children of their own.

What Types Of Penalties Should We Impose?

Tell you what, let’s apply the same penalties to everyone who’s ever claimed to attend and participate in a six-hour Point and Insurance Reduction Program class, but didn’t. They would lose both the 10% discount on their auto insurance, and the reduction of up to four points on their driver’s license. And they would not qualify for either benefit for no less than ten (10) years.

Even better, for those we catch engaging in fraudulent actions, let’s give them two (2) points for the first infraction, three points for the second, license suspension for a period of not less than six months for the third, and license revocation for no less than a year for the fourth infraction for as long as they have the privilege of a New York State Drivers license.

If they’re crazy enough to try it more than four (4) times? Well, you can’t fix stupid.

Mandate that those so caught must actually attend an actual  PIRP class at least once every three (3) years, without the benefit of getting either point reduction or a discount on their insurance. Talk about your new assessment!

Wait, you supposedly attended a class, and you claim to have never heard about assessments?

Are you sure you attended a full six-hour class?

So why am I venting about this today? Well, as a NYS-certified PIRP Delivery Agent and Instructor, I take great pride in making sure everyone who attends one of my classes leaves feeling;

  1. Empowered by the knowledge they’ve acquired,
  2. Confident in their ability to “survive the driving experience” or,
  3. Afraid to drive ever again. And wondering how the heck they’ve lived this long.

What really drives me nuts is when I talk to clients about an upcoming class, and they tell me they did it the easy way. They are not ashamed to tell me they go to certain agencies where they pay about $100.00, copy the answers to the driving test, fill out a few forms.

No six-hour class. Heck, I’m surprised if it takes more than six (6) minutes to “complete” a course this way. This is dangerous for you and anyone else near the road. For insurance companies, they are losing premium dollars. For the driving and walking publics, you’re sharing the road with people who shouldn’t legally have drivers licenses. And the United States Treasury loses because these crooks require payment in cold, hard, cash. Just imagine how much taxable income is not being declared.

Isn’t it just amazing how I can make my wild titles work out at the end?

How Do We Prevent This Type of Fraud?

In my next post, I’ll outline the methods I’d use to stifle the growth of this felony activity.

What Ever Happened To The Series On Force-Placed Homeowners Insurance?

Not only will that series continue, I’ve got some new wrinkles for you. Stay tuned.

Income Tax Games Without A Bow | Brooklyn Covered

So, after dodging the aforementioned honest young lady for several days, I finally admitted that while I’d completed her return, I felt I was making a error somewhere. I just couldn’t understand why she suddenly owed an amount in the thousands when she usually only owed no more than $300.00. And that was considered a bad year.

After much conversation, she finally became very quiet. I just knew I’d lose her as a client. And then, the clouds of doubt and gloom parted when she said, “Mr. Greaves, I think I know why I owe so much.”

Playing Income Tax Games Will Leave You With Your Own Version Of The Hunger Games

So there I was, pacing around the office, the block, the neighborhood, Brooklyn. Trying to figure out why the heck I suddenly found myself unable to complete an income tax return which made sense. I mean, I’ve only been doing this for, what, about 20 years? Then, a propitious conversation with an honest young lady awakened me to the latest version of “Income Tax Games.”

When you’ve prepared someone’s income taxes for a while, you tend to learn “how they roll.” Some of my clients are homeowners who know exactly how many therms they use each month. With many, I’m just glad they put their bills and receipts in the envelope.

Too few contribute to 529’s and Roth IRA’s. Again, far too many fail to contribute the maximum to their employer-sponsored 401k’s. It always cracks me up when they say how hard it is to save now. Just wait until it’s time to retire, they’ll wish they’d done with less now to have more then.

So, when several of my clients suddenly owed amounts to the taxing authorities far and above what I’m accustomed to them owing, I wondered, (foolishly, in hindsight) what did I do wrong?

So, after dodging the aforementioned honest young lady for several days, (“Mr. Greaves, is my return done yet?”), I finally admitted that while I’d completed her return, I felt I was making an error somewhere. I just couldn’t understand why she suddenly owed an amount in the thousands when she usually only owed no more than $300.00. And that was a bad year.

After much conversation, she finally became very quiet. I just knew I’d lose her as a client. And then, the clouds of doubt and gloom parted when she said, “Mr. Greaves, I think I know why I owe so much.”

My only response was “Huh?”

“Mr. Greaves, a friend of mine on my job told me if I wanted to increase the amount of take-home pay each paycheck, all I had to do was increase the number of exemptions I claim for several months, and then go back to, in my particular case, Single, with one exemption.”

DING! DING! DING!

“Youngster, how many extra exemptions did you claim, when did you start claiming them, and, when did you stop claiming them?” I asked.

“I claimed Single, with 20 exemptions, starting in July, ending in November. Then I went back to Single, with one exemption.”

Thank the Maker I don’t have high blood pressure.

“And was the extra money good to you?”

“Man, yeah! I was getting paid!”

“And now?” I asked.

“I have to pay most of it back?”

“Sorry, I didn’t quite hear you.”

“I have to pay most of it back. But why?”

Then we got into a discussion about how the U. S. system of taxation is a pay-as-you-go system. As long as you’re making the necessary payments during the year, you shouldn’t end up owing at the end of the tax year.

She understands that now.

Then she mentioned how this young man, the financial genius who played the exemption game every year, still got a huge refund when he filed his taxes. Their pay was similar, they are both single, and give modest amounts to their churches. Neither one owns real estate, or has any entries for unreimbursed employee expenses. Just two young people with some interest, some stocks sold, and not much else.

I told her his preparer may be one of the biggest crooks out there, and it was probably just a matter of time before the IRS caught him for preparing fraudulent returns. And, when the preparer is caught preparing fraudulent returns, all of their clients will end up in IRS Examinations, and wind up owing a ton of money. With penalties and interest tacked on. 

“So what have we learned today?” I asked.

“To pay a bit each payday as I go along, and at the end of the year I won’t sing a sad song.”

“And will we be playing income tax games any longer?”

“Only if I have a death wish.”

I am revived. Income taxes make sense again. Back to the numbers.

My Homeowners Insurance Policy, Part 2.5 | Brooklyn Covered

Here’s another suggestion. Why not get a whole-house review? I’m honored to refer my friend and client, Mr. Curtis (“Caulk Is Cheap”) Godoy, a NYC licensed and insured General Contractor, Master Carpenter and EPA Certified Painter. You can reach him at 1-347-581-5562, or drop him an email at [email protected] . If he thinks anything is amiss, he’ll let you know.

(In our last thrilling published post, we learned how failing to maintain our homes can lead to increased and larger claims, causing us to lose our voluntary homeowners insurance policy, and the accompanying threat of the dreaded force-placed policy.)

Okay, Why Should I Care?

Just one word.

Accessibility.

Accessibility to affordable, quality insurance in the voluntary market for you and the community you live in.

Let’s say your community’s claim results spike. Soon, the premiums for homeowners insurance could demonstrate a “similar propensity for growth,” or, go up like crazy. Or, in a worse-case scenario, major companies will choose to neither write nor renew policies in your community, providing fertile ground for the entry of more expensive players.

And, what happens if a homeowner can’t qualify for one of the newer companies due to their checkbook balance, or the credit score from hell?

Well, there’s always force-placed insurance.

Don’t I paint the rosiest pictures?

It’s Time

It’s time to renew your commitment to a disciplined program of home maintenance. With it, you should no longer suffer pipes or roofs leaking with regularity. You’ll replace the flexible hoses behind the washing machine with new, high-pressure hoses designed to resist kinks and sudden breaks. You’ll begin regularly performing a deep cleaning of your clothes dryer to prevent lint fires in either your dryer or dryer vent. (You do have a dryer vent, don’t you?)

You’ll caulk around your windows and doors, saving money on heating and cooling while keeping rain outside. You’ll check to ensure your windows are properly screwed into the frame. You’ll make sure your landscaping draws water away from your foundation, and not towards it. You’ll check and clean gutters and downspouts.

In short, you’ll do what every homeowner should do: Maintain your home.

Here’s another suggestion. Why not get a whole-house review? I’m honored to refer my friend and client, Mr. Curtis (“Caulk Is Cheap”) Godoy,  a NYC licensed and insured General Contractor, Master Carpenter and EPA Certified Painter. You can reach him at 1-347-581-5562, or drop him an email at [email protected] . If he thinks anything is amiss, he’ll let you know. If he feels you need a new roof, he’ll contact Gus Jean Louis, a.k.a., Gus the Roofer. You can reach him at 1-347-564-3009, or email him at [email protected]. Pipes leaking? Contact Keith Huggins of Pusky Plumbing at 1-917-531-8385. Mr. Godoy  can put you in touch with qualified professionals who are licensed and insured. Why do I recommend these gentlemen? Because they are the only building professionals I let do any work in my mom’s home. They are true professionals, and have yet to disappoint.

Next time, we’ll see how your home’s location can cause your banishment to the force-placed insurance market.

(Need a plan for home maintenance? Just drop me an email at [email protected], and I’ll email you a copy of the home maintenance schedule provided by Travelers Property and Casualty. And subscribe to BrooklynCovered.com for automatic notification of every new post. No email address? No problem. Just provide me with your address and phone information and I’ll  send you the brochure.)

Birth Of Force-Placed Insurance | Brooklyn Covered

Of course, the jackals were waiting in the bush. As soon the distressed fell into default, they pounced. Now the letters and calls offerd relief in the form of a quick sale. In many of theses cases, what the house sold for was barely enough to cover the outstanding mortgage. So, you had a home you’ve lived in for 30 or 40 years. No mortgage. Now you have nothing and nowhere to live.

The Birthplace of Force-Placed Insurance

While those who participated in the scam known as sub-prime lending deserve whatever punishment they receive, let’s not forget where they learned their lessons. And how force-placed insurance grew to become the serious issue it is today.

An Indication of Force-Placed Insurance

PropertyShark.com provides information about housing around the region. PropertyShark .com just  published a map showing all the distressed properties in New York City during 2011. You can see the map here: http://www.propertyshark.com/mason/ny/New-York-City/Maps?map=nyc2&x=0.5632&y=0.6809333333333333&zoom=2&basemap=lispendens&star=1&tab=themes&ll=40.6289391996291,-73.9243806440218

Now, as you look at the areas in Brooklyn and Queens, a disturbing trend becomes evident. In communities of color there are more of those nasty little dots than anywhere else on the map. How did this happen?

Well, blame the first phase of the problem on those dirt bags who engaged in the worse form of predatory lending known to man: The predation of elderly and unsophisticated homeowners.

They mailed thousand of letters each week, and employed telemarketers whose only mission was calling these unsuspecting homeowners and convincing them to meet with a consultant. They told these vulnerable folk about how their homes had money (equity) just sitting there doing nothing. They could use this money or repairs, a trip home, and many other reasons. They never told them about reverse mortgages. No, you see there was little profit in legitimate financial instruments like reverse mortgages. Heck, sometimes, they didn’t even say a mortgage was involved.

Then, when they met with their unsuspecting victims, they’d tell them how they didn’t have to take a dime out of their pockets for anything. Little did the public know everything was coming out of their home equity. Many didn’t know  how their loan applications were falsified to reflect fraudulent rental, pension and employment incomes.  Corrupt appraisers  valued homes for much more than they were worth, so lenders could meet the necessary “loan-to-value” numbers.

So, the homeowners applied for $25, 000 and more. They’d go to the closing table thinking about what they’d do with the money, only to walk away with $5,000 or $7,000. What happened to the rest of the money, you ask? Well, that went for attorney fees, application fees, and any other fees you can think of. Fees which, were the mortgage not predatory in nature, would average about 6% of the total cost of the loan. Money which shouldn’t come out of their equity, but from liquid cash.

Once the deception was discovered, some would revolt and demand, via the right of the three-day rescission rule, the cancellation of the loan and return of all of their funds.

Too few people did this.

Most, convinced this was the way business was done, struggled to pay loans with high interest rates, at a time of life when they should enjoy living in a home without outstanding debt. And yes, force-placed homeowners insurance helped many of these same people fall deeper into the pit. Many of these people wound up losing their homes, because their Social Security and pension checks couldn’t handle the weight of their new monthly obligation.

Of course, the jackals were waiting in the bush. As soon the distressed house fell into default, they pounced. Now the letters and calls offered relief in the form of a quick sale. In many of theses cases, what the house sold for was barely enough to cover the outstanding mortgage. So, you had a home you’ve lived in for 30 or 40 years. No mortgage. Now you have nothing and nowhere to live.

I’ll be returning to the subject of force-placed homeowners insurance next week. I just wanted to let everyone know this resource was available.

If you, a family member, or a close friend are either in, or facing default on your mortgage obligations, please call me at 718-783-2722. There are organizations like Bridge Street Development Corp. ,  (bsdcorp.org), and Neighborhood Housing Services (nhsnyc.org), ready to provide counsel and guidance to homeowners in need. If you’re paying for force-placed insurance, call me. Let’s work together to save you thousands of dollars you can use to bring and keep your mortgage obligations current.

Income Tax Refund Memo | Brooklyn Covered

Thank you for giving us more money during this last year than you were required to. Because of your kindness, we were able to use your refund as well as the pending refunds of millions of your fellow citizens to earn interest. We lent money to countries that may or may not pay us back. We even used some of the money to feed people in other countries who hate our way of life, especially since we ‘allow’ women the sacred rights of driving a car, or going for a walk by themselves. Let’s not even talk about the right to vote.

Tax Refund Memo To All Taxpayers

Dear (Taxpayer, please insert your name here):

Enclosed is your income tax refund of $ (Please fill in your normal annual refund).

Thank you for giving us more money during this last year than you were required to. Because of your financial laziness, oops, we mean kindness, we were able to combine your refund and the pending income tax refunds of millions of your fellow citizens to make loans. We lent money to countries that may or may not pay us back. We even used some of the money to feed people in other countries who hate our way of life, especially since we ‘allow’ women the sacred rights of driving a car, or going for a walk by themselves. Let’s not even talk about the right to vote. We provided funds to banks thought to be too big to fail. That’s right, the same banks that charge you all of those ridiculous fees if you don’t have a certain balance in your savings account. If you can afford to have a savings account. And don’t you dare be late with your credit card payments!

Especially pleasing to us is our ability to offer guaranteed rates of interest to those who, by not allowing us to keep their refunds for up to 15 months, watch their Treasury notes, bills and bonds investments grow. And don’t forget about the foreign investors who are buying Treasuries like ice cream on a hot summer day. Of course you can’t buy those investments since once you get your hot little hands on your refund, you dash to the stores for technology you don’t understand but must have because it’s new, shoes designed to destroy women’s ankles, knees, and reproductive organs just because they make you look good, and cars you can’t afford to maintain, much less pay the insurance for. Just to name a few. So what if you purchase things that really don’t make a significant difference in your life? Heck, they’re shiny and new, and isn’t that all that matters!? So what if you have trouble meeting the rent sometimes, you’re late on a credit card payment or two, or you’ll never save the down payment for the house you dream about. Don’t worry about it. Just keep getting those refunds.

And don’t listen to people like Eustace Greaves Jr. He’s got a big mouth. If it was up to him, you’d employ perfectly legal tax planning methods to bring your future money into the present. Then, you could use what is essentially your money work toward realizing the lifestyle you’ve always imagined. Being able to save, invest, and actually accomplish the important things in life, things that matter, like getting a home of your own, enjoying a secure retirement, having more liquid cash, or sending your children to the college of their choice and ability. What’s Greaves’ motto? “No income tax refund is a good income tax refund!!” Who died and made him king?

But hey, we’re not worried. We know income tax refunds turn you on more than watching your team playing in the Super Bowl every year. (That is, unless the big-screen TV you bought with borrowed money was repossessed. You didn’t have the money to pay the note. Doesn’t matter, you can’t pay the electric bill until you get your refund, anyway.) We know you’ll continue listening to us. So just keep doing what you’re doing and we’ll keep mailing those refund checks.

Thanks, and keep the excess money coming. Don’t worry, we’ll send it back eventually.

       

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” 

 Benjamin Franklin

Force-Placed Home Insurance | Brooklyn Covered

When you signed your mortgage commitment, one of the requirements you agreed to do was maintain home insurance on your home. This homeowners insurance policy would contain a certain amount of Coverage A – Dwelling Coverage, as well as a mortgagee clause, naming the bank and your loan number.

What Is Force-Placed Home Insurance?

Force-placed home insurance is insurance your mortgage bank places on your home when you fail to maintain contractually required home insurance coverage.

Why Do I Need Home Insurance?

When you signed your mortgage commitment, one of the requirements you agreed to do was maintain home insurance on your home. This homeowners insurance policy would contain a certain amount of Coverage A – Dwelling Coverage, as well as a mortgagee clause, naming the bank and your loan number.

When you think about it, home insurance protects the homeowner against the loss of what is once again, the single largest purchase many families will ever make. Imagine a fire reducing your home to cinders and burned bricks. Without home insurance containing coverages in the proper amounts, you’d probably suffer a total loss of all you’d worked so hard to acquire.

So How Does The Bank Figure Into All Of This?

When a bank makes a home mortgage loan this creates the need for the bank to protect its interest in the collateral supporting the loan, otherwise known as the home. So the bank is fully within its right to require you keep certain coverage on the home.

What Creates The Need For The Force-Placed Home Insurance?

Your mortgage is composed of four (4) basic components:

  1. Principal, or the amount which amortizes or reduces the amount you owe the bank.
  2. Interest, or the cost of the money you’re borrowing. (What, you thought you get a $500,000 loan for free?)
  3. Taxes, or what your local municipality charges you for your home to sit in or on dirt. This amount is usually based on the number of stories, square footage and lot size of the house. That’s right, you’re paying more just to have the huge burned lawn.
  4. Insurance, which is my favorite part.

The portion of the mortgage for the taxes and homeowners insurance are escrowed monthly. That means a part of the quarterly or annual bills for each are collected and held by the bank each month, presumably to make payments when due. The key point to remember is the escrow system works well when your monthly mortgage payments are made on time each and every month. Fall behind by even one payment and you ‘ve developed a shortage in your escrow account.

Now here’s the kicker. Let’s say you bought a home during the period I will always call “The Time of Home Purchase Madness.” First, you paid too much for the house. Second, you someone qualified for a mortgage by being able to fog a mirror. No documentation, lousy credit score, and no down payment? Heck, certain mortgage brokers would knock their mommas out of the way to get you a loan.

Let’s move forward to what I call the “What The Hell Were We Thinking?” or, “What Do We Do Now?” time. That’s when too many people realized they should’ve stayed in their rent-stabilized apartments, kept the affordable home they already had, or kept sleeping on Mom’s couch. Suddenly, you miss first one mortgage payment, then another. Now, banks will move heaven and earth to make sure  the real estate taxes on your home are always paid on time. The last thing they want is to lose a property they’re holding a note on to someone who purchases a tax lien.

Banks Do The Same Thing For The Home Insurance, Right?

Wrong.

Let’s imagine your escrow is now short by two to four months payments. Home insurance bills are usually sent to the bank or mortgage servicing company 30 days before the due date.

In the worse case scenario, you have an escrow shortage when the bill from your homeowners insurance company arrives.

Guess what? Since you failed to keep up your end of the bargain, the bank is not required to go out of pocket to pay your homeowners insurance premium . The policy usually lapses. And then guess what happens? Because your world is collapsing around you, and each day brings more despair, you stop opening the mail or answering the telephone. It’s only months later when you learn your homeowners insurance policy lapsed and the bank placed another, force-placed policy on your home. And what gives you a clue? The sudden increase in the negative balance of your escrow account to the tune of $3000 to $8000.

Why so much? Because they can. It’s stupid, really. Instead of just paying a premium of say, $1800, the bank instead buys a policy for you which will cost at least three times as much. With less coverage. See, that’s the real zinger: Every force-placed policy I’ve ever seen covers only one thing – the outstanding mortgage balance.

There’s no coverage for your personal belongings in case of fire or theft. No coverage for liability should someone injure themselves on your property. No coverage to help you with the added expenses of renting an apartment while your home is being rebuilt.

Not even the full replacement cost of your home.

Just the outstanding mortgage balance.

And you’re paying at least three times as much for the privilege to get less coverage.

In my next post about force-placed home insurance, I’ll talk about how it will continue to drag down the economy, how to avoid having it happen to you, and what to do if it does happens to you. Also, I’ll include a link to a radio interview I did back in 2009, about the force-placed home insurance problem.

Eustace L. Greaves, Jr., LUTCF is a Brooklyn-based independent insurance agent and broker. Contact him today to make an appointment to review your home, life, disability, flood, renters, condo, coop, and auto insurance program. You can also reach him by email at [email protected]. And please take a moment to subscribe to BrooklynCovered.com.

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