Retirement Life
9 September 2026
From home equity to greater flexibility: Maureen's experience
When Maureen** heard a talkback radio advertisement for Lifetime Home, she wondered if it could be the answer to her money worries and gave her son Dave** in Australia a quick call.
He started googling, and before they knew it, they had begun a process that soon saw Maureen provided with an extra source of regular income.
In her late 70s, Maureen lives alone in a mortgage-free home in a small New Zealand city. While she had built up significant equity – “lazy equity” as Dave calls it – in her property over the years, she really didn’t want to have to sell up or move on to tap into it.
Her only source of income was the NZ pension, which Dave says wasn't providing enough for the retirement she wanted.
“She has a very active lifestyle, and the pension wasn’t covering her financial needs. So I thoroughly researched the Lifetime Home product offering and felt it was a good fit for her.
“I, and Mum for that matter, also felt it was a dignified product insofar as she wasn’t asking for a hand-out from family.”
Dave, who works in financial services, took a closer look at Lifetime Home and says he was comfortable with the costs and terms, and so felt happy to go ahead.
*While experiences are likely to vary, depending on the individual, the results have been transformative for his Mum.
“The fortnightly payments she receives from Lifetime are, literally, life-changing for her,” he says.
“She no longer worries about how she’s going to pay for things."
While the Lifetime Home set-up involved a few extra steps because of Maureen’s trust arrangement, Dave says the process was ultimately straightforward, and he quite enjoyed it.
“She no longer worries about how she’s going to pay for things”.
—Dave** (Son of Lifetime Home Customer)
“Mum’s property is in a trust, so we had a bit of fun getting the deal over the line as this was a first for Lifetime, but we got there. I’m pretty sure our trust structure would be a case study for Lifetime!
“We had a very good lawyer acting for us and Lifetime’s lawyer, while busy, was helpful too”.
Dave’s advice to others with parents also struggling to make ends meet on NZ Superannuation alone is to encourage them to access their home equity. He believes they should be empowered to use the wealth they have spent a lifetime building up.
He recommends getting good legal advice and warns the process is likely to seem intimidating to parents, who may think it is all ‘too hard’.
“But spend time to guide them through the process. It’s actually quite straightforward."
He believes the payments have made a meaningful difference for his Mum.
**All names in this case study have been changed to protect privacy.
The advice given here is general and does not constitute specific advice to any person.
Dave’s comments reflect his family’s personal experience and circumstances. Lifetime Home may not be suitable for everyone. The amount and frequency of any payments, the costs of the arrangement, and its effect on future home-sale proceeds or an estate will depend on the individual customer and property. Customers should carefully consider the full terms and obtain independent legal and financial advice before deciding whether to proceed.
Written by:
Sonia Speedy
Sonia Speedy has been a journalist for over 20 years, working in newspapers, magazines and radio. She also runs an online platform for parents at familytimes.co.nz. She lives on the Kāpiti Coast with her young family and loves writing stories that help make people's lives easier.
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