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Turning Dormant Home Equity Into Protection, Income, & Peace of Mind
If you own a home, you aren't lacking assets, but you may be lacking proper coordination. For many homeowners, the largest store of wealth sits locked inside their home, doing nothing unless the property is sold. But what if there was a way to unlock that value strategically without monthly payments, taking on traditional debt, or giving up your home? This presentation explores a planning-first approach that helps affluent families transform dormant equity into purposeful financial tools designed for retirement income, long-term care protection, and legacy planning.
Planning-First Approach
Product-Second
The Hidden Asset in Your Financial Plan
Your Home: An Untapped Financial Resource
For most American families, home equity represents the single largest component of their net worth. According to recent Federal Reserve data, the average homeowner aged 65 and older has accumulated substantial equity - often $200,000 to $500,000 or more. Yet this wealth remains completely dormant, providing no income or protection, and no flexibility unless the home is sold.
The challenge isn't a lack of assets. The challenge is that traditional financial planning often overlooks the home entirely, treating it as an untouchable asset rather than a strategic tool. This creates a disconnect: families may be equity-rich but cash-flow constrained, unable to access the resources they need for retirement income, unexpected healthcare costs, or long-term care without making drastic decisions like downsizing or relocating.
The Three-Part Strategy: Unlock, Reposition, Design
Unlock Equity
Using strategies like POINT, families can access a portion of their home's value without taking on conventional debt, required monthly payments, or selling their home. This isn't a loan, it's a strategic unlocking of existing wealth.
  • No monthly payment obligations
  • Access up to $600,000*
  • Your equity to use your way
Reposition Strategically
Once unlocked, equity shouldn't sit idle in a checking account. Strategic repositioning means putting those funds to work in vehicles designed for specific outcomes. One example: funding BRIDGE® issued by EquiTrust, as part of a comprehensive retirement and protection strategy. The objective is coordination, aligning assets with goals.
  • Transform passive equity into active planning tools
  • Integrate with existing retirement assets
  • Build flexibility into your financial structure
Design Outcomes
The repositioned equity now serves multiple purposes simultaneously: growth potential to keep assets working, long-term care benefits if care is ever needed, and legacy value if care is never required. This isn't about prediction, it's about building a strategy that works across multiple future scenarios.
  • Growth-oriented asset positioning
  • Embedded long-term care protection
  • Death benefit for heirs if care isn't used
The Result: One coordinated strategy delivers liquidity, protection, growth potential, and legacy value, without requiring you to predict which outcome you'll need most.
Home Equity + Bridge®: How It Works

Let's review the strategic flow of the Home Equity + Bridge® approach. The process begins with unlocking dormant home equity using a POINT strategy, which provides liquidity without traditional debt. Those funds are then strategically repositioned into Bridge®, an asset issued by EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, designed specifically to address multiple retirement planning needs simultaneously. As the asset grows over time with market participation, it creates both long-term care benefits and legacy value, giving families protection regardless of which future scenario unfolds. This coordinated approach transforms a static home asset into a dynamic planning tool that serves multiple purposes across your retirement years.
Check Eligibility
See if your home may qualify with POINT
Review Bridge® Plan
Assess HEI-funded Bridge® plan fit
Fund Strategy
Use eligible proceeds for long-term care
This process is designed to be low-pressure and exploratory. The first step is simply a conversation about what your home equity might make possible.
The Problem
Long-Term Care Is Common. Forced Selling Is Optional.
Someone turning 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Unpaid family caregiving is already a massive reality in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 38.2 million people provided unpaid eldercare in 2023 and 2024. Nearly half cared for a parent, and on a typical care day, providers spent an average of 3.9 hours giving direct care.
Without a dedicated funding plan, the family calendar often becomes the care budget. Planning ahead of this can change that equation.
70%
Chance of Needing Care
Likelihood of needing some form of long-term care after age 65 (HHS)
38.2M
Unpaid Eldercare Providers
Americans who provided unpaid eldercare in 2023–2024 (BLS)
47%
Caring for a Parent
Share of unpaid eldercare providers whose recipient was a parent (BLS)
3.9 hrs
Daily Caregiving Hours
Average time spent giving care on days care was provided (BLS)
"Most care starts at home, not in an institution."
*Sources: HHS/ACL, How Much Care Will You Need? | BLS, Unpaid Eldercare in the United States, 2023–2024
Multiple Benefits from One Strategic Decision
Growth Potential
Your repositioned equity doesn't sit stagnant. Bridge® offers participation in market growth through index-linked crediting strategies, providing upside potential while protecting against market downturns. Your assets continue working for you throughout retirement.
Long-Term Care Benefits
If you need care, Bridge® provides enhanced benefits designed to help cover costs without liquidating other retirement assets. This protection activates when you need it most, preserving your portfolio and reducing the financial burden on your family.
Legacy Value
If you never need long-term care, the death benefit ensures your heirs receive value from the strategy. This dual-purpose design means the repositioned equity serves your family regardless of what the future holds.
Flexibility Without Prediction
Traditional planning often forces families into impossible predictions: Will I need care? How much will it cost? How long will I live? The Home Equity + Bridge® strategy eliminates the need for perfect foresight.
Instead of guessing, you build a strategy that works across scenarios:
  • If care is needed: Enhanced benefits activate to help cover costs
  • If care isn't needed: Death benefit provides legacy value to heirs
  • In the meantime: Assets participate in market growth
This is what we mean by coordination over accumulation. It's not about having more assets; it's about positioning the assets you already have to serve multiple purposes simultaneously. The result is a more resilient, adaptable financial plan that reduces uncertainty and increases confidence.

This strategy is particularly valuable for families who want to preserve liquidity in their investment portfolios while still addressing long-term care risk and legacy goals.
Why Families Are Exploring This Strategy
Approaching retirement brings a common set of challenges: protecting assets from market volatility, planning for uncertain long-term care costs, and creating clarity for loved ones. Traditional planning methods often address these issues separately, leaving families without a coordinated solution.
Traditional options often force uncomfortable tradeoffs:
  • Long-term care insurance is expensive and benefits may never be used
  • Self-insuring requires substantial liquid reserves
  • Selling the home means giving up the family residence
  • Reverse mortgages create debt against the home with interest accumulation

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Asset Based Elder Care

If you want a very cost effective and tax efficient way to pay for "elder care" services (if you should need them) . . . watch this short video to learn how.

A Different Approach
Preserve Liquidity
Keep investment portfolios intact and available for income needs
Avoid Poor Timing
Reduce forced asset sales during market downturns
Address Care Uncertainty
Build in protection without paying for unused coverage
Create Family Clarity
Establish clear plans for care scenarios and legacy wishes
Side-by-Side Comparison
Self-Funding vs. POINT + Bridge®: A Clear Contrast
The question is not simply whether you can self-fund long-term care from your investment portfolio — it is whether that is the most efficient use of assets that took decades to build. The comparison below illustrates why the POINT + Bridge® concept deserves a serious look.
Aging in Place
Why the Real Goal Is Staying Home
Long-term care planning is often described as a facility problem. In real life, it is usually a home problem first. Most people want to age in place; surrounded by familiar spaces, routines, and relationships. What they need is the financial infrastructure to make that possible.
That is what makes the combination of POINT and Bridge® so compelling. POINT can help create the funding source. Bridge® can help turn that source into a care pool that is meaningfully larger than what most families could accumulate independently.
In the supplied example, the monthly Bridge® benefit of $30,102 (or $361,224 per year) is sized for serious, sustained in-home support. Using BLS 2024 median pay for home health and personal care aides ($16.78/hour), that annual amount is equivalent to roughly 21,527 aide labor-hours per year, or about 1,794 hours per month.
Actual private-pay home-care billing rates vary by state, agency, and staffing model, so the practical number of funded hours will differ. The consumer takeaway is clear: this benefit level is designed for meaningful, ongoing independence - not occasional help.

BLS Labor-Hour Equivalent - Not a Quoted Care Invoice
Actual private-pay home-care bill rates vary by state, agency, overtime, and supervision costs. These figures reflect BLS worker pay data and are used for illustrative comparison only.
With vs. Without Dedicated Care Funding
"Preserve your independence."
Real-World Scenario: The Strategic Difference
Meet the Anderson Family (Example)
Tom and Linda Anderson, both 68, own their $800,000 home free and clear. They have $1.2 million in retirement accounts generating income, but they're concerned about three things: what happens if one of them needs expensive long-term care, whether they'll have to sell investments during a market downturn to cover care costs, and what they'll leave to their children if care costs deplete their savings.
1
Traditional Approach
Purchase standalone long-term care insurance for $8,000-$12,000 annually. Risk: premiums may become unaffordable, benefits may never be used, and coverage may be insufficient. Self-insure by maintaining $300,000-$500,000 in liquid reserves. Risk: money sits idle earning minimal returns, and may still be insufficient if both spouses need care.
2
Home Equity + Bridge® Approach
Unlock $600,000 of home equity using POINT. No monthly payments, no debt obligation. Reposition into Bridge® issued by EquiTrust. Assets grow with market participation while building long-term care benefits. Investment portfolio remains fully invested for income and growth.
3
Outcome Comparison
If care is needed: Bridge® benefits help cover costs without portfolio liquidation. If care isn't needed: Death benefit provides legacy to children, and investment portfolio remains intact. Result: One strategic decision addresses multiple concerns without ongoing premium payments.
The Andersons chose the Home Equity + Bridge® strategy because it transformed their largest dormant asset into a multi-purpose planning tool. Their home equity now serves them in retirement while preserving liquidity in their investment accounts. They've addressed long-term care uncertainty without paying premiums that might never be used, and they've created clarity for their adult children about how care costs will be handled if needed.

Important: This is an illustrative example only. Actual strategies must be customized based on individual circumstances, goals, health status, and state-specific regulations. Results will vary.
Is This Strategy Right for Your Situation?
Determining Fit: Key Considerations
The Home Equity + Bridge® strategy isn't appropriate for everyone, and that's by design. This approach works best for specific situations and family circumstances. During our conversation, we'll explore whether this strategy aligns with your unique goals, resources, and preferences.
Home Equity Position
You own your home with substantial equity (typically $300,000+) and plan to remain in the home for the foreseeable future. You're comfortable unlocking a portion of equity for strategic purposes.
Asset Coordination
You have retirement accounts and other assets that you want to keep invested and available. You're looking for ways to address multiple planning needs without disrupting your current portfolio structure.
Care Planning Concerns
Long-term care costs and uncertainty keep you up at night. You want protection but don't want to pay annual premiums for coverage you might never use. You're looking for dual-purpose solutions.
Planning Timeline
You're in your 60s or 70s and thinking seriously about the next 20-30 years. Your goal Is to ttay in your home and you want to make strategic decisions now that provide flexibility and protection for multiple future scenarios.
Questions to Explore Together
  • How much home equity do you have, and what percentage would you be comfortable unlocking?
  • What concerns you most about running out of money in retirement?
  • How do you currently plan to handle potential long-term care costs?
  • What legacy goals do you have for your heirs?
  • How important is it to preserve liquidity in your investment accounts?
  • Would you prefer one coordinated strategy or multiple separate products?
  • What role does your home play in your overall retirement vision?
  • How do you feel about strategies that combine growth potential with protection?
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions - only your answers. Our role is to understand your specific situation and help you determine whether Home Equity + Bridge® makes sense, what alternatives might be better, or how to integrate this strategy into your broader financial plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About POINT + Bridge®
Does tapping home equity mean I have to sell or move?
No. A POINT HEI is not a loan with monthly payments, and it is not a sale. You remain in your home and retain title. POINT receives an investment in a portion of your home's future value, which is settled at the end of the term or when you choose to sell or buy back your equity.
What if I never need long-term care?
Bridge® is a life insurance product with a long-term care rider. If care benefits are never used, the policy may still provide a death benefit to your beneficiaries. Your advisor can walk you through the specific product terms and how unused benefits are handled under your illustration.
How does a no-monthly-payment structure work?
Rather than making monthly interest or principal payments, you and POINT share in the future appreciation (or depreciation) of your home. At the end of the term or upon a qualifying event, the settlement is made based on your home's value at that time. POINT publishes detailed terms at point.com/hei.
Is my home likely to qualify?
POINT works with homeowners across much of the United States, though availability varies by state and is subject to property type, equity level, lien position, and other underwriting criteria. The fastest way to find out is to prequalify, POINT describes this as a quick, low-friction first step that does not affect your credit score.
Planning First. Decisions Second.
Your Next Step: Clarity Conversation
The purpose of our follow-up conversation is to help you make an informed decision about whether the Home Equity + Bridge® strategy fits your unique situation. We'll explore your specific circumstances, discuss how this approach compares to alternatives, and determine together whether this is the right path forward.
During our conversation, we'll cover:
01
Your Specific Situation
Review your home equity, retirement assets, income needs, and planning goals to understand the full picture
02
Strategy Fit Assessment
Determine whether Home Equity + Bridge® aligns with your objectives or if alternative approaches make more sense
03
Detailed Illustration
If appropriate, review customized projections showing how the strategy would work with your specific numbers
04
Clear Path Forward
Establish next steps with clarity and confidence, whether that means moving forward or exploring other options
You'll leave our conversation with a clear understanding of whether this strategy makes sense for you, what it would look like with your specific situation, and what alternatives exist if this isn't the right fit. Most importantly, you'll have confidence in whatever direction you choose.

In Partnership With
Educational Purpose Only
This presentation is for educational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or personalized advice. All strategies must be evaluated based on individual circumstances, goals, and risk tolerance. Product availability varies by state.
Contact Information
JIM WRIGHT | Z & J INSURANCE
Phone: 573-355-4803
Product details adapted from Point.com and current POINT HEI consumer pages. Educational material only. POINT HEI is subject to property eligibility, available equity, appraisal, fees, lien placement, and final underwriting. Bridge® figures shown here use an illustration example only. Benefits and values vary by age, health, product terms, and carrier illustration details. Sources: HHS/ACL, How Much Care Will You Need? | BLS, Unpaid Eldercare in the United States, 2023–2024 | BLS, Home Health and Personal Care Aides, Occupational Outlook Handbook.