Q4 2025 is here! It can be a godsend to have experienced people to contact about financial planning for the “golden” years. Today, I’d like you to meet Mark Maimon, Mortgage Branch Manager, The Mark Maimon Team, a division of Luminate Bank, for this quarter’s Advisory Perspective Series.
Mark’s bi-coastal team is licensed in all 50 states and has a client roster that includes award-winning entertainers, professional athletes, high-net-worth individuals, seniors and senior professionals, real estate investors, first-time buyers, and everything in between. Mark’s platform has rapidly expanded into the Senior space to help seniors secure creative financing to help pay for entry fees, home repairs/renovations, ongoing care expenses, and other living expenses in their later years.
He utilizes senior-friendly underwriting programs that help applicants qualify more easily. He is also the founder and host of the “On the Mark” Podcast, where he highlights thought leaders from real estate, senior living, and personal finance. Check it out here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/onthemarkpod
Question 1. What do you enjoy about working with your clients?
Working with seniors is one of the most personally rewarding endeavors I’ve done in my career. This is because you can literally change the course of seniors’ life in their later years when they are potentially struggling with changing health and independence. The last thing we want is for seniors to have to cut corners on their care needs, and the financing we provide can help them age with dignity on their own terms.
Being a sandwich generation “adult child” myself, I know how important and impactful funding for care and living expenses can be because I’m experiencing these challenges with my own family. And the work we do not only helps the seniors, but it can lead to a legacy being left behind for their kids and grandkids after they pass. It’s incredibly heartwarming to help families in this way.
Question 2. How would you suggest a potential new client prepare for a 1st meeting?
We like to start our conversations by hearing the story behind the numbers and family dynamics. What is important to a senior, how do they want to age, do they want to stay at home or relocate to a senior community, what scares them, and who the family members are who are helping (or potentially disrupting) their decision-making process. Each client scenario we encounter is a puzzle that we help put together in an attempt to match the perfect financing solution to the needs and desires of the senior and their families. It’s also helpful if seniors come into the call with top-level details about their income, assets, debts and credit profile. And if there are important family members who will be assisting with financing decisions, we strongly encourage them to join our call with the senior. With our clients’ permission, we can also record the calls so other family members can listen to the recording to understand what was discussed without the senior having to remember every detail.
Question 3. When someone agrees to become a client, what can they expect immediately? Over time?
They can expect a highly qualified, expert team of patient and supportive team members to help them through the loan selection process. They can also expect to have all options laid out for them clearly in a way that is easy to understand without getting overly technical – we like to keep things as simple as possible, while also making sure that the our senior clients are seeing the full spectrum of available options for them. We take a good amount of time with each client discussing those options and which ones we recommend and why. Our clients are never rushed off the phone during important conversations. After our clients close on their loan, they can expect ongoing monitoring of their loan over time so we can notify them of any opportunities to lower their rates, borrow more (if needed) and maximize their financing over time. Mortgage debt needs to be properly managed over time as care needs and other circumstances change and we work hand-in-hand with our clients to do so.
Question 4. What is your service philosophy?
Always give honest and thoughtful advice regardless of whether that advice changes whether a client will take the loan or not. We have no problem telling people who shouldn’t be taking out a loan to bypass financing (and have done it many times). We don’t feel like we are selling anything to anyone – we just provide sound financial advice and options and then our clients get to decide if they like them enough to proceed with the loan. And if not, then that’s ok – at least we have educated them on the options so they can make informed decisions and made the world a slightly better place in the process. We are also big proponents of seniors getting advice from a full spectrum of professionals including financial advisors, trust & estates attorneys, tax professionals and more. Those professionals may add a different perspective that can be immeasurable and financing decisions are important and impactful enough to collaborate with all of them, even if it costs a bit of money to do so. And if families need referrals to top professionals, we have a fantastic network
Question 5. What resources do you provide to assist “laypeople” with understanding what is being discussed?
We have a TON of online resources that clients can find at seniorfinancingsolutions.com. This includes our “On the Mark” Podcast where I interview thought leaders in senior living, real estate and personal finance to provide educational information and raise the bar of financial literacy. We also have a robust library of YouTube videos with information that is important to seniors and their families as well as social media accounts. Education is my “why” and it drives me to share helpful information every day with our network of professionals and clients.
Bonus Question! If you were to relay one piece of advice to anyone reading this, what would it be?
That reverse mortgages are not the only type of loan seniors are able to qualify for! We offer so many additional options for seniors that most families are not aware of. For example, one thing I wish every senior would do is to open a home equity line of credit (HELOC) on their home at least a few years before they anticipate a potential care need.
When you already have that line of credit open before a care crisis or health event transpires, you will have access to the funding needed to deal with the situation quickly and effectively. When people need financing in a crisis, that typically leads to less attractive (and therefore more expensive) options being available.
A HELOC gives you access to borrow the equity in your home for up to 10 years, but you only pay interest on it if/when you borrow the funds. So it’s an incredible safety net that I wish every family would take advantage of because there’s no downside other than the initial closing costs to open the line. But the impact it can have in a crisis moment is not to be underestimated! Please, please, please – help yourself out by planning ahead and taking out a HELOC while you’re still strong both financially and medically.
Thanks, Mark for making the time to answer these questions. If you’d like to connect with him directly, his number is: +1310.341.3106.
His Social Links are: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebridgeloanguy; Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebridgeloanguy; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-maimon-51bb923.
I was honored to be a guest on Mark’s podcast “On the Mark Financial Forum”. Spotify/Audio Version:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DygaAlpxtZZwUqcJ8QYGJ?si=RnTZ_qgpT_-zlaFZ0ukZ7A or YouTube Video Version:
https://youtu.be/4SK2NTtr9l4
Make a Plan and Work the Plan
As you’ve all heard me say repeatedly, having a plan is key! Aging comes fast! I wish I had known then what I know now.
If you have seniors in your life, or are a senior, consider a Plan A, B, and C for your living situation and how you’ll pay for your care. It’s a good idea to research costs where you live now, to give you an idea of what’s ahead.
Looking back so you can look forward is what I love to share. Count on me as a helper when you’re ready to get going! Pop me an Email or Book a Time with Lynn if you have any questions or would like to connect via Zoom to discuss your particulars.
For additional information about my work, check out @ The Living Planner or @ The Living Planner. If you’re up for pre-planning, my book is a resource for you. The Living Planner What to Prepare Now While You Are Living © Check it out HERE.
Quote for the week: Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed. – Peter Drucker
Time is a precious gift, use yours wisely, Lynn
#Can’tPredictCanPrepare #CareForPeopleCareForBusiness