Drowning in Medical Bills? Your Home's Equity Could Be the Lifesaver

So, you've found yourself buried under a mountain of medical bills, wondering if selling a kidney (oh, the irony) is the only way out.
Before you start Googling "how much is a kidney worth," let’s talk about a smarter option: tapping into your home's equity — without leaving the home you love.

The Medical Debt Crisis: You’re Not Alone

Medical debt is crushing millions of Americans. In fact, about 100 million people in the U.S. are struggling with healthcare-related debt. So if you’re feeling like you’re drowning, you’ve got plenty of company — unfortunately.

How Your Home’s Equity Can Help

If you’ve owned your home for a while or if property values in your area have gone up, you’ve probably built equity — and that equity could be your ticket to paying off those medical bills.

Here are a few common ways people tap into home equity (and yes, there are pros and cons to each):

1. Home Equity Loan

Get a lump sum of cash secured against your house. Useful for big bills — but miss a payment, and you’re risking your home.

2. HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit)

Like a credit card tied to your house. Flexible but still risky if you can’t keep up with payments.

3. Sale-Leaseback (the option nobody talks about)

Sell your home, stay living in it, and use the equity to pay off your debt. No moving trucks, no yard signs, and definitely no strangers walking through your house for showings.

Why Sale-Leaseback Might Make More Sense Than You Think

Instead of taking out more debt (because really, who wants another monthly bill?), a sale-leaseback lets you turn the equity you already have into cash and stay in your home as a renter.

• No need to uproot your life.
• Immediate access to funds.
• Avoid foreclosure if you're behind on other payments too.