age well in the comfort of home
Reverse Mortgages
A reverse mortgage can be a good way to find the money to help you and your loved ones to age in place. It is a loan for senior homeowners that uses the home’s equity as collateral. The loan generally does not have to be repaid until the last surviving homeowner permanently moves out of the property or passes away. At that time, the estate has approximately 6 months to repay the balance of the reverse mortgage or sell the home to pay off the balance. Any remaining equity is inherited by the estate.
The estate is not personally liable if the home sells for less than the balance of the reverse mortgage.To be eligible for a HECM reverse mortgage, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requires that all homeowners be at least age 62. The home must be owned free and clear or all existing liens must be satisfied with proceeds from the reverse mortgage. If there is an existing mortgage balance, it can be paid off completely with the proceeds of the reverse mortgage loan at closing. Generally there are no credit score requirements for a reverse mortgage.