Reverse Mortgages
Get the Facts Before Cashing in on Your Home’s Equity
If you’re 62 or older – and looking for money to finance a home improvement, pay off your current mortgage, supplement your retirement income, or pay for healthcare expenses – you may be considering a reverse mortgage. It’s a product that allows you to convert part of the equity in your home into cash without having to sell your home or pay additional monthly bills.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to understand how reverse mortgages work, the types of reverse mortgages available, and how to get the best deal.
In a “regular” mortgage, you make monthly payments to the lender. In a “reverse” mortgage, you receive money from the lender, and generally don’t have to pay it back for as long as you live in your home. The loan is repaid when you die, sell your home, or when your home is no longer your primary residence. The proceeds of a reverse mortgage generally are tax-free, and many reverse mortgages have no income restrictions.
How do I receive my payments?
You have five options:
Tenure - equal monthly payments as long as at least one borrower lives and continues to occupy the property as a principal residence.
Term - equal monthly payments for a fixed period of months selected.
Line of Credit - unscheduled payments or installments, at times and in amounts of your choosing until the line of credit is exhausted.
Modified Tenure - combination of line of credit with monthly payments for as long as you remain in the home.
Modified Term - combination of line of credit plus monthly payments for a fixed period of months selected by the borrower.
Will I still have an estate that I can leave to my heirs?
When you sell your home, you or your estate will repay the cash you received from the reverse mortgage plus interest and other fees, to the lender. The remaining equity in your home, if any, belongs to you or to your heirs.
