A reverse mortgage enables older homeowners (62+) to convert part of the equity in their homes into tax-free income without having to sell the home, give up title, or take on a new monthly mortgage payment. The reverse mortgage is aptly named because the payment stream is “reversed.” Instead of making monthly payments to a lender, as with a regular mortgage, a lender makes payments to you. Below are some common questions asked by consumers about reverse mortgages.
What are My Payment Plan Options?
You can choose to receive the money from a reverse mortgage all at once as a lump sum, fixed monthly payments either for a set term or for as long as you live in the home, as a line of credit, or a combination of these. The most popular option – chosen by more than 60 percent of borrowers – is the line of credit, which allows you to draw on the loan proceeds at any time.
My Understanding is that the Unused Balance in the Line of Credit Option Has a Growth Feature. Does that Mean I'm Earning Interest?
No, you're not earning interest like you do with a savings account. The growth factor is taking into consideration that your home has appreciated in value over the past 12 months and that you are one year older. And just to clarify, the growth feature only applies to the FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program.
How Much Money Will I Get?
No matter which reverse mortgage product you choose, the amount of funds you are eligible to receive will depend on your age (or the age of the youngest spouse in the case of couples), appraised home value, current interest rates, and the lending limit in your area. In general, the older you are and the more valuable your home (and the less you owe on your home), the more money you can get.
Does My Home Qualify?
Eligible property types include single-family homes, 2-4 unit properties, manufactured homes (built after June 1976), condominiums, and townhouses. In general, co-ops are not allowed. Only the Financial Freedom "Cash Account" program is available on co-ops in New York City.  
How Can I Use the Proceeds from a Reverse Mortgage?
The proceeds from a reverse mortgage can be used for anything, whether its to supplement retirement income to cover daily living expenses, repair or modify your home (i.e., widening halls or installing a ramp), pay for health care, retire existing debts, buy a new car or take a "dream" vacation, cover property taxes, and prevent foreclosure.
Are There Any Special Requirements to Get a Reverse Mortgage?
As long as you own a home, are at least 62, and have enough equity in your home, you can get a reverse mortgage. There are no special income or medical requirements.
What If I Have An Existing Mortgage?
You may qualify for a reverse mortgage even if you still owe money on an existing mortgage. However, the reverse mortgage must be in a first lien position, so any existing mortgage must be paid off. You can pay off the existing mortgage with a reverse mortgage, money from your savings, or assistance from a family member or friend.
For example, let's say you owe $100,000 on an existing mortgage. Based on your age, home value, and interest rates, you qualify for $125,000 under the reverse mortgage program. Under this scenario, you will be able to pay off ALL the existing mortgage and still have $25,000 left over to use as you wish.
 If, however, you only qualify for $85,000, then you would need to come up with $15,000 from your savings to get the reverse mortgage. Even then, all the money from the reverse mortgage will have been used to pay off the existing mortgage. On the other hand, you won't have a monthly mortgage payment.
What Is the Service Fee Set-Aside?
Under most reverse mortgage programs, you will be charged a monthly servicing fee that ranges from $30-$35 to manage your account once the loan closes. The SFSA is an estimate of what the total servicing fees will be over the life of the loan, by multplying your life expectancy (converted from years into months) multiplied by either $30 or $35.
Although it's not considered a closing cost, the SFSA can equal several thousand dollars, which is deducted from your available loan proceeds. You do not have access to that money, nor do you earn interest.  
Will I Lose My Government Assistance If I Get a Reverse Mortgage?
A reverse mortgage does not affect regular Social Security or Medicare benefits. However, if you are on Medicaid, any reverse mortgage proceeds that you receive must be used immediately. Funds that you retain would count as an asset and could impact Medicaid eligibility. For example, if you receive $4,000 in a lump sum for home repairs and spend it all the same calendar month, everything is fine. Any residual funds remaining in your bank account the following month would count as an asset. If the total liquid resources (including other bank funds and savings bonds) exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple, you would be ineligible for Medicaid. To be safe, you should contact the local Area Agency on Aging or a Medicaid expert.
Why Do I Need to Get Counseling?
Counseling is one of the most important consumer protections built into the program. It requires an independent third-party to make sure you understand the program, and review alternative options, before you apply for a reverse mortgage.
You can seek counseling from a local HUD-approved counseling agency, or a national counseling agency, such as AARP (800-209-8085), National Foundation for Credit Counseling (866-698-6322), and Money Management International (877-908-2227). Counseling is required for all reverse mortgages and may be conducted face-to-face or by telephone.
By law, a counselor must review (i) options, other than a reverse mortgage, that are available to the prospective borrower, including housing, social services, health and financial alternatives; (ii) other home equity conversion options that are or may become available to the prospective borrower, such as property tax deferral programs; (iii) the financial implications of entering into a reverse mortgage; and, (iv) the tax consequences affecting the prospective borrower’s eligibility under state or federal programs and the impact on the estate or his or her heirs.
When Do I Pay Back My Loan?
No monthly payments are due on a reverse mortgage while it is outstanding. The loan is repaid when you cease to occupy your home as a principal residence, whether you (the last remaining spouse, in cases of couples) pass away, sell the home, or permanently move out. The amount owed can never exceed the value of your home. Furthermore, if the home is sold and the sales proceeds exceed the amount owed on the reverse mortgage, the excess money goes to you or your estate.
Under What Circumstances Should I Not Consider a Reverse Mortgage?
Because of the upfront costs associated with a reverse mortgage, if you intend to leave your home within 2-3 years, there may be other less expensive options to consider, such as home equity loans, no-interest loans or grants that may be offered by your county government or a local non-profit to repair your home, or a tax deferral program, if you're having problems paying your property taxes.

2. Upfront Education
Homeowner contacts a reverse mortgage lender or the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association to learn more about reverse mortgages.

3. Counseling
Homeowner seeks counseling from a local HUD-approved counseling agency, or a national counseling agency, such as AARP (800-209-8085), National Foundation for Credit Counseling (866-698-6322), or Money Management International (877-908-2227). Counseling is required for all reverse mortgages and may be conducted face-to-face or by telephone.
By law, a counselor must review (i) options, other than a reverse mortgage, that are available to the prospective borrower, including housing, social services, health and financial alternatives; (ii) other home equity conversion options that are or may become available to the prospective borrower, such as property tax deferral programs; (iii) the financial implications of entering into a reverse mortgage; and, (iv) the tax consequences affecting the prospective borrower’s eligibility under state or federal programs and the impact on the estate or his or her heirs.

4. Application/Disclosure
Homeowner fills out a loan application and  selects a payment plan, whether fixed monthly payments, lump sum payment, line of credit, or a combination of these. Lender discloses to homeowner the estimated total cost of the loan, as required by the federal Truth in Lending Act. Homeowner provides lender with required information, including verification of Social Security number, copy of deed to home, information on any existing mortgage(s), and counseling certificate.

5. Processing
Lender orders an appraisal, which the homeowner pays for, to place a value on the home. The appraiser makes sure the physical condition of the property meets FHA guidelines. If any structural defects are found, the homeowner must hire a contractor to complete the repairs after the reverse mortgage closes.

         6. Underwriting
After receiving all pertinent information and data, lender finalizes loan parameters with homeowner (i.e., determining payment option, frequency of loan interest rate adjustments) and submits loan package for final approval. It can take anywhere from 4-8 weeks (sometimes sooner, sometimes longer) to underwrite a loan package.

7. Closing
If the loan package is approved, closing (signing) of loan is scheduled. Interest rates are calculated. Closing papers and final figures are prepared. Closing costs are normally financed as part of the loan. Lender or title company has homeowner sign loan papers.

8. Disbursement
Homeowner has three business days after signing papers in which to cancel the loan. Upon expiration of this period, the loan funds are disbursed. Homeowner accesses the funds in the form of the payment option selected. Any existing debt on the home is paid off. A new lien is placed on the home. The homeowner may use the loan proceeds for any purpose. The loan "servicer" manages the account and is responsible for disbursing monthly payments to the homeowner (if this option is chosen), advancing line of credit funds upon request, collecting any repayments on the line of credit, and sending periodic statements.

9. Repayment
Homeowner doesn’t make any monthly mortgage payments during the life of the loan. The loan is repaid when the homeowner ceases to occupy the home as a principal residence. The loan may be repaid by the homeowner or the heirs/estate, with or without a sale of the home. The repayment obligation can’t exceed the home’s value or sales price.

Many of the same costs that someone pays to obtain a home purchase loan, or to refinance their existing mortgage, apply to reverse mortgages too. You can expect to be charged an origination fee, up-front mortgage insurance premium (for the FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage or HECM), an appraisal fee, and certain other standard closing costs.

In most cases, these fees and costs are capped and may be financed as part of the reverse mortgage. Below is a more in-depth explanation of each type of fee.
Origination Fee
The origination fee covers a lender's operating expenses—including office overhead, marketing costs, etc.—for making the reverse mortgage.
Under the HECM program, which accounts for 90 percent of all reverse mortgages made in the U.S., the origination fee is equal to the greater of $2,000 or 2 percent of the maximum claim amount (i.e., county FHA loan limit). Currently, the FHA loan limit varies from a low of $200,160 (for rural areas) to a high of $362,790 (for high-cost metropolitan areas). Therefore, the 2 percent origination fee generally ranges between $4,003 (2 percent of $200,160) and $7,256 (2 percent of $362,790).

Home Keeper borrowers are charged an origination fee that may not exceed 2 percent of the value of the home. With either product, the entire amount of the origination fee may be financed as part of the mortgage.
Mortgage Insurance Premium
Under the HECM program, borrowers are charged a mortgage insurance premium (MIP), equal to 2 percent of the maximum claim amount, or home value, whichever is less, plus an annual premium thereafter equal to 0.5 percent of the loan balance.

The MIP guarantees that if the company managing your account – commonly called the loan “servicer” – goes out of business, the government will step in and make sure you have continued access to your loan funds. Furthermore, the MIP guarantees that you will never owe more than the value of your home when the HECM must be repaid.
Appraisal Fee
An appraiser is responsible for assigning a current market value to your home. Appraisal fees generally range between $300-$400.

In addition to placing a value on the home, an appraiser must also make sure there are no major structural defects, such as a bad foundation, leaky roof, or termite damage. Federal regulations mandate that your home be structurally sound, and comply with all home safety codes, in order for the reverse mortgage to be made.

If the appraiser uncovers property defects, you must hire a contractor to complete the repairs. Once the repairs are completed, the same appraiser is paid for a second visit to make sure the repairs have been completed. The cost of the repairs may be financed in the loan and completed after the reverse mortgage is made. Appraisers generally charge $50-$75 dollars for the follow-up examination.
Closing Costs
Other closing costs that are commonly charged to a reverse mortgage borrower, include:

• Credit report fee. Verifies any federal tax liens, or other judgments, handed down against the borrower. Cost: Generally under $20
• Flood certification fee. Determines whether the property is located on a federally designated flood plane. Cost: Generally under $20
• Escrow, Settlement or Closing fee. Generally includes a title search and various other required closing services. Cost: $150-$450
• Document preparation fee. Fee charged to prepare the final closing documents, including the mortgage note and other recordable items. Cost: $75-$150
• Recording fee. Fee charged to record the mortgage lien with the County Recorder's Office. Cost: $50-$100
• Courier fee. Covers the cost of any overnight mailing of documents between the lender and the title company or loan investor. Cost: Generally under $50
• Title insurance. Insurance that protects the lender (lender's policy) or the buyer (owner's policy) against any loss arising from disputes over ownership of a property. Varies by size of the loan, though in general, the larger the loan amount, the higher the cost of the title insurance.
• Pest Inspection. Determines whether the home is infested with any wood-destroying organisms, such as termites. Cost: Generally under $100
• Survey. Determines the official boundaries of the property. It's typically ordered to make sure that any adjoining property has not inadvertently encroached on the reverse mortgage borrower's property. Cost: Generally under $250

Service Fee Set-Aside
The service fee set-aside is an amount of money deducted from the available loan proceeds at closing to cover the projected costs of servicing your account.

Federal regulations allow the loan servicer (which may or may not be the same company as the originating lender) to charge a monthly fee that ranges between $30-$35. The amount of money set-aside is largely determined by the borrower's age and life expectancy. Generally, the set-aside can amount to several thousand dollars.

(Note: The servicing set aside is just a calculation and not a charge. The only amount added to your loan balance is the monthly servicing fee, which ranges from $30-$35.)