Key takeaways
- Reverse mortgages allow seniors to borrow against their home equity.
- If the borrower dies, a reverse mortgage falls to their estate or heirs and must still be repaid.
- If borrowers sell their home, the reverse mortgage must be paid in full immediately.
A reverse mortgage can make it possible for older homeowners to remain in their homes and supplement their retirement income. Instead of the borrower making monthly payments as with a mortgage, the borrower receives monthly payments from their mortgage lender. But the money will need to be repaid eventually.
“You’ve already got a home, and the mortgage lender makes monthly payments to you, so they can get your house after you pass away,” says Tabitha Mazzara, director of operations at MBANC, a mortgage lender. Here’s how to pay back a reverse mortgage.
When do you need to pay back a reverse mortgage?
A reverse mortgage must be repaid in full if the last surviving borrower or eligible non-borrowing spouse:
The last scenario can occur if the borrower enters an assisted living facility, moves in with family or downsizes.
“Most people repay the loan when the owner dies, since the majority of people who use reverse mortgages are those who already have a significant amount of home equity,” says Cliff Auerswald, president of All Reverse Mortgage, a reverse mortgage lender.
There are other situations, though, when the loan could need to be repaid sooner. This can happen if the borrower stops paying homeowners insurance or property taxes on the home, or stops maintaining the home and it falls into disrepair.
How do you pay back a reverse mortgage?
There are several ways to pay back a reverse mortgage early or when it comes due. If you decide to do so, here’s how to get out of a reverse mortgage:
Option 1: Sell the home
Once payment comes due, either the borrower or their heirs can decide to simply sell the home to pay off the loan. The proceeds of the sale go first toward paying off the lender. The borrower, or their estate, keeps whatever is left over after paying the debt.
Selling the home is still an option even if the home’s value is lower than the loan’s balance.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the agency that backs home equity conversion mortgages (HECMs), the most common type of reverse mortgage, considers the loan terms satisfied if the borrower or heirs sell the home for 95 percent of its appraised value.
Option 2: Refinance the mortgage
If you’re the borrower and you want to move out but still keep the home, you can refinance your reverse mortgage into a traditional mortgage loan. Just remember that you’ll need to start making payments on the new loan to keep the home.
“Refinancing it back into a traditional loan will mean having to make regular payments toward the mortgage again,” says Mazzara, “but it would also mean keeping the house as part of your estate.”
Learn more: Compare current refinance rates
Option 3: Take out a new mortgage
If the borrower’s heirs want to keep the home, they can simply take out a new mortgage on the house to pay off the balance of the reverse mortgage. This is much like refinancing the loan as the original borrower.
The heirs can then use the home however they wish, so long as their mortgage allows for it. For example, they might choose to live in the home or use it as an investment property.
Option 4: Provide a deed in lieu of foreclosure
If all else fails, the borrower or their heirs can simply give the deed to the home to the lender. This is known as a deed in lieu of foreclosure because it is usually the last resort before allowing the lender to foreclose on the home.
Option 5: Use the right of rescission
Most reverse mortgages give you the right to cancel the agreement within three business days of closing, known as the right of rescission, without penalty. To do so, you must notify the lender in writing within this period (including Saturdays but not Sundays or public holidays) and send your letter by certified mail with a return receipt for documentation.
Once canceled, the lender has 20 days to return any money you’ve paid and release the security interest on your home, while you must return any funds or property received after the security interest is terminated.
Can you pay off a reverse mortgage early?
There are no rules that prevent you from paying off a reverse mortgage early. The most straightforward way to do so is to begin making payments on the loan ahead of time. This will also reduce the amount of interest you owe because interest won’t accrue on the balance paid off.
You could also get out of a reverse mortgage by paying a lump sum if you have the funds to do so. Or you can refinance the reverse mortgage debt into a conventional loan.
Reasons to get out of a reverse mortgage
As life evolves or your needs change, you might realize that a reverse mortgage no longer makes sense for you. Some reasons to get out of a reverse mortgage include:
- You no longer need the money: If your financial circumstances improve and you no longer need more income, you might consider your options for getting out of the reverse mortgage.
- The money isn’t enough to cover your costs: Even without a monthly mortgage payment, maintaining a home can be expensive. You’ll still have to pay for maintenance, home insurance and property taxes. If these costs become too steep, exiting the reverse mortgage and moving to a less-expensive home could make your expenses more manageable.
- You want to move: If you want to move and the home will no longer be your primary residence, you’ll need to exit the reverse mortgage contract.
- You want to leave the home to heirs: A home is a significant asset that you might want to leave to your heirs when you pass away. If this is the case, it could make sense to get out of the reverse mortgage.
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