1. Introduction
2. The Basics
   1. 1 Minute Recap
   2. Calculator
   3. Misconceptions
   4. Reasons to Do
   5. Qualifying
   6. Payoffs
   7. Using the Money
   8. Interest Rates
   9. How Much
   10. Safeguards
   11. Items Needed
   12. After Applying
   13. After Final Docs
   14. Purchase Home
   15. Testimonials
   16. Financial Qualify
3. The Detail
   1. Properties
   2. Spouse Off Title?
   3. Holding Title
   4. Insurance
   5. Property Taxes
   6. Medicaid
   7. Subordination
   8. POA
   9. No Foreclosure
   10. Foreclosure
   11. Foreclosure2
   12. Loan Comes Due
4. Considerations
   1. Alternatives
   2. Use Savings?
   3. Now or Later?
   4. 2010 Update
   5. 2009 Update
   6. Social Security?
   7. Video
   8. Decision Maker
5. Jest for Fun
   1. Old 45's
   2. Why You Need RM
   3. Do For Fun
   4. Letter to Bank
   5. Perks Over 50
   6. Trip to Costco
   7. Your House
   8. 1950s Nostalgia
6. Product/Services
   1. Origination
7. Contact
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Should You Do a Reverse Mortgage Now or Later

Frequently, I hear clients think long and hard about doing a reverse mortgage now or waiting until later.  With all things being equal, there is more money as you age.  But all things are not equal.

Here are some of the issues:

1. Reverse Mortgages are constantly changing.  Who knows what the future will hold.  For instance, there used to be a bunch of 'jumbo' reverse mortgages.  Then due to the huge mortgage losses,  investors went away.  So without someone to buy the jumbo from them, lenders stopped doing jumbos.  So those with high home values and large mortgages (larger than the HECM amount available to them) could not do a reverse mortgage.  If the timing became right for them after the jumbos went away, they could not do a reverse mortgage at all.

2.  When total HECMs (the FHA version) reach the max allowed by Congress, HUD has to go back to Congress to request a new cap.  This has happened a number of times in the past few years.  It has always been approved but there is discussion each time.

3. All things being equal, if interest rates go up, there is less money available in a RM.

4.  Home values could go down.  For 6 years of my reverse mortgage career, that never entered my thought process.  Most of my clients probably didn't consider that.  We've now seen that to be a reality.

5. If someone spends down certain types of savings, they lose income from that item, may pay taxes on it, may lose possible growth on it and may lose a stepped up cost basis.  See Using Savings.

6. One may lose the life style benefits of doing something sooner rather than later.

7.  The obvious - some people need the money now.  Foreclosures.  Poor economic climate.  Loss of a spouse and one or more income checks.

8.  I'm the analytical type and like working with numbers.  One thing I learned early in this business was that reverse mortgages were not just dollars and cents.  There are emotional concerns.  The peace of mind issues are the most frequently mentioned benefit a year or two after my clients have done a RM. 

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