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• For Financial Pros

  How do I bring up a reverse mortgage with a client without it sounding like a sales pitch?

  Start with the client's goal, not the product, and with what the rest of the world already knows: in South Korea, Switzerland, and Sweden, a reverse mortgage is called a housing pension. Ask how they feel about their mortgage payment, a down market, or staying in the home, and introduce home equity as one more resource in the plan. Share a plain-English article first, then bring in a lender for the numbers, with you in the room. The Mortgage Advisory offers financial professionals free case reviews and never offers or accepts referral fees.

• Reverse Mortgage

  Is a reverse mortgage a scam?

  No. Most reverse mortgages are Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), insured by the FHA, and you meet with an independent HUD-approved counselor before you can even apply. At The Mortgage Advisory, we see them as a legitimate retirement tool that fits some homeowners really well and others not at all. The bad reputation comes from bad sales practices, not the loan.

• Reverse Mortgage

  Can I get a reverse mortgage if my home is worth more than the FHA limit?

  Yes. An FHA-insured HECM only counts your home's value up to $1,249,125 in 2026, so owners of higher-value homes often get more from a jumbo (proprietary) reverse mortgage, with loans up to about $4 million from some lenders in select states. Jumbo reverse mortgages aren't FHA-insured HECMs and have their own terms. The Mortgage Advisory compares both for your home.

• Reverse Mortgage

  What are the alternatives to a reverse mortgage?

  There are a dozen of them. You can defer property taxes through a state program, sell and downsize, buy a smaller home with a reverse mortgage for purchase, take a HELOC, home equity loan, or cash-out refinance, use a reverse mortgage second, rent out a room, or get help from family. Each trades something different: a monthly payment, your equity, or your home. The Mortgage Advisory walks you through all of them, including the ones we don't offer.

• Reverse Mortgage

  Does a reverse mortgage affect Medicaid, Social Security, or Medicare?

  Social Security and Medicare aren't affected, because reverse mortgage money is loan proceeds, not income. Needs-based programs like Medicaid and SSI are different: money you draw isn't income in the month you get it, but whatever you keep into the next month can count as an asset. Drawing only what you need from a line of credit usually avoids the problem. The Mortgage Advisory will help you plan draws, and a benefits specialist can confirm your situation.