A reverse mortgage can be a good way for seniors to increase their incomes. If you're a senior who owns a home, you can borrow against the equity you have built up, with no obligation to repay the loan until you sell the house or die.
If you already have a reverse mortgage and you have more equity, such as if the value of your home increased, you can potentially get more money on a reverse mortgage. Whether you can get more money depends on how much you've already taken out and the maximum amounts imposed by the government.
Key Takeaways
- If the value of your home rises, you could increase the amount that you receive from your reverse mortgage.
- Refinancing for a new reverse mortgage entails costs.
- You may want to refinance a reverse mortgage to tap more equity, get a better interest rate or add a spouse to the loan.
- Other options include a home equity loan, modifying your reverse mortgage payment terms, or getting a cash-out refinance.
How Reverse Mortgages Work
A reverse mortgage is designed to en♚hance the income of an older person who has wealth tied up in their home. They may have paid off their mortgages, but they may need more monthly income to meet their needs. With a reverse mortgage, you can borrow against the value of the home and receive funds as a lump sum, a fixed monthly payment, or a line of credit.
Unlike the type of mortgage used to buy a home, a reverse mortgage doesn’t require you to make loan payments. Instead, you receive them. The entire loan balance becomes due (with interest) and payable only when you die, sell the home, or move to a new primary residence.
There are three types of reverse mortgages. The vast majority of reverse mortgages are 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:home equity conversion𓆉 mortgages (HECMs) that are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). There also are proprietary reverse mortgages from private lenders and single-purpose reverse mortgages, available from some state and local governments and non-profits.
Note
You must be 62 or older and have considerable 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:home equity to qualify for a reverse mortgage.
Several factors affect the amount that you can borrow through a reverse mortgage: your age, the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:interest rate that you are offered, and your home’s 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:appraised value. The more your house is worth, the more you can borrow.
When Your Home's Value Increases
If the value of your property increases, you may be able to get more money from your reverse mortgage. Whether you can tap more equity with a refinanced reverse mortgage will depend on several factors.🔯
First, it’s important to understand how the amount that you can borrow through a reverse mortgage is calculated. The total amount that you’ll receive will be based on your age (or the age of the youngest borrower on the loan), the loan’s interest rate, and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:your home’s appraised value up to the FHA’s maximum, which is $1,209,750 in 2025.
Your 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:payment schedule is another important factor. You can take the proceeds from your reverse mortgage as a lump sum, as equal monthly payments, as a line of credit, or some combination of these. The equity you have left in your home will depend on how long you’ve had your reverse mortgage based in ♛part on what you've been paid through your current reverse mortgage.
With all these facto📖rs considered, you should generally be able to increase the amount of mon🌞ey you receive from your reverse mortgage if the value of your home increases.
Refinancing a Reverse Mortgage
You’ll have to take out a new reverse mortgage or refinance to tap new equity because you can only have one✃ reverse mortgage at a time. If your house has increased significantly in value since you took out your reverse mortgage, you may be able to increase your payments by refinancing.
Refinancing a reverse mortgage is similar to refinancing a standard mortgage. You can refinance a reverse mortgage as long as it has been at least 18 months since you closed on the original reverse mortgage.
Important
Refinancing a reverse mortgage can be costly due to exceptionally high 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:origination fees and other fees. You should consider the cost caref🦹ully, and consider consulting a U.S. Department of Housing and Urb🔯an Development (HUD) .
First, check your eligibility for a reverse mortgage. Then, shop around for loans, paying particular attention to interest rates, loan terms, and fees. If you find a deal that is better than the one you have at the moment, you can go through the underwriting process (just as you did for the ♈original loan) and then close on it. At the end of the process, your new reverse mortgage will be used to pay off the old one.
This sounds simple, but the process can be com꧑plex and the costs can be difficult to estimate. For this re𝔍ason, as well as the high origination fee and other fees of reverse mortgages, carefully consider whether refinancing a reverse mortgage is right for you.
Warning
In the past, unscrupulous lenders could encourage seniors to refinance their mortgages when it wasn't in their best interest. However, in the past few years, new protections have been established by the U.S. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Dep♛🏅artment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect older homeowners from predatory lending practices.
Alternatives to Refinancing
The costs associated with refinancing a reverse mortgage mean that the value of your home would have 💞to rise significantly for it to be cost-effective in the long term. However, if you are looking to get money from your home equity, there are alternatives to consider. You might:
- Modify your payment terms: Some HECMs have a "change payment option." This usually includes a fee, but it may allow you to access more home equity through a term payment or lump sum.
- Get a cash-out refinance: A cash-refinance can help you access a large amount of home equity at once. Then, you make monthly payments to a lender.
- Take out a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC): 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:These loans provide homeowners with access to their home equity. Although they require borrowers to make payments, they have fewer fees and can be a less expensive alternative to refinancing a reverse mortgage.
Should I Refinance My Reverse Mortgage?
Refinancing a reverse mortgage involves paying fees such as origination fees. (You typically don't pay them; your heirs generally will. You may want to refinance to add a spouse to the loan, tap more equity, or get 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:a lower interest rate.
Can I Have Multiple Reverse Mortgages?
You can only have one reverse mortgage at a time. You can pay off a reverse mortgage and t𒐪hen get another one. Or, borrowers with an existing reverse mortgage can refinance and pay off the first reverse mortgage.
How Many Times Can You Refinance a Reverse Mortgage?
You can only refinance a reverse mortgage once every 18 months. This law is intended to protect homeowners from loan churning, a practice used by predatory lenders.
The Bottom Line
You can tap more equity in your home with a new reverse mortgage, but carefully consider the costs. You'll need to meet equity and age requirements, as well as other financial requirements the lender may haꦚve. Alternatives can include modifying your reverse mortgage payment terms or taking out a home equity loan or a HELOC. Consider for more guidance about your specific situation.