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Reverse mortgages help senior citizens over the age of 62 take advantage of the equity they have accumulated in their home to make up for the loss in income. They work as a kind of loan advance on the present mortgage. However, the owner of the home doesn’t need to pay back any of the money for as long the owner stays in the home.

In the US, the owner of the home never needs to repay the mortgage and can not be thrown out of the house because lack of payments since there are not any. The owner can receive the money as a one time payment, monthly payments or as a credit line.

There are basically three different types of reverse mortgages that owners can apply for: a single purpose reverse home mortgage, a federally backed reverse mortgage or a privately issued reverse mortgage.

Single Purpose Reverse Mortgage

This type of reverse mortgages is offered by some Government organizations and non-profit agencies. It’s the cheapest of the reverse mortgage available. However, there are more hurdles to go over to qualify for this loan. The owner must be in the lower income bracket and the home loan must be used for a specific pre-approved purpose (home improvements, repairs or to pay real estate taxes.)

Federally Insured Reverse Home Mortgage

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) backs this reverse mortgage. It is also know as a HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.) It is a more expensive loan than the previous one.

This type of reverse mortgage is by far the most common of the three. It accounts for over 90% of all reverse mortgages. It’s very popular because it’s very easy to apply to and qualify for. In addition, you can use the money from the loan far whatever reason you want.

Proprietary Reverse Mortgage

This type of mortgage is provided by a private company who hasn’t been approved to issue a Federally Insured Reverse Mortgage. In general, they have the same type of requirements than a regular reverse mortgage.

The biggest drawback is its cost. Since it doesn’t need to comply with federal regulations, companies can get away with charging to much money to unsuspected senior citizens.