What is the Difference Between a Reverse Mortgage and a Home Equity Loan?

Generally a home equity loan, a second mortgage, or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) have strict requirements for income and creditworthiness. Also, with other traditional loans the homeowner must still make monthly payments to repay the loans. A reverse mortgage generally has no  credit score requirements and instead of making monthly mortgage payments, the homeowner receives cash from the lender. However there will be changes with the process for qualifying for a Reverse Mortgage in 2015 with the addition of a "Financial Assessment" (more about that in my next post).

With a reverse mortgage the amount that can be borrowed is determined by an FHA formula that considers age, the current interest rate, and the appraised value of the home. Typically, the more valuable the home,  the higher the loan amount will be, subject to lending limits.

To summarize the key differences, with traditional loans the homeowner is still required to make monthly payments, but with a reverse mortgage the loan is typically not due as long as the homeowner lives in the home as their primary residence and continues to meet all loan obligations. With a reverse mortgage no monthly mortgage payments are required, however the homeowner is still responsible for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance.