如果您看电视，您可能听过熟悉的声音，例如演员汤姆·塞立克 (Tom Selleck) 吹捧反向抵押贷款对于任何退休人员来说都是一项无价的工具。然而，每种金融产品都有两面性，因此要仔细权衡反向抵押贷款的利弊。
什么是反向抵押贷款？
A reverse mortgage allows homeowners 62 and older to convert real estate capital into cash for consumption.
绝大多数反向抵押贷款由联邦住房管理局（FHA）承保，这意味着，如果借款人拖欠债务，将使用 FHA 储备金偿还。
政府将反向抵押贷款称为“HECM”，即房屋净值转换抵押贷款，借款人必须支付前期保险费和相当于未偿还贷款 0.5% 的年保费才能参与。这些保费用于资助联邦住房管理局的储备金。
除了 FHA 担保的反向抵押贷款外，还有另外两种类型：
- 专有反向抵押贷款——可通过私人贷款机构获得，且不受联邦住房管理局 (FHA) 信用额度限制。
- 单一目的反向抵押贷款——这种抵押贷款不太常见，您从这类抵押贷款中获得的资金只能用于一个特定目的，例如。 B.对房屋进行部分装修或者缴纳房产税。您可以通过一些州和地方政府以及非营利组织找到这些选择。
反向抵押贷款如何运作？
反向抵押贷款可让您获得资金而无需立即支付账单。
Consider this math: In a traditional mortgage, if you borrow $100,000 at a fixed rate of 3.4% for 30 years, your monthly payments (principal and interest) are $443.48. If you borrow $100,000 through a reverse mortgage, you will pay zero monthly principal and interest.
Too good to be true? OK then. You will still owe money. You don’t have to pay back the money until you sell the house, move out, or die. If the latter is the end of your reverse mortgage, the onus to pay it lies with your spouse or heirs, who may have to sell the home.
In our $100,000 mortgage example, the borrower pays about $443 per month. Of that, about $160 is paid in the first month to reduce the loan balance. The remainder (about $283) is interest, or the borrowing fee the lender charges you. The payment plan continues monthly, with more principal payments and less interest over time, until the loan term expires.
Reverse mortgages reverse this process. Instead of paying monthly, you don’t have to pay anything. However, that doesn’t mean the loan is free. The cost of interest is added to the mortgage balance, so the balance increases in the second month. Since the loan balance is now slightly larger and the interest cost is slightly higher, this process continues until the loan is repaid. This repayment is usually made within one year of moving out or death.
反向抵押贷款的优势
您可以更好地管理退休支出
很多老年人退休后收入大幅下降，每月还款可能是他们最大的开支。反向抵押贷款可让您补充减少的收入并继续支付账单。
你不必移动
Rather than looking for a new, more affordable home, a reverse mortgage allows you to retire in place (and possibly stay close to friends and family). Although reverse mortgages have costs, getting a reverse mortgage can be cheaper than moving and buying another home or renting in a new location.
你不需要为你的收入纳税
The income you get from a reverse mortgage is not taxed because the IRS considers the money to be “gotten from the loan.” However, tax regulations can be complex, so be sure to consult a tax professional before taking a reverse mortgage.
如果余额超过您的房屋价值，您将受到保护
As the reverse mortgage balance increases, it is possible over time to exceed the fair market value of the property. However, the amount of debt to be repaid can never exceed the value of the property, as a reverse mortgage is an example of non-recourse financing. As a result, the mortgage lender cannot make any claims against your other assets or heirs in this situation.
你的继承人有选择权
反向抵押贷款允许借款人提前还款，但通常在借款人搬家、出售房屋或死亡时终止。在遗嘱认证的情况下，继承人有几种选择：他们可以出售财产来偿还债务，并使资产净值超过贷款余额；如果房产价值足够高，您可以保留房屋并为反向抵押贷款的余额进行再融资，或者，如果债务超过了房产价值，继承人可以通过将房产退还给贷方来偿还贷款。然后，贷款人可以向保险公司（几乎总是联邦住房管理局）提出索赔，要求偿还未付余额。
Disadvantages of Reverse Mortgage
你必须付出代价
The cost of a reverse mortgage includes lender fees (up to $6,000 in initial fees, depending on the size of your loan), FHA insurance, and closing fees. These costs can be added to the loan balance; however, this means the borrower will have more debt and less equity. You’ll also pay a nasty monthly service fee, which can increase by up to $35 if your interest rate is adjusted monthly.
在你还清贷款之前，你不能从税中扣除利息
You may have tax-deducted mortgage interest when you pay off your mortgage, but you can’t deduct interest on a reverse mortgage each year. You only get this benefit when you actually pay off the loan.
You can’t get that much with the fixed price option
HECM is structured so that both floating rate and fixed rate financing options are available. However, if you want fixed-rate financing, you can get less equity than an adjustable-rate reverse mortgage.
你可能会无意中违反其他计划要求
简而言之，反向抵押贷款可能会导致您违反医疗补助和补充保障收入 (SSI) 计划的资产限制。这很复杂，因此在寻找反向抵押贷款计划之前，请务必咨询老年人权利律师或法律诊所。
您的房屋可能被取消赎回权
Since reverse mortgages do not require monthly principal and interest payments, foreclosure seems impossible. It’s not like this. If seniors don’t pay property taxes, don’t have home insurance, or don’t pay HOA fees, their home can be subject to foreclosure.
哪些人适合申请反向抵押贷款？
考虑到潜在的复杂性和危及房屋的风险，反向抵押贷款真的是个好主意吗？对于一些房主来说，答案可能是肯定的：
- If you plan to stay at home long-term – since you will be paying additional closing costs through a reverse mortgage, you will need to stay at home long enough to justify the cost. So if you’re 62, have a history of longevity, and believe that your current location is your forever home, a reverse mortgage might make sense. Also, if you live in a market where real estate values are rising rapidly (which seems to be the case in many parts of the country at the moment), your property may be worth more if you or your heirs repay the loan.
- When you need more money for day-to-day expenses – if you’re struggling to manage retirement expenses, a reverse mortgage can help you prepare the cash for those tasks.
哪些人不适合办理反向抵押贷款？
有许多迹象表明反向抵押贷款不是一个好的选择：
- If you’re planning to move – remember that you need a long runway to make it worthwhile to pay all the closing costs, mortgage insurance and other expenses. So if you think you may soon be moving to a new location or downsizing to a smaller location, stay away from reverse mortgages.
- If you need to move for health reasons – a reverse mortgage requires you to live at home, which means moving to a nursing home or some sort of assisted living may result in you having to pay off your loan. If you’re constantly concerned about your health, it might be wise to avoid a reverse mortgage.
- If you’re struggling to pay the other costs of your home – one of the most important components of a reverse mortgage is your ability to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance. If you’ve been struggling to raise cash for these basic expenses, increasing your debt shouldn’t be on the table.
如果适合你，以下是如何获得反向抵押贷款
如果您权衡了所有的利弊，并认为反向抵押贷款适合您，那么您可以按照以下方法进行申请：
- 看看您是否有资格。要获得反向抵押贷款，您必须满足一些关键要求：您必须年满 62 岁、住在自己的家中并且拥有大量资产（通常至少 50%）。
- 与 HUD 批准的财务顾问会面。由于反向抵押贷款非常复杂，您需要咨询一位专家来指导您了解所有的选择。
- 比较多个贷款人。每个贷款人都不同，收取不同的费用。请务必检查一系列选项，以找到最低的入场和结算成本以及最具竞争力的价格。
- 与您的继承人讨论此事。如果您计划将财产留给家庭中的任何人，您应该与他们讨论您的反向抵押贷款计划。确保他们明白这意味着什么以及当你去世时该做什么。
底线：您应该获得反向抵押贷款吗？
Reverse mortgages don’t have a perfect reputation due to some scams targeting unsuspecting seniors. Even reputable companies have tried dishonest marketing to deceive homeowners into taking out reverse mortgages: Recently, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against one of the largest U.S. consulting groups for fraudulent marketing (American Advisors Group) imposed a $1.1 million reverse mortgage penalty.
So, simple rule: be very, very careful about endangering your home.
Still, there are two main reasons seniors might consider their reverse mortgage options today:
- Increased Equity – As home values have risen over the past decade, so has home equity. Between the third quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2021, the average U.S. homeowner received more than $56,000 in equity, according to CoreLogic.
- Interest rates are historically low – and while rates are starting to rise and likely to continue in 2022, now is still a good time to borrow money. Interest rates on 30-year loans are currently estimated to remain below 4% next year.
Remember, you have other ways to get cash. Compare a home equity loan with a reverse mortgage to see which one is better for your needs.
