Canadian homeowners in their twilight years are drawing on their home equity at a rapid pace. Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) filings show reverse mortgage debt reached a new record high in July. The debt is still showing double digit growth, but the rate has fallen to almost a quarter of peak.

Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages are a type of loan for seniors that is secured by home equity, without mandatory payments. Homeowners use their home equity to secure a loan, that’s either paid out as a lump sum or in a bulk payment. It’s kind of like other home equity loans such as HELOCs, but with that big point – payments aren’t required. Generally the borrower doesn’t have to pay off the loan until death, default, or sale.

In exchange for the flexible repayment terms, reverse mortgage borrowers generally pay higher interest rates. Since payment isn’t required, and the borrowers are at an age where they’re unlikely to get a surge of income – they’re also difficult to pay back. While they’re not paying it back, interest quietly racks up in the background slowly eating away at the equity. Afterall, it’s not a charity… CLICK for complete article