A reverse mortgage is a home loan designed for homeowners age 62 and older. Instead of making monthly payments to a lender, the lender pays you from the equity you have built up in your home over the years.
You can receive the money as a lump sum, fixed monthly payments, a flexible line of credit, or a combination of all three. The loan balance is repaid when the last borrower no longer lives in the home, typically through the sale of the property.
You keep the title to your home, and you can stay in it for as long as you meet the loan obligations: living there as your primary residence, keeping up with taxes, insurance, and maintenance, and paying any HOA dues.