A reverse mortgage is a complex product that can have a significant impact on your finances and relationships, and your quality of life in retirement.

Here are some important things to consider before you decide to take out a reverse mortgage.

If you would like to find out more, contact Brighton Accountants & Advisors today!

What is a reverse mortgage?

A reverse mortgage is a type of home loan that allows you to borrow money using the equity in your home as security. The loan can be taken as a lump sum, a regular income stream, a line of credit or a combination of these options.

Interest is charged like any other loan, except you don’t have to make repayments while you live in your home – the interest compounds over time and is added to your loan balance. You remain the owner of your house and can stay in it for as long as you want.

You must repay the loan in full (including interest and fees) when you sell your home or die or, in most cases, if you move into aged care.

While no income is required to qualify, credit providers are required by law to lend you money responsibly, so not everyone will be able to obtain this type of loan.

The risks

  • Interest rates are generally higher than average home loans
  • The debt can rise quickly as the interest compounds over the term of the loan – this is the effect of compound interest and is something you need to be aware of before making any decisions
  • The loan may affect your pension eligibility
  • You may not have enough money left for aged care or other future needs
  • If you are the sole owner of the property and someone lives with you, that person may not be able to stay when you die (in some circumstances)
  • If you fix your interest rate then the costs to break your agreement can be very high

How much can you borrow?

The older you are, the more you can borrow. Different lenders may have different policies about how much they will let you borrow.

As a general guide, if you are 60 the maximum amount you can borrow is likely to be 15-20% of the value of your home. You can usually add 1% for each year older than 60. That means if you are 70, the maximum amount you could borrow would be about 25-30%.

The minimum amount you can borrow may depend on the provider. It could be as low as $10,000. Keep in mind that if you borrow the maximum amount now, you may not have access to any more money later.

How much will a reverse mortgage cost?

The cost of the loan depends on the interest rate and fees. The main issue is that as the interest compounds, the debt will grow rapidly.

Some reverse mortgage products also allow you to protect a portion of the value of the property. For example, you might want to ensure that you have $200,000 left in case you need a bond for an aged care hostel. Use our reverse mortgage calculator to explore your options.

If you are borrowing money from a lender other than an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution such as a bank, building society or credit union, by law they must not charge more than 48% interest including all fees and charges.

The graph below shows how compound interest could make a debt grow from $50,000 to $232,000 over 15 years. Over 30 years it could grow to over $1 million.

Note that, with statutory negative equity protection (for contracts entered into after 18 September 2012), your debt cannot grow to an amount greater than the market value of your home.

A graph showing the effect of compound interest over 30 years on a reverse mortgage.

Assumptions: $50,000 loan at age 60, no regular withdrawals, interest rate of 10% calculated and charged monthly, $1200 establishment fees, $9 monthly fees added to loan balance.

Source: MoneySmart