Reverse Mortgage is a loan for senior citizens

A Reverse Mortgage is a loan for senior citizens where they do not have to repay loan as long as they continue to live in their home. The owner’s responsibility to pay back the loan is delayed until the owner dies or the home is sold, or the owner moves.The loan becomes due when you sell the property, moves to another house or dies. If one of the spouses dies, the other can continue living in the house.

Valuation of the residential property would be done at such frequency and intervals as decided by the reverse mortgage lender, which in any case shall be at least once every five years.The homeowner’s obligation to repay the loan is deferred until the owner dies, the home is sold, or the owner leaves (i.e. moves to aged care).

In case you and your spouse die your heir can settle the overall outstanding loan and retain the house. If your heir fails to retain or settle the overall outstanding loan, the bank will proceed to settle the outstanding loan and give the rest to the heirs.Reverse mortgage is loan and not income, hence the same will not attract any tax liability.

Useful link to refer

Workings of Reverse Mortgage