Reverse Mortgages have a less than stellar reputation; in fact, many Americans, retired or not, continue to see the reverse mortgage as a “loan of last resort” or a loan to take out when there are no other options left. In fact, many Americans think taking out a reverse mortgage either means you are poor or uneducated because there is no way a financially savvy senior would even take out a reverse mortgage.The truth about reverse mortgage, however, is something else entirely. The first hurdle is making sure a borrower understands the reverse mortgage and, most importantly, realize that the reverse mortgage is a way to use the untapped equity in the home they’ve paid for throughout their working years.A recent article, published by CNBC, highlights how and why the reverse mortgage became a loan of last resort:“The criticism of reverse mortgages is less with the product itself than with the way that people use them. ‘Free money’ has a tendency to encourage bad behavior — one reason the Federal Housing Administration requires borrowers to undergo a counseling session before entering a reverse mortgage contract. In other words, don’t use a lump sum payment from one of these to buy the Mercedes-Benz you’ve always wanted.”A reverse mortgage should be a long-term retirement planning tool, and not just for cash strapped seniors, but for affluent seniors who have planned and saved for retirement. As with any financial product though, a borrower should know and understand their financial obligations, which include paying any and all maintenance on the property as well as keeping up with their property taxes and homeowner’s insurance payments.Most importantly, a reverse mortgage is a flexible alternative to more traditional forms of retirement planning such as social security or 401ks or stocks and, with more Americans living a lot longer than ever before, flexibility is key.For example, if the stock market has taken a downturn, it may be time to pull funds from the reverse mortgage line of credit in order to sustain retirement expenses while the market stabilizes. Another example may be to set up monthly reverse mortgage payments to help supplement social security payments and cover retirement expenses.These are just two of the ways reverse mortgages can adapt to a retiree’s situation, not just at 62, but also at 72 or 82. For example, a potential retiree may be saving at 62 for retirement but may need more cash flow at 72 as they adjust to their new needs and wants. At 82, fixed expenses may be set and monthly payments may be more attractive than they were at 72.Point is, things change, and so do retirement needs and a reverse mortgage is a way to, not only sustain retirement but also ensure that it is secure and worthwhile.Give us a call at (888) 845-6630 to speak to one of our brokers or email us at info@PSReverseMortgage.com. A reverse mortgage calculator is great to get started but it’s the personal touch that matters.