Financial Assessment to Start March 2nd

As I mentioned last month, beginning March 2nd, the reverse mortgage industry will begin to use a credit and income evaluation as part of the qualification
process for reverse mortgages.

I also went over a high level review of how HUD wants lenders to evaluate customer’s credit and income. In this issue, I want to review special circumstances
and what happens if you don’t meet the new requirements.

What happens, for in-stance if you qualify in one part of the financial assessment, but not the other part? Say you have great income but have had credit
issues, or visa-versa?

Or what if you just miss on the income qualifica-tion and also have some spotty (but not terrible), credit?

HUD has tried to address these issues by allowing underwriters some leeway in the decision process. In their 87 page guide that there is a whole section
called Compensating Factors and Extenuating Circumstances”.

HUD states: “Where the borrower’s credit and/or property charge payment history does not meet the criteria, lenders must consider extenuating circumstances that led to the credit/financial issues”.

This statement does not mean that the underwrit-er simply pretends not to see it, or if you have a sad story that all is forgiven.

The situation must be documented and you need to demonstrate that the “likelihood that these circumstances will not recur”.

Since I don’t want to bore you with too many details, suffice it to say that we can consider most situations as long as the you can document the circumstance.

I don’t want you to think that you don’t qualify for a reverse mortgage just because you have poor credit or low income. Depending upon your situation
and circum-stances, we may still be able to help you.

If you do have issues with poor credit or low in-come, HUD allows us to do the loan as long as we set up a “Life Expectancy Set-aside” (LESA), account
to cover the taxes and insurance on your home.

HUD says: “Where the lender determines that the borrower has NOT demonstrated the will-ingness and/or the capacity to meet his or her property charge obligation, a Life Expec-tancy Set-Aside is required“.

A Life Expectancy Set-Aside is an amount with-held from the borrower’s loan proceeds for the payment of property charges during the life of the borrower.

There is a formula that HUD requires lenders to use to calculate the amount that needs to be set aside. This amount can be substantial, espe-cially if
the borrower is close to 62 years 0ld. The older he or she is, the less money that will need to be set-aside.

The LESA may be required to be fully funded or partially funded depending upon the circumstances.

Once again HUD provides the details: “Where the lender determines that the borrower has NOT demonstrated the willingness to meet his or her financial obligations
(i.e. very poor credit or poor history paying property charges), even where residual income is sufficient, or where the borrower has not demon-strated
the willingness and capacity to meet his or her financial obligations, the Life Expectancy set-aside must be fully funded“.

What this means is that the lender will hold back enough money from the proceeds of the reverse mortgage to pay property taxes and homeowner’s insurance
premiums on behalf of the borrower for the life of the loan.

The borrowers remain responsible for all other property charges (i.e. HOA dues, maintenance, etc…).

However, when the lender has determined that the borrower HAS demonstrated the willingness to meet his or her financial obligations, but has not demonstrat-ed
the capacity to do so, (good credit but low in-come), the Life Expectancy Set-Aside must be partially funded”.

What this means is that the lender will hold back the Monthly Residual Income Shortfall (MRIS), and send the borrower semi-annual payments to cover this
shortfall in the bor-rower’s income. It is the borrower’s responsibility to pay their own property taxes and homeowner’s insurance.

For instance, if you fall short of the income requirements by $200 per month, the lender will set-aside $2,400 per year and send you $1,200 every six months
to cover the shortfall.

As you can see, if you have poor credit, the lender will have to set up a larger LESA account than if you just have low income.

This money comes from proceeds from the reverse mortgage that will not be available to you. This could stop you from getting the reverse mortgage if there
is now not enough money to pay off a current mortgage due to the fact that the lender had to set-aside money to cover the taxes and insurance.

As long as you get the counseling completed and sign the application papers by the end of February, you will not have to worry about these changes.

Bruce Simmons

Bruce Simmons

I absolutely love what I do - working with senior homeowners to help them live a more comfortable, flexible and secure retirement. I have the absolute best customers in the world, and even though I worked in the forward mortgage business for a number of years, I could never go back to doing conventional loans. I'm a 100% reverse mortgage specialist.

5.0

My wife and I are retired and had a mortgage that was quite high. We contacted Bruce regarding a Reverse Mortgage and were pleased with his knowledge and experience. He made the whole process very easy and explained everything along the way. Since then, I have had a couple of questions and contacted him regarding the RM. Bruce has always been very responsive and returned our calls within minutes. We couldn't be happier having used Bruce for the Reverse Mortgage and highly recommend him.

Bruce has been serving my interest over and above what one might expect during the whole process of handling my reverse mortgage dating back to 2010 and continues to be available at present whenever a question may arise. He is one of the most reliable, trustworthy and knowledgeable experts regarding reverse mortgages that I have had the privilege to do business with! I would highly recommend Bruce to anyone who is considering a reverse mortgage. Thank you Bruce!

I met Bruce from a referral who just love what he did for them on their Reverse Mortgage, So I contacted Bruce and told him my story and he came up with a great Reverse Mortgage for me and my needs and now I am living good and not worrying about Finances anymore. He had it done in a timely manner. If you are looking for the MAN to help you get the best Reverse Mortgage you need to call him and hope you let him help you.

Bruce is one of the most professional, knowledgeable and efficient experts I have worked ŵith ever in any field. He is fast to answer and always ready to help...and he's a great guy!

Gerald Cook
Gerald Cook
5.0

Bruce did our original reverse mortgage and has also refinanced it twice. He works hard to get the best deal possible while making it as easy for us as possible. When our first refinance received a low initial appraisal, Bruce helped the appraiser find better information and increase the appraised value. He's the best.

I was hesitate about getting a reverse mortgage until Bruce Simons put my mind at rest. He is easy to work with, extremely knowledgeable and efficient. Things get done and he will make sure that you understand every part of the process. I interviewed several other people and he was hands down.....The only choice.

Doing a Reverse Mortgage is a major decision, when working with Bruce he came out personally to go over every thing in detail, there was no pressure to finalize the transaction, I had even put the loan on hold for awhile even though I had locked in my rate, I had called Bruce off and on for a few weeks to ask questions that I had concerns about and he was always available to talk to me. In the end it gave me time to feel comfortable about my decision to move forward with the Reverse. Bruce was very pleasant to work with and would certainly recommend Bruce if you are going to consider a Reverse Mortgage.

Bruce Simmons at American Liberty is one of the best in the reverse mortgage industry. I have known and worked with him for years and he always does a great job. You are in good hands with Bruce and know that he will take good care of you or your loved ones every step of the way.

Best thing I ever did! Bruce Simmons at American Liberty Mortgage is the best. He is always there to answer your questions, and can easily explain the whole idea of a Reverse Mortgage. He takes the time and goes through the entire process with you. It worked out so well for me. Thank You Bruce!

We had researched Reverse Mortgages for 5 years and after hearing about Bruce Simmons and meeting with him, we finally decided to move forward with the Reverse Morgage. It has been over a year now and we are still very pleased with our decision. We think Bruce is very professional, knowledgeable and honest. Thank you, Bruce, for all your help.

I first met Bruce Simmons 2017. I found him on the internet. I was looking for someone local. I called him and explained I was only looking into doing a reverse mortgage, so I did not want him to think this was something I was ready to do. Bruce was friendly, very open about the basics of a reverse mortgage. Bruce came to my home and presented the figures and other details that he could offer. The first thing that impressed me was this was not a hard sell, more of a informational meeting. He was very open about all of the details, and answered my questions without hesitation. What really was evident was he was establishing a relationship with me, and I realized he knew I would not take the loan at that time. There was not enough equity in my home, and I would have to bring money to the table. Although I was not ready to do a loan, Bruce assured me he is always available for questions. Four years later, I finally did do a reverse mortgage, and I couldn't be happier with having done it. I have done away with a mortgage payment which allows me to fund my retirement account with that mortgage payment. We did some much needed landscaping with our cash out transaction, and will move on to improvements inside of the house. My reverse mortgage has a line of credit, and I feel sense security knowing it is there if I need it. Bruce explained that a reverse mortgage is not for everyone, but I feel certain that he paved the way for a strategy that worked for me. I will definitely do a refinance when the time is right. I will check in with Bruce to be sure what the benefits are when I do it again.

I have worked with Bruce Simmons for 15 years. Bruce is one of the best in the industry. He is extremely knowledgeable, kinds and detailed in what he does. His clients love working with him and trust him to help them with their Reverse Mortgage loans. I would recommend Bruce to anyone I know that is thinking about or wanting to do a Reverse Mortgage. He will always take very good care of the customers and make sure their needs are met! Class act and one of the best in the industry by far!

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John Addante
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Left us a 5 star review

My wife and I are retired and had a mortgage that was quite high. We contacted Bruce regarding a Reverse Mortgage and were pleased with his knowledge and experience. He made the whole process very easy and explained everything along the way. Since then, I have had a couple of questions and contacted him regarding the RM. Bruce has always been very responsive and returned our calls within minutes. We couldn't be happier having used Bruce for the Reverse Mortgage and highly recommend him.

Bruce has been serving my interest over and above what one might expect during the whole process of handling my reverse mortgage dating back to 2010 and continues to be available at present whenever a question may arise. He is one of the most reliable, trustworthy and knowledgeable experts regarding reverse mortgages that I have had the privilege to do business with! I would highly recommend Bruce to anyone who is considering a reverse mortgage. Thank you Bruce!

I met Bruce from a referral who just love what he did for them on their Reverse Mortgage, So I contacted Bruce and told him my story and he came up with a great Reverse Mortgage for me and my needs and now I am living good and not worrying about Finances anymore. He had it done in a timely manner. If you are looking for the MAN to help you get the best Reverse Mortgage you need to call him and hope you let him help you.

Bruce is one of the most professional, knowledgeable and efficient experts I have worked ŵith ever in any field. He is fast to answer and always ready to help...and he's a great guy!

I was hesitate about getting a reverse mortgage until Bruce Simons put my mind at rest. He is easy to work with, extremely knowledgeable and efficient. Things get done and he will make sure that you understand every part of the process. I interviewed several other people and he was hands down.....The only choice.

Doing a Reverse Mortgage is a major decision, when working with Bruce he came out personally to go over every thing in detail, there was no pressure to finalize the transaction, I had even put the loan on hold for awhile even though I had locked in my rate, I had called Bruce off and on for a few weeks to ask questions that I had concerns about and he was always available to talk to me. In the end it gave me time to feel comfortable about my decision to move forward with the Reverse. Bruce was very pleasant to work with and would certainly recommend Bruce if you are going to consider a Reverse Mortgage.

Bruce Simmons at American Liberty is one of the best in the reverse mortgage industry. I have known and worked with him for years and he always does a great job. You are in good hands with Bruce and know that he will take good care of you or your loved ones every step of the way.

Best thing I ever did! Bruce Simmons at American Liberty Mortgage is the best. He is always there to answer your questions, and can easily explain the whole idea of a Reverse Mortgage. He takes the time and goes through the entire process with you. It worked out so well for me. Thank You Bruce!

We had researched Reverse Mortgages for 5 years and after hearing about Bruce Simmons and meeting with him, we finally decided to move forward with the Reverse Morgage. It has been over a year now and we are still very pleased with our decision. We think Bruce is very professional, knowledgeable and honest. Thank you, Bruce, for all your help.

I first met Bruce Simmons 2017. I found him on the internet. I was looking for someone local. I called him and explained I was only looking into doing a reverse mortgage, so I did not want him to think this was something I was ready to do. Bruce was friendly, very open about the basics of a reverse mortgage. Bruce came to my home and presented the figures and other details that he could offer. The first thing that impressed me was this was not a hard sell, more of a informational meeting. He was very open about all of the details, and answered my questions without hesitation. What really was evident was he was establishing a relationship with me, and I realized he knew I would not take the loan at that time. There was not enough equity in my home, and I would have to bring money to the table. Although I was not ready to do a loan, Bruce assured me he is always available for questions. Four years later, I finally did do a reverse mortgage, and I couldn't be happier with having done it. I have done away with a mortgage payment which allows me to fund my retirement account with that mortgage payment. We did some much needed landscaping with our cash out transaction, and will move on to improvements inside of the house. My reverse mortgage has a line of credit, and I feel sense security knowing it is there if I need it. Bruce explained that a reverse mortgage is not for everyone, but I feel certain that he paved the way for a strategy that worked for me. I will definitely do a refinance when the time is right. I will check in with Bruce to be sure what the benefits are when I do it again.

I have worked with Bruce Simmons for 15 years. Bruce is one of the best in the industry. He is extremely knowledgeable, kinds and detailed in what he does. His clients love working with him and trust him to help them with their Reverse Mortgage loans. I would recommend Bruce to anyone I know that is thinking about or wanting to do a Reverse Mortgage. He will always take very good care of the customers and make sure their needs are met! Class act and one of the best in the industry by far!