Articles
Plain-English reading on reverse mortgages.
Written by Mark for homeowners in Maryland, DC, Virginia and Delaware, and for the sons and daughters helping them decide. Pick a topic or browse everything.
7 Retirement Myths That Could Cost You More Than You Think
Seven common assumptions about retirement, from "Social Security will be enough" to "I will downsize later," and what each one really costs.
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Maryland Homeowners: You Could Be Missing Out on a Valuable Property Tax Credit
Thousands of eligible Maryland homeowners never apply for the state's Homeowners' Property Tax Credit. Who qualifies and how to claim it.
Read the articleDo You Still Own Your House With a Reverse Mortgage?
Yes. You keep the title and your name stays on the deed. A reverse mortgage is a loan secured by the home, not a sale of it.
Read the articleIs There Any Way to Get Out of a Reverse Mortgage?
You can sell, refinance, or pay the balance off at any time. There is no lock-in and no penalty for exiting.
Read the articleWhat Is the Biggest Problem With Reverse Mortgages?
The biggest problem is not the loan, it is misinformation. What actually puts a reverse mortgage at risk, and what does not.
Read the articleWill a Reverse Mortgage Affect Social Security?
Reverse mortgage funds are loan advances, not income, so Social Security and Medicare are not affected.
Read the articleWhat Happens When You Sell a Home With a Reverse Mortgage?
Selling with a reverse mortgage is straightforward: the loan is paid from the proceeds and the rest is yours. No penalty, no timing rules.
Read the articleWhat a Federal Rate Cut Means for Homeowners 62 and Older Considering a Reverse Mortgage
What a Federal Reserve rate cut does and does not change for a homeowner 62 or older who is weighing a reverse mortgage.
Read the articleProtecting Your Family from Holiday Scams
Fake charities, gift-card demands, phony grandchild calls. How to spot the holiday scams that target retirees and protect your family.
Read the articleHECM for Purchase Explained in Plain English
A HECM for Purchase lets you buy your next home with a reverse mortgage, in one closing, with no monthly mortgage payment.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Stop or Prevent Foreclosure
Behind on payments? A HECM can pay off the existing mortgage entirely so you stay in the home instead of selling under pressure.
Read the articleReverse Mortgages & Your Heirs: What Families Need to Know
When the loan comes due, your family can sell, refinance to keep the home, or walk away if the balance is higher than the value.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage: Lump Sum vs. Monthly Checks vs. Line of Credit
Lump sum, monthly checks or a growing line of credit. Which payout fits which situation.
Read the articleSmart, Safe Ways to Use a Reverse Mortgage
Five sensible uses: pay off the mortgage, set up a standby credit line, fund safety modifications, cover care, and protect investments in a downturn.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage vs. HELOC vs. Cash-Out Refi
A side-by-side look at a HELOC, a cash-out refinance and a reverse mortgage, and which one is built for a retiree on a fixed income.
Read the article7 Reverse Mortgage Myths (Debunked!)
The bank takes your home, the kids get nothing, you could owe more than it is worth. Seven myths, each answered in a sentence.
Read the articleReverse Mortgages 101 (2026 Update)
The plain overview: what a reverse mortgage is, who qualifies, how the money arrives, and what you stay responsible for.
Read the articleWhat Happens to Your Heirs with a Reverse Mortgage
"What happens to my home when I am gone?" Your heirs' three options, and why nobody can owe more than the home is worth.
Read the articleHow to Use a Reverse Mortgage Credit Line Wisely
The HECM line of credit grows every year even if home values do not. How to use that growth as a long-term safety net.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage Myths — Estate Planning Edition
Reverse mortgages and estate planning: the inheritance myths, and how the loan actually fits into a family's long-term plan.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Help Your Kids Without Hurting Your Future
How parents can help adult children with a down payment or debt from home equity without draining their own retirement savings.
Read the articleRegular or Reverse Mortgage: What Really Happens to Your Estate
Your estate works the same way with a regular mortgage or a reverse mortgage: heirs inherit the home and settle what is owed.
Read the articleUsing a HECM for Home Repairs
A new roof or furnace on a fixed income. How a HECM covers necessary repairs without a new monthly payment or drained savings.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage vs. HELOC: What Most Homeowners Don’t Know
HELOCs carry variable rates, required payments and the bank's right to freeze the line. Why that matters after 62.
Read the articleWhat You Should Know Before a Reverse Mortgage: The Good, the Risks, and the Reality
The good, the risks and the reality. An honest look at when a reverse mortgage fits and when it does not.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Strengthen Your Retirement Plan in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia
Financial planners increasingly treat home equity as part of the retirement plan, not a last resort. How that works in practice.
Read the articleBiggest Fears and Misconceptions About Reverse Mortgages
The fears people bring to the first call, addressed one by one: losing the house, the kids, the costs, the catch.
Read the articleHow a HECM Reverse Mortgage Can Help Protect Retirees from Inflation
Groceries, utilities and insurance keep rising while a fixed income does not. How a HECM creates breathing room.
Read the articleThe Government May Be Shut Down but Your Access to Home Equity Is Still Open
What a federal government shutdown means, and mostly does not mean, for homeowners with or applying for an FHA-insured HECM.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Unlock Your Home Equity and Secure Your Retirement in Maryland
For Maryland homeowners 62 and older: how a HECM or a private reverse mortgage works, when it fits, and what to watch for.
Read the articleNo One in Washington Is Coming to Pay Your Bills
Prices rise, gridlock continues, and the county still wants its taxes. Why more homeowners are looking at their own equity instead of waiting.
Read the articleThe Three Things Most Homeowners Don’t Realize About Reverse Mortgages
Three things most people do not realize: HECMs are FHA insured, you can never owe more than the home is worth, and the credit line grows.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage Qualifications & Requirements for 2025
The full 2025 checklist: age, residence, equity, counseling, and the financial assessment lenders run. What changed this year.
Read the articleExpert Spotlight: Mark McVearry Featured in Investing Daily’s “Stocks to Watch”
Mark's May 2025 interview with Investing Daily on using home equity as an income source that does not depend on the stock market.
Read the articleUsing a Reverse Mortgage to Cover Medical Expenses in Retirement in Maryland, DC, and VA
Surgeries, long-term care and prescriptions can drain savings fast. Using home equity to cover health costs while staying home.
Read the articleFunding Home Renovations with a Reverse Mortgage in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia
Walk-in showers, ramps, a first-floor bedroom. Funding the changes that let you age in place without adding monthly debt.
Read the articleFund Your Travel Dreams with a Reverse Mortgage
Europe, a cruise, the long road trip. Using home equity for the travel you planned for, without selling or draining savings.
Read the articleWho Qualifies for a Reverse Mortgage in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia?
A quick guide for DMV homeowners: the age rule, the ownership rule, the residence rule, and what the counseling session involves.
Read the articleReverse Mortgage vs. Home Equity Loan in Maryland, DC and VA
Reverse mortgage or home equity loan? How each works, who each suits, and how to decide for your stage of life.
Read the articleInheriting a Home with a Reverse Mortgage. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Just inherited a home with a reverse mortgage? A step-by-step guide to your rights, your deadlines and your options as an heir.
Read the articleUnlock Home Equity with a Reverse Mortgage in Maryland
Why Maryland retirees use a reverse mortgage, and what working with a local specialist who makes house calls looks like.
Read the articleReverse Mortgages in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia: What Homeowners in the DMV Need to Know
How reverse mortgages work in the DMV specifically: local home values, who qualifies, the pros and cons, and how to start.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Be a Financial Safety Net for Retirees in DC, Maryland & Virginia
Longer lives, medical bills, market swings. How a reverse mortgage acts as a financial buffer for retirees in the DMV.
Read the articleHow a Reverse Mortgage Can Help Pay for In-Home Care in DC, Maryland and Virginia
Covering in-home care for yourself or a loved one from home equity, so nobody has to sell the house to pay for help.
Read the articleUnderstanding Reverse Mortgages: A Comprehensive Guide for Maryland and D.C. Homeowners
A comprehensive starting point for Maryland and DC homeowners: eligibility, payout options, costs, protections and next steps.
Read the articleBusting The Reverse Mortgage Myths
The original myth-buster: the bank owns my home, my heirs get nothing, it is only for the desperate. Each one set straight.
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