HUD-APPROVED HECM LENDER · EDUCATION-FIRST · NO PRESSURE
Reverse mortgage
Reverse Mortgage (HECM) — Stay in Your Home, Access Your Equity, and Make Zero Monthly Payments.
A HUD-approved Home Equity Conversion Mortgage lets eligible homeowners 62 and older access the equity they’ve built — without selling, without monthly payments, and without leaving the home they love. Get the facts first, decide later.
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You've spent decades building equity in your home. Here's one way to access it — without leaving.
A reverse mortgage isn't what you've heard. Here's what it actually is.
You’ve probably heard things about reverse mortgages over the years. Some of what you’ve heard is accurate. A lot of it isn’t. The reverse mortgage industry spent many years with bad actors who gave the product a bad reputation — and the media covered those stories extensively.
- The modern HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) is an FHA-insured government program regulated by HUD. It has consumer protections built into federal law.
Independent counseling is required before you can even apply. And it works completely differently from what most people believe.
- Here’s what a HECM actually does: it lets eligible homeowners 62 and older access the equity they’ve built in their home — as a line of credit, monthly payments, or a lump sum — without selling the home, without making monthly mortgage payments, and without giving up ownership.
Access Financial is a HUD-approved HECM lender. We take an education-first approach — meaning we give you complete, accurate information and then let you decide entirely on your own timeline. No follow-up calls every other day. No pressure. Not now, not ever.
Every loan type on this page closes through a dedicated loan officer assigned to you from pre-approval to keys.
Quick answers — the 3 questions seniors ask us most
No. You stay on the title. You remain the legal owner of your home for as long as you live there. A HECM does not transfer ownership to the lender. The lender holds a lien — the same as any mortgage — but does not own the property. The loan becomes due only when you permanently move out, sell the home, or pass away. As long as you live in the home and pay your property taxes and insurance, you cannot be forced out.
Your heirs have options. They can sell the home, pay off the HECM balance with the proceeds, and keep whatever equity remains. They can also keep the home by refinancing or paying off the HECM balance directly. If the loan balance exceeds the home’s value, FHA insurance covers the difference — your heirs owe nothing beyond the home itself. This is the HECM non-recourse clause and it is required by federal law.
The modern HECM is an FHA-insured government program regulated by HUD — the same federal agency that regulates FHA home purchase loans. Independent counseling from a HUD-approved counselor is required before you can apply. Consumer protections are built into federal law. The program had bad actors decades ago. Those problems led to the regulations and protections that exist today. Access Financial is a HUD-approved HECM lender — verifiable at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
The HECM process — step by step, at your pace
Your timeline. Your decision. We walk alongside you, not in front of you.
A free consultation — no commitment, no pressure
We start with a conversation. By phone, in person, or with family on a video call. We go through how the HECM works, what your home might qualify for, and answer every question you have. This conversation has no cost and no obligation. You are not applying for anything. You're just getting information.
HUD-required independent counseling
Before you can apply for a HECM, federal law requires you to complete a session with an independent HUD-approved counselor — someone completely separate from Access Financial. This counselor explains the program, discusses alternatives, and makes sure you understand everything before you sign a single document. We help you schedule this and can attend the session with you if it helps.
Application and home appraisal
When you're ready — and only when you're ready — we submit your application. A licensed appraiser visits the home to determine its current value. The appraisal also confirms the home meets HUD's property standards. If any minor repairs are needed, they can sometimes be completed after closing using HECM proceeds.
Underwriting and HECM approval
Our underwriting team and FHA review your application, your appraisal, and your counseling certificate. This typically takes 2–4 weeks. Your loan officer gives you regular updates. You'll have direct access to them throughout the process — not a 1-800 number.
Closing and access to your funds
You sign the final loan documents. If you have an existing mortgage, it is paid off immediately from the HECM proceeds. You then receive your remaining funds through whichever option you chose — line of credit, monthly payments, lump sum, or combination. The line of credit is available to draw from immediately. Monthly payments begin the following month.