When the owner of a reverse mortgage passes away, the loan must be paid off. If the beneficiaries want to keep the house, they can refinance the loan, or use other assets to repay the loan. If they don’t want to keep the house, they can sell it. If the market value of the house is less than what is owed on the reverse mortgage loan, the property can be returned to the lender without any recourse. The heirs are not responsible for repaying any remaining balance on the loan.
