The most significant "catch" of a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage is the residency requirement. A HECM is designed to help you "age in place," and the loan remains valid only as long as the home remains your principal residence . If you violate this requirement, the loan becomes "due and payable," meaning you must repay the entire balance, usually by selling the home . This creates a complex dilemma for those using the loan to fund care: what happens if the care you need can no longer be provided at home?

The 12-Month Rule: Temporary vs. Permanent Absence

The federal government understands that seniors may need to spend time in a hospital or a rehabilitation center. Therefore, the rules allow for temporary absences. However, there is a strict "clock" that starts ticking the moment you leave the home.

The Threshold: If the last surviving borrower is away from the home for more than 12 consecutive months, it is considered a "permanent move" .
The Consequence: Once the 12-month mark is hit, the lender can trigger a "maturity event." You will be required to repay the loan. If you are in a nursing home and cannot afford to pay off the mortgage, the home will likely be sold to satisfy the debt .
The Strategy: This rule makes HECMs ideal for funding home-based care (like a home health aide) but potentially risky if you anticipate needing a nursing home in the very near future. As financial planner Marguerita Cheng notes, these loans "don’t make sense if your home isn’t right for aging in place or if you plan to move in the next three to five years" .

Spousal Protections: Who Can Stay?

One of the biggest fears for married couples is that if the borrowing spouse moves into a nursing home or passes away, the healthy spouse will be kicked out of the house. The rules regarding this have evolved significantly to provide better protection.

Co-Borrowers

If both spouses are listed as co-borrowers on the HECM, the residency requirement applies to the last surviving borrower. If Spouse A moves to a nursing home for two years but Spouse B remains in the house, the loan is not due. Spouse B can even continue to receive payments from the line of credit or tenure plan .

Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouses

Sometimes, one spouse is under age 62 when the loan is taken out and therefore cannot be a co-borrower. For loans issued after August 4, 2014, these individuals can be classified as "Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouses" .

The Protection: If the borrowing spouse dies or moves to a care facility for more than 12 months, the eligible non-borrowing spouse can remain in the home indefinitely .
The Limitation: Unlike a co-borrower, a non-borrowing spouse cannot continue to receive payments from the HECM. The "tap" is turned off, but they are allowed to keep the roof over their head .
Requirements: To stay, the non-borrowing spouse must have been married to the borrower at the time of closing, lived in the home as their principal residence, and must continue to pay all property taxes and insurance .

Ongoing Responsibilities: The "Good Standing" Clause

Even if you live in the home every single day, the lender can still call the loan due if you fail to maintain the property. You are essentially a partner with the lender, and they want to ensure their collateral (your home) retains its value.

Property Taxes: You must stay current on all local property taxes. Failure to pay can lead to a tax lien, which violates the loan terms .
Homeowners Insurance: You must maintain adequate hazard insurance (and flood insurance if applicable) .
Maintenance: You are required to keep the home in "good repair." If the roof is collapsing or the structure becomes unsafe, the lender may claim you are in default .

Scenario Analysis: The "Rehab" Trap

Consider the case of "Arthur," a 75-year-old widower with a HECM. Arthur falls and breaks his hip. He spends two months in the hospital and then ten months in a skilled nursing facility for intensive physical therapy.

Month 11: Arthur is still in the facility. His HECM is in good standing.
Month 13: Arthur is still in the facility. Because he has been gone for more than 12 consecutive months, the lender notifies him that the loan is due. Arthur must now sell the home to pay back the HECM, even if he had hoped to return home in Month 14 .

Frequently Asked Questions (Residency)

Q: Can I rent out my home while I'm in a nursing home to pay the mortgage?
- A: No. The home must be your principal residence. If you move out for more than 12 months, you cannot simply rent it out to keep the loan active .
Q: What if I spend 6 months in Florida and 6 months in my HECM home?
- A: As long as the HECM home is your "principal residence" (where you spend the majority of your time and are registered to vote/pay taxes), this is generally allowed. However, you must be careful not to exceed the 12-month absence rule .
Q: Can my children live in the home if I move to a facility?
- A: They can live there, but they cannot stop the loan from becoming due. Unless they are co-borrowers or eligible spouses, they will have to move out or pay off the loan when your 12-month absence is triggered .