Independent education for a decision that matters.

Why we exist

The reverse mortgage industry has an unusual problem: most of the plain English about HECMs on the internet is written by companies that make money when you close a loan. That's not automatically bad — but it's a strong reason to want a second opinion before you sign anything.

HECMAcademy exists to be that second opinion. We publish detailed, source-cited explainers on how FHA HECMs work, what they cost, how the math actually pencils, when they're a bad fit, and what the alternatives are. Everything on this site is written to help you make a well-informed decision — including the decision not to get a reverse mortgage.

What we are — and are not

• We are not a lender or broker. We don't originate loans, we don't collect applications, and we can't approve or deny you for a HECM.
• We don't sell your information. Email addresses and quiz responses submitted on this site are used only to send the educational material you requested and, if you explicitly opt in, to connect you with a HUD-approved counselor or vetted lender partner. Full details are in our privacy policy.
• We are not paid per lead by lenders. Our operating model is designed to keep education independent from origination.
• We are not a financial advisor. A reverse mortgage is a major financial decision that interacts with taxes, estate planning, and retirement income strategy. We can help you understand the mechanics; a licensed advisor should help you decide.

Editorial standards

Every article on HECMAcademy is written and reviewed against the same checklist:

• Sources are named. HUD Mortgagee Letters, FHA guidance, Census data, and statute citations are linked or named inline — not paraphrased anonymously.
• Numbers are dated. HECM lending limits, fee caps, and PLF tables change. We date fact-sensitive figures with the year they apply to and re-audit at least quarterly.
• Downsides get equal airtime. Every "pro" article covers the corresponding "con." A reverse mortgage is genuinely wrong for some households; we say so where it applies.
• No fake testimonials. If you see a name attached to a quote on this site, that quote is real.

If you find a factual error anywhere on the site, please tell us — we correct fast and publish the update date.

How we vet lender referrals

If you ask to be connected to a lender through HECMAcademy, we only refer to FHA-approved lenders with a current NMLS registration in good standing, a documented HUD counseling policy, and no unresolved regulatory action in the preceding 24 months. We reassess partners annually and remove any lender that stops meeting these criteria.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections, press, or partnership inquiries — visit our contact page.