21.   Ken Scholen, president of the NCHEC, urged seniors to take their time when deciding on a reverse mortgage.

22.   Lenders recover their principal and interest with a reverse mortgage when the home is sold.

23.   Many people shun reverse mortgages, lenders say, because they cannot bear the thought of in effect trading in the house that would otherwise go to their children.

24.   Money also suggests that a surviving spouse consider a reverse mortgage on a home, which can provide monthly income.

25.   MORTGAGE-SCAMS -- The federal government presents a plan to crack down on strategies that defraud individuals who hold reverse mortgages.

26.   Most reverse mortgages need be repaid only when the homeowner elects to sell the house, or dies.

27.   Not all reverse mortgages, however, are equal.

28.   Reverse mortgage fees tied to appreciation have been a problem in the past.

29.   REVERSE MORTGAGES Many older homeowners are interested in reverse mortgages, which convert home equity into cash with no repayment for as long as borrowers live in their homes.

30.   Reverse mortgages, which have been on the market for less than a decade, require no repayment while the elderly person is living in the house.