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Reverse mortgage (55+)

Reverse mortgage calculator.

A reverse mortgage lets Canadian homeowners aged 55+ turn home equity into tax-free cash — with no monthly payments and no requirement to sell. You keep title; the loan plus accrued interest is repaid when you sell or leave. Estimate how much you could access.

Updates as you type| Built on Canadian mortgage rules| Ontario-licensed brokerage| Built by FSRA-licensed brokers

Fact-checked by Surrayya Afzal, Principal Broker, FSRA #M14001433· Last reviewed October 2026 · Reviewed monthly

The short answer

A reverse mortgage lets homeowners aged 55+ access up to about 55% of their home's value, tax-free, with no monthly payments — and generally the older you are, the more you can access. The loan plus accrued interest is repaid when you sell or leave. Enter your age and home value to estimate how much you could access.

Your inputs

$900k
70 yrs
The percentage you can access rises with age.
$0
6.50%

Cash estimate is before setup and legal fees. Growth assumes semi-annual compounding; your lender’s contract governs.

Cash after paying out your mortgage
$360,000
≈ 40% of home value at age 70
How it's estimated
Home value$900,000
Age-based percentage40%
Existing mortgage payout$0
Balance in 10 years (no payments)$682,502
Estimated available$360,000
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Mortgage Squad Advisors · FSRA #13737 · Licensed in Ontario only.

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Deeper analysis

Is a reverse mortgage right for you?

A reverse mortgage solves a specific problem: you’re 55 or older, most of your wealth is in your home, and you want to stay there while freeing up cash — without the monthly payment a regular mortgage or HELOC demands. You can take the money as a lump sum or in instalments, it’s tax-free, it doesn’t claw back OAS or GIS, and you keep title to your home.

Why the amount rises with your age

The percentage of your home’s value you can access increases with age — from roughly 15-20% in your mid-fifties toward the ~55% ceiling at 80-plus (illustrative; lenders do not publish fixed age tables). The reason is the lender’s timeline: an older borrower’s loan is expected to run fewer years before it’s repaid (on sale or in the estate), so less interest compounds before then, and the lender can safely advance more today. It’s based on age, home value and type, and location — not on your income or credit, because there are no payments to qualify for.

A worked example: a $900,000 home at 70

On a $900,000 home, this calculator’s illustrative curve gives a 70-year-old about 40% — roughly $360,000 tax-free (actual lender offers vary and are often lower). There’s no monthly payment; instead, interest accrues onto the balance. At an assumed reverse-mortgage rate of about 5-7% (illustrative, not a quote), that balance roughly doubles in about 10-14 years if nothing is repaid — so the equity left to the estate shrinks over time. That can be entirely the right trade (the home is there to fund retirement), but it’s the number to understand going in. Voluntary payments can slow or stop the compounding whenever you choose.

The honest comparison

Reverse-mortgage rates sit above regular mortgage and HELOC rates, and because no payments are made, interest compounds and erodes the equity left to your estate. So it deserves a side-by-side. If you can comfortably service a payment, a HELOC or a refinance is usually cheaper; if staying in the home isn’t essential, downsizing frees more equity with no interest at all. The reverse mortgage wins when staying put with zero payments is the priority. As an FSRA-licensed brokerage we disclose in writing how we are paid on each product, so we model every option and recommend a reverse mortgage only when it genuinely comes out ahead — see the full reverse mortgage guide.

How this is calculated
Estimate only, using a simplified age-based percentage capped at 55% of value (the usual maximum FCAC cites). Actual amounts are set by each lender (HomeEquity Bank's CHIP, Equitable Bank) and depend on age, home value/type, and location. Reverse mortgages are generally available to homeowners 55+.
Mortgage glossary— terms that matter for this calculator
Common questions

Frequently asked

Don’t see yours? Ask Maya for a quick, accurate answer.

How much can I get from a reverse mortgage in Canada?
Usually up to 55% of your home's current value, according to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC: reverse mortgages), and the percentage rises with age: a 55-year-old might access ~15-20%, while an 80+ homeowner can approach the top of the range. The exact amount depends on your age (and your spouse's), the home's value and type, and location. The estimate above uses a simplified age-based curve for illustration; each lender (HomeEquity Bank's CHIP, Equitable Bank) uses its own formula.
Do I make any payments on a reverse mortgage?
No mandatory monthly payments. Interest accrues and is added to the balance; the loan plus interest is repaid when you sell, move out, or pass away. You can make voluntary payments to slow the interest if you wish. Because there are no payments, there's no income/qualification stress test the way a regular mortgage has.
Will I still own my home?
Yes — you keep title and control. A reverse mortgage is a loan secured against the home, not a sale. You can stay as long as you want, and the main Canadian reverse-mortgage lenders offer a 'no negative equity' guarantee: you (or your estate) won't owe more than the home's fair market value at repayment, provided you meet the loan's obligations, such as keeping property taxes and insurance current and maintaining the home. The guarantee excludes some costs, such as interest after the loan becomes due; check your contract.
What's the catch — what does it cost?
Reverse-mortgage rates are higher than a regular mortgage or HELOC, and because interest compounds without payments, the balance grows over time and erodes the equity left to your estate. It's a strong fit for cashflow in retirement when you want to stay in your home, but a HELOC or downsizing can be cheaper if you can service payments. We model the alternatives honestly.
Am I eligible for a reverse mortgage?
You and any co-owner must be 55 or older, the home must be your primary residence, and there's a minimum value (varies by lender and location). Any existing mortgage must be paid out from the proceeds first. We check eligibility and compare reverse mortgages against HELOCs, refinances, and downsizing before recommending one.
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