Reverse Mortgages in Utah

In Utah, a homeowner 62 or older can convert part of their home equity to cash through a HECM reverse mortgage. Here's how the math works, what Utah adds to the federal rules, and where to find a counselor.

Utah applies the federal HECM rules without adding a state-specific reverse-mortgage statute. About 11.6% of Utah residents are 65 or older (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2018–2022), the second-lowest 65-and-over share in the country after Alaska; the eligible borrower pool is correspondingly smaller, concentrated in Salt Lake County, parts of Davis and Weber counties, and the St. George corridor in Washington County.

The 2026 federal HECM lending limit of $1,249,125 applies in Utah (HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-22). For the structural basics of the product, see what a reverse mortgage is and how it works.

What reverse mortgage rules are specific to Utah?

No state-specific counseling overlay. Utah applies the federal HUD-approved counseling requirement (HUD Handbook 4000.1, Section II.B). Phone counseling is permitted; the certificate is valid for 180 days from the session date.

Lender and originator oversight: Utah Division of Real Estate. Originator licenses are verifiable through NMLS Consumer Access.

No state mortgage tax. Utah county recorders charge a flat per-document fee; total recording costs typically run $40 to $80.

Surviving non-borrowing spouse. Utah applies the federal HUD ML 2015-15 deferral framework through the loan note. There is no separate state statute beyond the federal rule.

Homestead exemption does not block the HECM lien. Utah's homestead exemption runs against unrelated general creditors, not against a lender to whom the borrower has consented at closing.

How much can you borrow with a reverse mortgage in Utah?

For a 70-year-old Utah borrower with a paid-off home appraised at $520,000, the HUD principal-limit factor across a 6.0–7.5% expected-rate planning range returns roughly 35.0–41.5% of value before closing costs, about $182,000–$216,000 (an estimate, not a quote).

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For how Utah ranks against the other 50 jurisdictions on standard-HECM fit, see the Utah suitability score.

Do you need counseling for a reverse mortgage in Utah?

Every Utah HECM borrower completes a session with a counselor on HUD's HECM Roster before the lender may process the application (HUD Handbook 4000.1), and FHA's list of HECM counseling agencies shows three based in Utah as of October 7, 2026. One is in each of Logan, Orem and St. George; each sets its own fee, and the HUD HECM Counselor Roster or 1-800-569-4287 also finds agencies that counsel by phone.

Will my heirs be on the hook?

A HECM is non-recourse: your heirs and your estate will never owe more than the home is worth at the time of sale, even if the loan balance has grown past the home's value (12 USC §1715z-20). For the heir-side timeline and the four disposition options, see reverse mortgage due and payable.

What does the borrower still have to pay?

The FHA-insured HECM is a loan, not a benefit. It removes the monthly principal-and-interest payment but does not remove the borrower's other obligations. Throughout the life of a Utah HECM the borrower must:

• Keep property taxes current. Utah county treasurers bill annually, with payments due by November 30 each year. Non-payment is a property-charge default under the HECM note.
• Maintain homeowners insurance. Standard hazard coverage; in mountain and foothill submarkets, wildfire deductibles and exclusions have tightened in recent years and the borrower must keep coverage adequate.
• Occupy the home as a primary residence. Moving out for more than 12 consecutive months triggers the loan's due-and-payable clause.
• Keep the home in reasonable repair. Significant deferred maintenance can constitute a property-charge default.

These obligations are federal and apply identically in every state.

What about jumbo in Utah?

For a Utah home appraised above the $1,249,125 federal HECM cap, proprietary jumbo programs (Finance of America's HomeSafe, Longbridge Platinum, and Mutual of Omaha's SecureEquity) lend up to $4 million and are not FHA-insured. Mutual of Omaha's SecureEquity rate sheet lists Utah among its approved states (Mutual of Omaha, SecureEquity brokered rate sheet effective September 9, 2026). Each lender sets its own state availability and minimum age, as young as 55 in some states (each lender's product page). See the HECM vs. jumbo comparison.

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