Make Sure a Reverse Mortgage Is Right for You

Reverse mortgages, which enable seniors to borrow money against their homes that won't get repaid until after they move out or die, can be useful tools.

But they aren't foolproof. These increasingly popular loans are also the subject of many consumer complaints.

Los Angeles resident Stephanie Hodal is a case in point. She was disgusted with a telemarketer who called her parents' house on a Sunday morning in early 2006. Hodal happened to be around to answer the phone.

In a friendly, patronizing and polite tone of voice, the telemarketer said she came from a government sponsored program called CFI that would enable seniors to turn the value in their properties into cash. ...