2006 Minnesota Statutes

47.58 REVERSE MORTGAGE LOANS.
    Subdivision 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the terms defined in this
subdivision have the meanings given them.
(a) "Reverse mortgage loan" means a loan:
(1) Made to a borrower wherein the committed principal amount is paid to the borrower in
equal or unequal installments over a period of months or years, interest is assessed, and authorized
closing costs are incurred as specified in the loan agreement;
(2) Which is secured by a mortgage on residential property owned solely by the borrower; and
(3) Which is due when the committed principal amount has been fully paid to the borrower,
or upon sale of the property securing the loan, or upon the death of the last surviving borrower,
or upon the borrower terminating use of the property as principal residence so as to disqualify
the property from the homestead credit given in chapter 290A.
(b) "Lender" means any bank subject to chapter 48, credit union subject to chapter 52,
savings bank organized and operated pursuant to chapter 50, savings association subject to
chapter 51A, or any insurance company as defined in section 60A.02, subdivision 4. "Lender"
also includes any federally chartered bank supervised by the comptroller of the currency or
federally chartered savings association supervised by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board or
federally chartered credit union supervised by the National Credit Union Administration, to
the extent permitted by federal law.
(c) "Borrower" includes any natural person holding an interest in severalty or as joint tenant
or tenant-in-common in the property securing a reverse mortgage loan.
(d) "Outstanding loan balance" means the current net amount of money owed by the
borrower to the lender whether or not that sum is suspended pursuant to the terms of the reverse
mortgage loan agreement or is immediately due and payable. The outstanding loan balance is
calculated by adding the current totals of the items described in clauses (1) to (5) and subtracting
the current totals of the item described in clause (6):
(1) The sum of all payments made by the lender which are necessary to clear the property
securing the loan of any outstanding mortgage encumbrance or mechanics or material supplier's
lien.
(2) The total disbursements made by the lender to date pursuant to the loan agreement as
formulated in accordance with subdivision 3.
(3) All taxes, assessments, insurance premiums and other similar charges paid to date by the
lender pursuant to subdivision 6, which charges were not reimbursed by the borrower within 60
days.
(4) All actual closing costs which the borrower has deferred, if a deferral provision is
contained in the loan agreement as authorized by subdivision 7.
(5) The total accrued interest to date, as authorized by subdivision 5.
(6) All payments made by the borrower pursuant to subdivision 4.
(e) "Actual closing costs" mean reasonable charges or sums ordinarily paid at the time of
closing for the following, whether or not retained by the lender:
(1) Any insurance premiums on policies covering the mortgaged property including but not
limited to premiums for title insurance, fire and extended coverage insurance, flood insurance, and
private mortgage insurance.
(2) Abstracting, title examination and search, and examination of public records related
to the mortgaged property.
(3) The preparation and recording of any or all documents required by law or custom for
closing a reverse mortgage loan agreement.
(4) Appraisal and survey of real property securing a reverse mortgage loan.
(5) A single service charge, which service charge shall include any consideration, not
otherwise specified in this section as an "actual closing cost," paid by the borrower to the lender
for or in relation to the acquisition, making, refinancing or modification of a reverse mortgage
loan, and shall also include any consideration received by the lender for making a commitment
for a reverse mortgage loan, whether or not an actual loan follows the commitment. The service
charge shall not exceed one percent of the bona fide committed principal amount of the reverse
mortgage loan.
(6) Charges and fees necessary for or related to the transfer of real property securing a
reverse mortgage loan or the closing of a reverse mortgage loan agreement paid by the borrower
and received by any party other than the lender.
    Subd. 2. Authorization. Pursuant to rules which the commissioner of commerce may find
to be necessary and proper, if any, and subject to federal laws and regulations, lenders may
make investments in reverse mortgage loans and purchases of obligations representing reverse
mortgage loans, provided the aggregate total of committed principal of the investment in reverse
mortgage loans by any bank, savings bank, or savings association, does not exceed five percent
of that lender's total deposits and savings accounts. This limitation shall be determined at each
June 30 and December 31 for the following six-month period. Any decline in the total of deposits
and savings accounts subsequent to a determination may be disregarded. Security for loans made
under this section shall be a first lien on residential property (a) which the borrower occupies as
principal residence and which qualifies for homestead classification pursuant to section 273.13,
and (b) to which the borrower alone has title.
    Subd. 3. Payment; repayment; amount. The committed principal amount of a reverse
mortgage loan shall be paid to the borrower over the period of months or years as specified in the
loan agreement. The borrower and lender may, by written agreement, amend the loan agreement
from time to time. Pursuant to the terms of the contract the borrower shall make repayment to
the lender:
(a) upon payment to the borrower of the final installment unless, by written agreement
between the borrower and lender whereunder the borrower agrees to periodically pay the lender
interest accruing on the outstanding loan balance, repayment of the outstanding loan balance
is postponed until default in payment of interest or until the occurrence of any of the events
specified in clauses (b) to (e);
(b) upon sale of the property securing the loan;
(c) upon the death of the last surviving borrower;
(d) upon the borrower terminating use of the property as principal residence so as to
disqualify the property from homestead classification under section 273.13; or
(e) upon renegotiation of the terms of the reverse mortgage loan agreement, unless the
parties agree in writing to postpone repayment.
Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the outstanding loan balance as projected
by the lender to the anticipated time of payment to the borrower of the final installment of
committed principal shall not exceed 80 percent of the appraised value of the property at inception
of the loan. If upon reappraisal of the property made at any time during the term of the loan, the
projected outstanding loan balance does not exceed 70 percent of the reappraised value of the
property, the schedule of the lender's installment payments may be extended and the amount of
the committed principal amount increased, provided the revised outstanding loan balance at
payment of the lender's final installment of committed principal does not exceed 80 percent of the
reappraised value of the property.
    Subd. 4. Extension; early repayment. The installments may be extended by written
agreement of the parties and repayment or partial repayment of the outstanding loan balance may
be made at any time without penalty, except that partial repayment may be made not more often
than once per year and in no amount less than $1,000. The borrower may cancel the reverse
mortgage loan at any time without penalty by payment of the outstanding loan balance.
    Subd. 5. Interest. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 334.01, subdivision 1, lenders
may make reverse mortgage loans and purchases of obligations representing reverse mortgage
loans, at an interest rate or loan yield not in excess of the maximum lawful interest rate prescribed
for conventional loans by section 47.20, subdivision 4a. If section 47.20, subdivision 4a expires,
the interest rate last published pursuant to the provisions of section 47.20, subdivision 4a shall be
the maximum lawful interest rate for reverse mortgage loans. A contract rate within the maximum
lawful interest rate applicable to a reverse mortgage loan at the time the loan is made shall be the
maximum lawful interest rate for the term of the reverse mortgage loan.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 334.01, subdivision 1, a reverse mortgage loan
agreement may provide that interest will be added to the outstanding loan balance monthly as it
accrues, with interest accruing on the outstanding loan balance at a rate not to exceed the rate of
interest permitted under this subdivision at the time of the signing of the original loan agreement
or any subsequent extension agreement.
    Subd. 6. Taxes; insurance. The borrower shall pay real estate taxes, assessments and
insurance premiums on the property securing the loan, and the lender may require the borrower to
provide evidence of payment. Mortgage registry tax required under sections 287.01 to 287.12
must be paid at the time of the recording or registering of the original reverse mortgage. If the
borrower does not make timely payment the lender may pay taxes, assessments, insurance
premiums and other similar charges for the protection of the property securing its loan and may
add these payments to the outstanding loan balance if not repaid by the borrower within 60 days
after the borrower receives notice that the lender has made the payment.
    Subd. 7. Loan closing. The lender may require the borrower to pay no more than actual
closing costs incurred in connection with the making, closing, disbursing or extending of a reverse
mortgage loan. A reverse mortgage loan agreement or extension agreement may provide for
deferral of payment of any portion of actual closing costs. Deferred closing costs shall be added
to the outstanding loan balance as provided in subdivision 1, clause (e). Unless the agreement
provides for deferral, actual closing costs shall be paid by the borrower at the time of signing
the agreement.
Upon signing a reverse mortgage loan agreement or extension agreement the lender shall
furnish to the borrower:
(a) A schedule showing the projected pattern of the outstanding loan balance over the period
of the agreement;
(b) A statement indicating in detail the charges and fees the borrower has paid or is obligated
to pay to the lender or to any other person in connection with the loan; and
(c) Any other information required by state or federal law.
    Subd. 8. Counseling; requirement; penalty. A lender, mortgage banking company, or other
mortgage lender not related to the mortgagor must keep a certificate on file documenting that the
borrower, prior to entering into the reverse mortgage loan, received counseling as defined in
this subdivision from an organization that meets the requirements of section 462A.209 and is a
housing counseling agency approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The certificate must be signed by the mortgagor and the counselor and include the date of the
counseling, the name, address, and telephone number of both the mortgagor and the organization
providing counseling. A failure by the lender to comply with this subdivision results in a $1,000
civil penalty payable to the mortgagor. For the purposes of this subdivision, "counseling" means
the following services are provided to the borrower:
(1) a review of the advantages and disadvantages of reverse mortgage programs;
(2) an explanation of how the reverse mortgage affects the borrower's estate and public
benefits;
(3) an explanation of the lending process;
(4) a discussion of the borrower's supplemental income needs; and
(5) an opportunity to ask questions of the counselor.
History: 1979 c 265 s 1; 1983 c 289 s 114 subd 1; 1984 c 655 art 1 s 92; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 4
s 5,6; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 7; 1991 c 201 s 1; 1991 c 291 art 20 s 1; 1993 c 257 s
13; 1995 c 202 art 1 s 7,25; 2000 c 260 s 11