24 CFR § 206.55 - Deferral of due and payable status for Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouses.

(a) Deferral Period. If the last surviving borrower predeceases an Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse, and if the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section are satisfied, the due and payable status will be deferred for as long as the Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse continues to meet the Qualifying Attributes in paragraph (c) of this section and the requirements of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section.

(b) End of Deferral Period.

(1) If a Deferral Period ceases or becomes unavailable because a Non-Borrowing Spouse no longer satisfies the Qualifying Attributes and has become an Ineligible Non-Borrowing Spouse, a mortgagee may not provide an opportunity to cure the default, and the HECM will become immediately due and payable as a result of the death of the last surviving borrower.

(2) If a Deferral Period ceases but the Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse continues to meet the Qualifying Attributes, the mortgagee must provide an Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse with 30 days to cure the default, in accordance with § 206.57.

(c) Qualifying Attributes.

(1) In order to qualify as an Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse, the Non-Borrowing Spouse must:

(i) Have been the spouse of a HECM borrower at the time of loan closing and remained the spouse of such HECM borrower for the duration of the HECM borrower's lifetime;

(ii) Have been properly disclosed to the mortgagee at origination and specifically named as an Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse in the HECM mortgage and loan documents;

(iii) Have occupied, and continue to occupy, the property securing the HECM as his or her principal residence; and

(iv) Meet any other requirements as the Commissioner may prescribe by Federal Register notice for comment.

(2) A Non-Borrowing Spouse who meets the Qualifying Attributes in paragraph (c)(1) of this section at origination is an Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse and may not elect to be ineligible for the Deferral Period. A Non-Borrowing Spouse that is ineligible for the Deferral Period at the time of loan origination because he or she failed to satisfy the Qualifying Attributes requirements in paragraph (c)(1) of this section is not subsequently eligible for a Deferral Period when the borrowing spouse dies or moves out of the home.

(3) An Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse shall become an Ineligible Non-Borrowing Spouse should any of the Qualifying Attributes requirements in paragraph (c)(1) of this section cease to be met.

(d) Additional requirements for Deferral Period. An Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse must satisfy and continue to satisfy the following requirements:

(1) Within 90 days from the death of the last surviving HECM borrower, establish legal ownership or other ongoing legal right to remain for life in the property securing the HECM;

(2) After the death of the last surviving borrower, ensure all other obligations of the HECM borrower(s) contained in the loan documents continue to be satisfied; and

(3) After the death of the last surviving borrower, ensure that the HECM does not become eligible to be called due and payable for any other reason.

(e) Unaffected terms of HECM. All applicable terms and conditions of the mortgage and loan documents, and all FHA requirements, continue to apply and must be satisfied.

(f) Nothing in this section may be construed as interrupting or interfering with the ability of the borrower's estate or heir(s) to dispose of the property if they are otherwise legally entitled to do so.