By Tyler Plack
Tyler Plack is the Chief Executive Officer of South River Mortgage. He joined the company as a founding employee in 2017 and served as President before becoming CEO in 2026. Tyler holds an active FHA Direct Endorsement (DE) underwriting certification.
Reverse mortgage third-party authorization is permission for another person to request or discuss loan information, within the scope the servicer accepts. If you want an adult child to help with calls, ask your servicer what permission it needs before sharing account details.
This guide helps you prepare that conversation together. It does not provide a legal form or decide who can sign, request funds, or make decisions for someone else.
In this article11 sections
- Why Ask About Reverse Mortgage Third-Party Authorization?
- What Should You Ask Your Servicer First?
- How Does Reverse Mortgage Third-Party Authorization Differ From Legal Authority?
- What Should You Gather Before Calling?
- What Is Different If HUD Holds Your HECM?
- How Can You Make the Joint Call Easier?
- What Should You Confirm After Sending a Form?
- What Should Your Call Notes Include?
- Which Borrower Responsibilities Still Need Attention?
- What If the Question Requires More Than a Call?
- The Bottom Line
Why Ask About Reverse Mortgage Third-Party Authorization?
You may understand your loan well and still want another set of ears on a call. A family member can help organize questions, take notes, and remember what needs to happen next. Start by deciding what help you actually want.
For example, you might want your daughter to listen while you ask about a statement. You might want your son to help track a document you sent. Those are narrower requests than asking someone to manage your finances.
- Choose the person you trust to help.
- Describe the specific information you want to discuss.
- Ask how the servicer records and verifies your permission.
Keep the borrower at the center of the conversation. Helping with a call should support your choices and give you room to ask your own questions.
What Should You Ask Your Servicer First?
Call the servicer using contact information on a recent statement you trust. Ask for its current instructions for allowing a family member to discuss your account. Avoid downloading a random authorization form before you know what the servicer accepts.
Use a simple opening: “I am the borrower. I would like my daughter to help me understand my statement. What do you need before we can discuss it together?”
- Can we begin with a joint call?
- Do you require your own signed form?
- Where should we send it securely?
- How will we know it has been accepted?
Write down the answer in your own words. If instructions are unclear, ask the representative to repeat the next step before ending the call.
How Does Reverse Mortgage Third-Party Authorization Differ From Legal Authority?
Do not assume permission to receive information gives someone authority to make decisions. Ask what the accepted authorization actually covers. Discussing a statement, signing a document, and requesting loan funds are different activities.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) provides guidance for agents under a power of attorney, including agents under a power of attorney. That is a separate role from simply helping someone take notes.
| Your goal | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Listen and take notes | What permission is needed for this call? |
| Request account information later | What written authorization do you accept? |
| Sign or act for the borrower | What authority and review are required? |
For questions about legal documents or capacity, consult an attorney. Our related article discusses reverse mortgages and power of attorney.
What Should You Gather Before Calling?
Set out the recent statement and the specific letter or question you want to discuss. Keep sensitive documents in front of you rather than sending them to a family group chat. A short question list is often easier to use than a large stack of papers.
Prepare a private space where you can hear clearly. If your helper joins remotely, agree on who will introduce the call and who will take notes. Leave enough time to ask follow-up questions without feeling rushed.
- Recent servicer correspondence.
- Your question list.
- A pen or private notes file.
- Any authorization instructions already received.
Let the servicer guide its identity checks. Do not send extra identity documents through an unverified email address just because someone requests them.
What Is Different If HUD Holds Your HECM?
A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is a reverse mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Some HECMs are held by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Do not assume that describes your loan; confirm who currently handles it.
For HUD-held HECMs, HUD’s third-party authorization guidance says a completed, signed authorization form must be submitted to its HECM servicing contractor before borrower information can be provided to a third-party requester.
That guidance concerns HUD-held loans. For another servicer, request its own current procedure. Ask where to obtain the correct form and how to submit it, rather than assuming every reverse mortgage follows the same process.
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How Can You Make the Joint Call Easier?
Agree on one main question before dialing. A focused call makes it easier to identify what was answered and what still needs follow-up. The borrower can introduce the helper and explain the help being requested.
Here is a hypothetical example, not a borrower testimonial. Don wants his son Daniel to help understand a letter. He asks the servicer about permission first. Daniel then writes down which document Don should send and how receipt will be confirmed.
- Let the borrower explain the question.
- Ask whether the helper may participate.
- Discuss one item at a time.
- Repeat the next step back to the representative.
If the call cannot proceed, ask what is missing. Do not treat a paused conversation as a decision about the loan itself.
What Should You Confirm After Sending a Form?
Sending a form and having it accepted are separate steps. Ask the servicer how to confirm receipt and whether anything else is needed. Keep a private copy of what you sent, using the submission method the servicer gave you.
- Was the form received and accepted?
- Whose name is listed as the helper?
- What information can that person request?
- Are there limits or an expiration date?
- How can the borrower change or withdraw permission?
These are questions to ask, not promises about a particular form. Do not fill in an answer based on a friend’s experience with another lender. If permission changes, ask how the account record will be updated and confirmed.
Consider writing a short reminder for the next conversation: the borrower wants help understanding information, and the helper will ask before taking any further step. That keeps the purpose clear if a different representative answers the next call. Ask the servicer to explain any term on the form that neither of you understands.
What Should Your Call Notes Include?
Keep a brief record that helps you follow through without collecting unnecessary personal information. Record the date, the subject discussed, and the next step. Store notes where the borrower agrees they should be kept.
A useful note might say: “Asked how to add a helper for account questions. Servicer will provide its instructions. Borrower will review them before signing.” It should distinguish what the representative confirmed from what your family still needs to ask.
- Question asked and answer received.
- Documents requested and secure submission method.
- Any deadline stated in the actual notice.
- How and when to follow up.
Avoid placing full account numbers or identity details in shared calendars. A reminder such as “Call servicer about letter” is enough to prompt a follow-up.
Before putting the file away, check that both of you understand who owns the next step. If the borrower is waiting for instructions, record that. If the helper is only setting a reminder, record that too. Clear notes can prevent each person from assuming the other already handled something.
Which Borrower Responsibilities Still Need Attention?
Adding a helper does not replace the borrower’s loan obligations. For a HECM, you must pay property taxes and homeowners insurance, keep the home in good repair, and use it as your principal residence. Applicable homeowners association dues also remain your responsibility.
The CFPB explains these reverse mortgage borrower responsibilities. A helper can organize reminders, but ask the servicer who must complete any required certification or document.
The loan generally becomes due when the last borrower dies, sells, or permanently moves out, subject to applicable spouse protections. A health-related absence exceeding twelve consecutive months can also matter. Do not treat that period as a general allowance for every move; ask about your circumstances before relying on an assumption.
What If the Question Requires More Than a Call?
Some questions need a different kind of help. If your parent cannot provide permission, or someone needs to sign on their behalf, ask an attorney about authority. Do not sign the borrower’s name or assume family relationship alone settles the issue.
If a notice mentions a deadline, read the actual notice together and contact the servicer promptly. Ask what it means, what response is requested, and how receipt will be confirmed. This communication checklist does not extend a deadline or resolve a legal dispute.
If you are exploring a new HECM instead of managing an existing account, HUD-approved counseling is required as part of the process. A family call with a servicer does not substitute for that counseling.
The Bottom Line
Start with the borrower’s wishes, one clear question, and the servicer’s current permission process. Confirm what a helper may discuss and what requires separate authority. Keep private notes and verify the next step together.
Want to Understand Your Options?
Before your call, get familiar with the numbers. Read our guide to understanding your reverse mortgage statement so you know what to look for.
Ready to explore your options? Try our reverse mortgage calculator to see what you may qualify for or call 855-212-9114 to speak with our reverse mortgage experts.
No pressure. No obligation. Just answers to help you make an informed decision.
