With a reverse mortgage, the balance can rise higher than the home's value if you pay no payments and live in the house for a long time.  You can repay any amount to keep the balance from rising, but you are not required to do so.  Also, a reverse mortgage is a non-recourse loan which means that no matter what the balance may increase to, you or your heirs will only be required to pay the outstanding balance or the current value of the home, whichever is less, to pay off the loan if you wish to keep the home or you can walk away without owing anything to the lender.