June 22--The new issue of Reverse Mortgage Magazine, available today, includes an unprecedented transcription of a live counseling session with a reverse mortgage borrower. HUD-approved counselor Tim Robbins, of CCCS of Montana, received permission from James Clark of Chehelis, Washington, to permit magazine staff to listen in on and record their telephone counseling session for a story called “The Counseling Session.”

“The intent of the story is to demonstrate how such a session works for those who never get to sit in on one,” says Peter Bell, President of NRMLA and publisher of Reverse Mortgage Magazine.

Mr. Clark, 83, found his monthly income from social security and his union pension cut in half when his wife passed away in June. Without his wife’s income, he could no longer afford to stay in his home. During the session, the counselor leads Clark through a complete examination of his expenses and together they discover that with a reverse mortgage Clark could pay off his forward mortgage, lower his monthly expenses, pay all of his expenses and be able to save some money each month.

“The Counseling Session” is one story in an entire issue built around the theme “A Product for the People,” that also includes Marty Bell’s story on “Five Reasons to Admire Reverse Mortgages” and Karen Hoffman’s story on borrower protections.

“Recently the public conversation about reverse mortgages has been infused with fear, largely provoked by two issues that really have nothing to do with reverse mortgages--the subprime loan mess and a history of senior abuse in our country,” says Marty Bell, the Director of Communications and Marketing for NRMLA. “We felt it was time to remind our readers why the reverse mortgage is a terrific and important product.”

Reverse Mortgage Magazine is published bi-monthly by NRMLA. The editor is JJ Hornblass. The magazine is distributed to members of the organization, government officials and the press.

To obtain a copy of the issue, contact dhicks@nrmla.com.

For additional information, contact Marty Bell at mbell@dworbell.com.