America has historically leaned heavily on the government-backed Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program as a way for older homeowners to tap into their equity. But amid higher interest rates and steep upfront costs, private-sector alternatives are aggressively stepping in to fill the void. Proprietary reverse mortgages in the U.S. are evolving to offer higher loan-to-value ratios, lower upfront costs and second-lien options, reaching more than half the market in the first quarter of 2026.