Getting help on aquireing a Reverse Mortgage

Erik, Congratulations on having a fully-paid-for home in California (truly a major accomplishment in itself). To obtain a reverse mortgage, you'll need to provide information about the property, how it's held, and by who. To begin the process, your wife's trust and related estate planning documents should be reviewed, to verify proper authority to borrow against the home, that all actions are taken in alignment with her estate plan, and that her plan is updated to reflect changes that may have occurred since her plan was established or last modified. While being in Japan make the process a more stressful, your wife can submit the application along with most supporting documents online, or through an appointed Agent (including yourself) using a limited or general Power of Attorney. This may already exist as part of her estate plan.  On a personal note, my law practice is based in Lake Forest, California, but my wife and I maintain homes in both California and Kyoto. We also spent many years caring for her mother in Japan, who passed away in September 2019 at 97. If you have further questions, or would like further support, please feel free to contact my office.