The questionnaireconducted in December by bipartisan poll watchers Echelon Insights And GBAO strategiescollected responses from nearly 2,600 voters aged 50 and over.
This showed that women between the ages of 50 and 64 are particularly concerned about their economic security, a concern that extends to long-term retirement planning.
More than half of women surveyed are unsure whether their savings will last beyond retirement. Among those aged 50 to 64, two-thirds express uncertainty – compared to half of women aged 65 and over.
Short-term financial stress is also significant, with more than 40% of the survey sample reporting that they would not be able to cover a $400 emergency without borrowing or tapping into retirement savings.
Women worry that a struggling economy, rising costs and uncertainty about whether Social Security will cover costs could put a comfortable retirement out of reach.
More than 80% expect Social Security to provide an income before age 60, and nearly 30% expect it to be their only source of income.
Healthcare costs dominate the concerns
Stress about health care costs trumps other financial concerns.
Only 45% of women aged 50 to 64 fully or partially agree that they can afford medical expenses.
Many have already made difficult choices, with 38% of women in this age group skipping medical care due to cost. Women age 65 and older are slightly more confident thanks to Medicare coverage, but more than a quarter remain unsure about paying for health care.
Older women are more likely than men to provide unpaid care to adult family members: 37% of women aged 50 to 64 and 42% of women aged 65 and over give up caring responsibilities.
Caregiving often involves financial sacrifices; almost 40% provide financial support to adult children.
Reverse mortgages reflect demographic trends
Amid these concerns, the reverse mortgage landscape continues to evolve.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) data shows that the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program served primarily single female borrowers in fiscal year 2025, accounting for 41.1% of all endorsements.
The average age of all borrowers has risen slightly to approximately 75 years. Reverse mortgage volume increased in 2025, with 28,172 HECM recommendations, although that is less than half the total from three years earlier. The FHA attributes the decline to higher interest rates and more stable home price growth.
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