The survey, conducted in December by bipartisan pollsters Echelon Insights and GBAO Strategies, collected responses from nearly 2,600 voters ages 50 and up.
It found that women ages 50 to 64 are especially anxious 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 in retirement. Among those 50 to 64, two-thirds express uncertainty — compared with half of women 65 and older.
Short-term financial stress is also significant, with more than 40% of the survey group reporting that they’re unable to cover a $400 emergency without borrowing or tapping into retirement savings.
Women worry that a struggling economy, rising costs and uncertainty over whether Social Security will cover expenses could put a comfortable retirement out of reach.
More than 80% expect Social Security to provide income in their 60s, and nearly 30% anticipate it will be their only source of income.
Health care costs dominate worries
Stress over health care costs outranks other financial concerns.
Only 45% of women in the 50-to-64 bracket strongly or somewhat agree they can afford medical expenses.
Many have already made tough choices, with 38% of women in this age group skipping medical care due to costs. Women 65 and older are slightly more confident due to Medicare coverage, but more than one-quarter remain uncertain about affording health care.
Older women are more likely than men to provide unpaid care for adult relatives, with 37% of women 50 to 64 and 42% of women 65-plus reporting caregiver duties.
Caregiving often comes with financial sacrifices, with nearly 40% providing some 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 the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program predominantly served single female borrowers in fiscal year 2025, making up 41.1% of all endorsements.
Across all borrowers, the average age rose slightly to about 75. Reverse mortgage volume rose in 2025, with 28,172 HECM endorsements, although that’s less than half the total from three years earlier. The FHA attributes the drop to higher interest rates and more stable home-price appreciation.
