Longbridge Financial survey reveals sharp divides by age, income, and where wealth is held for Americans 55 and older
A new national survey from Longbridge Financial finds that retirement confidence among US homeowners ages 55 to 64 lags behind every other age group examined. Where a household holds its wealth — not just how much it holds — is the sharpest driver of that divide.
Published as “The Retirement Confidence Divide,” the second volume of the 2026 Longbridge Financial Home Equity Confidence Index draws on responses from 2,021 US homeowners age 55 and older, surveyed by Morning Consult between March 26 and April 5.
Among homeowners age 75 and older, 82% say they are confident in their ability to afford everyday expenses in retirement.
Among those ages 55 to 64, that figure drops to 59%, a gap that holds across overall financial security (66% vs. 47%) and affording health care (78% vs. 53%).
Read more: What's really worrying older homeowners — and who feels it most
Where wealth is held matters most
The survey’s most striking finding is structural, not generational. Homeowners whose wealth is concentrated primarily in home equity report a 42-percentage-point gap in overall financial security confidence compared with those whose wealth is mainly in savings and investments — 30% vs. 72%.
For covering unexpected expenses, that split is 34% vs. 75%. For everyday expenses, 53% vs. 82%.
Retirement confidence by where wealth is held — Longbridge Financial 2026 survey
By where wealth is held
Retirement confidence: savings/investments vs. home equity primary
| Measure | Savings/invest. | Home equity | Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afford everyday expenses | 82% | 53% | 29pp | |
| Quality of life | 78% | 45% | 33pp | |
| Health care costs | 74% | 50% | 24pp | |
| Cover unexpected expenses | 75% | 34% | 41pp | |
| Overall financial security | 72% | 30% | 42pp |
Source: Longbridge Financial Home Equity Confidence Index, Vol. 2, 2026. Survey of 2,021 U.S. homeowners age 55+, conducted by Morning Consult, March 26 – April 5, 2026. pp = percentage points.
Chris Mayer, CEO of Longbridge Financial, said the data reflects a gap in how Americans account for their largest asset.
“For many Americans approaching retirement, understanding the full picture of their household wealth, including the equity they have built in their homes, should be part of the retirement planning conversation,” Mayer said.
Income compounds the divide further: among homeowners 55 and older earning $100,000 or more, 76% report confidence in long-term financial security, compared with 39% of those earning below $50,000, a 37-percentage-point split.
Read more: Homeowners stuck between reverse and conventional loans are a growing broker opportunity
A signal for brokers in the data
Senior home equity across the US has climbed to a record $14.92 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the NRMLA/RiskSpan Reverse Mortgage Market Index, a figure that illustrates the growing gap between on-paper wealth and felt financial security for millions of near-retirees.
Steve Irwin, president of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) in Washington, DC, told Mortgage Professional America in July that this mismatch is reshaping client conversations directly.
“People are concerned about shortfalls in their retirement financial plan and their ability to mitigate longevity risk and to absorb any unexpected shocks, whether it be home repairs, home modifications, or unexpected medical bills,” he said.
Irwin also noted that nearly 40% of home equity line of credit (HELOC) applicants over 65 are being rejected, directing more older homeowners toward alternatives.
“People are looking to monetize that equity,” he told Mortgage Professional America.
“And the alternative for those people may be, in the right circumstances, for the right people, a reverse mortgage product.”
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